The Dickinson press., 1884-05-10
IN and OUT OF LOVE.
How did I know that she was a vic

How did know that she was a wild
ow?
Don't you give me credit for any COM
mon sense or discrimination at all?
How do you know that q o is red?
How do you know lobster salad from
sardines?
I knew she was a widow from the
very moment I took the corner seat in
the car, opposite to her little black bon
net with its auttering breath of Grape
veil, and the astrakan muf that held
her two tiny black-gloved hands.
How I envied that muff.
Don't tell me of your Venuses, your
Madonnas, and your Marys, Queen
of scots-they couldn't have held a
candle to this delicious little widow.
never did believe in grand beauties!
A woman has no business overawing
and impressing you against your will.
And she was one of your dimpled,
daisy-faced creatures with soft, brown
eyes, l~ong-lashed and limpid, and a
red mouth which looked as if it was just
made to be kissed.
And then there was a tangle of gold
en- spirals of hair hanging over her fore
head, and braids upon braids pinned
under her bonnet, until a hairdresser
would have gone frantic at the sight.
just as I was taking an inventory of
these things in that sort of an I'M
observant way that 1 fatter myself be-
longs to q man of the world, she
dropped her muff, and, of course, it
rolled under the car seat.
Wasn't down on my knees at once
after it? I rather think so.
"Thank you sir" said the delicious
little widow.
"Not at ALL" I replied. "Can I do
anything more for you?"
"No thank you-unless you could tell
me what time we get into Glendale.
Glendale" I cried. "Why I am go
ing to Glendale"
OF course we were friends at once,
and the daisy-faced enchantress made
:oom for me beside her, "lest" as she
said, "some horrid, disagreeable crea-
lure should crowd in and bore her to
death" and 1 stepped right out of the
musty, ill-ventilated world of the rail
way carriage into an atmosphere of
Eden.
When a bachelor of forty falls in love
at first sight-oh, what % fall is there
my countrymen. No half measures, 1
tell you.
Before we had been speeding through
the wintry landscape an hour, 1 had al
ready built up several blocks of chat
eaux d'Espagne, in my mind.
I saw my bachelor rooms frightened
with her presence.
Ifancied myself walking to church
with her hand on my arm.
I heard her dulcet voice saying, "My
lear Thomas, what would you like for
supper, to.night?" I beheld myself q res
pect able member of society-the head
Of a family.
What would Bob Carter say now-I
meant then? Bob, who was always rail-
lying me on m state of hopeless old
bachelorhood, who supposed, forsooth,
because he happenedto bea trifie youn-
ger andbetter looking than myself, that
I had no chances whatever.
I'd show Bob!
"What did we talk about?"
The weather, of course, the prospect
all the available topics, one after an
other; the more we talked, the deeper
grew my admiration.
She was so sensible and so original,
and SO everything else that she ought
to be!
I discovered that she preferred a
town life to the seclusion of a country
residence-so did L. Who would stag
nate when he could feel the worlds
pulses as they throbbed?
She loved the opera so did I. She
ment all ridiculous-with a bewitching
little lisp on the last syllable-I agre ed
with her.
She thought a woman's true sphere
was home; my feelings surged up too
strongly for utterance, and 1 merely
bowed my assent.
Here was a delicious unanimity Of
soul-a mute concord of sympathy.
What would Bob Carter say when he
saw this beautiful little robin lured into
my cage. How ] would lord it ovel
him. How I would invite him to chap.
penin at any time" How I would-fg.
uratively, of course-hold up Mrs
Thomas Smith over his envying eyes
Iuttcred an audible chuckle as I thought
of these things, which I had some diff
: Guilty in changing into a cough.
, you've got a cold" said the widow,
= sympathetically. "Do, please have one
Of my troches; they are so soothing tt
the throat"
1 took the troche, but I didn't swal
r low it. I would as soon have eaten {
priceless pearl. I put it in my left
. hand breast pocket, as near my heart al
practicable.
Herfirst gift!
"a bachelor like me is used to sucl
! things,"I said, in all off-hand manner
"a bachelor!" echoed my travelling
companion. "Bless me, then you ART
not married"
Unfortunately, no."
cts never too late to mend" hazard
, ed the widow, roguishly.
"That is my sole consolation" I all
. swered, %gallantly.
{ "There is nothing like married life,
sighed the widow, with a momentar,
eclipse of the limpid, brown orbs, be
s meath the whitest Of dropping lids
! "But what's the use of my talking abou
; it to you? You can't understand"
. !. "You can imagine" I replied modest
. = ly.
. "You must find a wife as soon as pos
sible," said the widow, looking intentl,
at the hem of her pocket handkerchief
you're only living half life, now. All