Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-06-06
CONUNDRUMS.


40 woman. lovely woman muir
INJURED Tom. in n fit OF nervous abstrac.
ton. "Why is IL that when n man n
wishes 10 be left alone with his own
thoughts you are always at hand to tor
ment himP And why. when we fail TO
respond 10 your questionings, do you
accuse me Of thinking Of lady?"
81 don't gee why YOU should make
yourself disagreeable. Tom. even il YOU
do feel like Il, said very pretty young
lady who stood near by, regarding him
with an amuso smile.
Tom rose Co his feet and muttered
something which might have been
Hang it, though the words had a
dec dedly less orthodox sound. Then
he left the room and slammed the door
after him.
Jenny Bailey laughed. but she didn't
say; THE hOrrid bear" rs many an
other Young lady would have done in
her place. Instead 81 that. she re-
marked; "Dear Toni I wonder II all
young men are like him. and rs touchy
ON the subject OF wOmankind. What n
life he'll lead Of he ever gets married.
Some butterfly must have attracted him.
or ne wouldn't have got angry in the
way he did"
But Miss Jenny. for all her astute-
ness. was very far from the truth. Tom
Hardy was lawyer. and his abstrac-
ton bad been caused by his yainly
puzzling over n complicated case which
he had IN hand. In his way. Tom was
n peculiar character. II he gave the
ladies' thought. his mother and sisters
had never been able To discover IL: and
rs he was the est of sons and brothers,
II may safely 10 assumed that his wings
had never been singed At all events.
II such were the case, he had been
shrnwd enough TO keep his own
counsel
Jenny Bailey. an intimate friend OF
Toms sisters, had come from her
home in New York to pay them visit.
She was roguish girl. full of spirit,
and had taken n liking TO Tom as soon
rs she had seen him. This liking she
manifested hy tormcnting him in every
way that lay In her power Toms ter
years seniority. and the fact that hi
was n rising young lawyer. did not hold
her In check In the least He bore will
her peccadillOes with wonderful pa
tense. But to-day. having gone int
the library. aud thrown himself into I
chair TO smoke cigar and do n littl,
thinking. he was in no mood To be in
corrupted by frivolous chatter, anC
least OF all TO be male the butt OF ridi
culo. SO, when Jenny came into th,
room, humming n lively operate air
he paid her no attention. Suddenl,
the young lady stopped singing anC
asked:
what are you thinking OFF"
Nothing" answered Tom. shortly
"Oh, of course. l expected youi,
say that But what are you thinking
Tom was tempted TO reply: None o
your business" but thought better Of /
and said
various things"
"Indeedi anu what might thos
things boP"
They might be things concernin,
you. but they're not" rejoined Tom
with little show OF temper.
"Oh, really I'm sure ought to b
thankful. But there's no need of cate
Shising you. You're thinking of
lady"
And then Il was that Tom propounde,
his conundrums concerning Lowell
woman.
"a plague on all the women n
exclaimed, wrathfully, when he though
no was out Of hearing. But Inc
frowned upon him, for he ran agains
his elder sister, Kate. who didn't seen
~ all horrihed NJ the words she heard
She caught his arm. and. with n broa
smile ripping over her face. said:
where are you goingP back to III
ohiceP No, sirl not this evening"
|" Yes. ma'am, this evening. and som
other evening. also. have business I
attend %"
"Couldn't you do IL at homeP'
yes. might IL"
eli Jenny wasn't here, you were ~
ing to say" said Kate, finishing N
sentence for him.
Tom was about TO protest but n
sister interposed with:
"Now. Tom, want YOU to stay I
homo this evening. We're going I
have several young friends cali, and
want you 20 be here. Go up 10 Won
room and make yourself presentsbl,
There's good fellow"
What could the poor boy do but sui
mitP
A couple Of hours later a msrr
group OF young persons were gnthere
In Mr.. Hardys parlors. Tom ha
dragged one OF tho gentlemen into
corner. and was busily arguing wit
him the possibilities Of carrying N
Fourth Ward for Alderman Brown
His friend thought the chances wei
about even. aud Tom was about
suggest some important measure whe
Misc Jenny called out:
Let's have some conundrumsr'
les, yesF' responded sewers
memhers OF the party.
Come on. Mr.. Hardy" said N
sanoy girl. Bring your friend wit
Tom submitted. and we must do nj,
the justice 10 say that he did not man
fest the reluctance no felt.
wow" exclaimed Jenny. sewer,
body must ask aquestion. and call 8
any one they please 10 answer Il. Let
begin. You, Kate. ask first.~
well. III begin by asking You ous
When you're At home, how often do vo
60 out Of an evoningP'
'Vh, you're going to Be personal, a.