The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-07-17
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER,
Iwouldn't marry the best man that
ever lived!" And she meant it, or
what answers the same purpose, she
thought she meant it. After all, how
few OF us ever really know what We
mean?
81 engaged myself once, when a girl,
and the simpleton thought no owned
me- soon took that conccit out Of
him, and sent him away about his
business" The voice was now a little
sharp. What wonder, with so CALLING
II memory? "Noman shall ever tyran-
nizc over mc-ncvcr! What the mis-
chief do yousupposeis thematter will,
this sewing maclinc?"
"Annoyed at you logic, most like
ly," said my friend, bright young
matron us she threaded her needle.
"ATy husband is not tyrant, Miss
Kent"
1t was quite evident, by the express
sion OF the lreSsmakcr's face that she
had formed her own opinion about my
friends husband. and WAS quite COM
petent to form and express anapinion
on any subject. Miss Kent was lit
tile woman. fairas Il girl. and plump az Il
robin. She wasn't ashamed to own
that she WAS forty years old and an
old maid. She had earned her own
living most OF her lie and was proud
OF it. Laziness was the one sin Miss
Kent could not forgive. She was a
good nurse, a faithful friend, and a
Jolly companion; but stroke her the
wrong way and you'.. wish you hadn't
in much shorter time than it takes
mo to write it. Her views on all sub
jccts were >,rikinsly original, and not
to he combnttcl.
"What are You going to 40 when
you are oll?' persisted the mistress oi
the establishment.
What otimr folks 10. suppose"
But yon can't work forever"
Cant say that ] want to-"
"Now, Miss Kent. II husband witt,
means. Il kind, intelligent man-
IL don't want any man. l tell YOU,
Miss Carlisle / wouldn't marry thekcst
man tl,at aver lived, If he war rich ma
Cr"sus. and would die it'd have him.
Now, if you have exhausted the mar
riagc question, should like to try on
y9ir ttrcss."
There was something behind all this,
know sail. My friends eyes danced
with fun; AID az Miss Kent fitted the
waist, she threw ,.,s I. letter from the
bureau. "Rcad that, SHE said, with
u knowinglook.' ..Itmay amusc YOU. q
This il what the letter said:
My DEAL JksN.n: shall be delighted to
There must be, however. one 's,4pu,ati.,;,
about my yisit-you must say no moro
about mnrriase. shall never he foolish
again. Twenty years agn to-day wrecked
my whole life.
Better embark In new ship, hadn't
he??" put in Jennie, snttO voce.
So unsuitable was this marriage, 80 utterly
and entirely wretcl,cd have been its conse.
qucnccs, tIat / am forced to believe the
marriage ips!'is:i"n " mistake. So, 10,
the last time, ~ lns assure YOU that
lived. II by 20 dining gould save Aef lie.
Your old couas. MAnKLlSYSc."
erich, isn't hc?" said Jennie, and
then pointed to the chubby little fiiguse
whose back happened to be turned.
shook my head and laughed.
"Ye..';,I sec" said the incorrigible.
"Scc whats" ;aauired Miss Kent,
quite unaware OF OH t,a,.i .u,ine.
"That the parties which are chem.
ically attracted will unite. OF course
an alkali and an acid. Don't YOU
think this sleeve a little too long, Miss
kent?"
"Not after tGes seam is of But what
were you saying, Mrs, Carlisle? The
other day at Professor iSeIDton's, I
saw some wonderful cxpelimicnts.1
"Did they surcaed?" inquired Jennie,
lem,,rely.
Beautifully"
$50 will mine. ! never botched 4
job in my life
81 don't think l quite understand
YOU" replied Miss Kent, perplexed.
"No? 1 always grow scientific when
talking about marriage, my dear"
"BItber!" was all the little woman
said, but ti,a tone was much better
natuftd than expected.
The next week cousin Mark arrived,
and ! liked him at once. !Asa ..,r4agBy
marriage would have been the last
thing thought of in connection with,
that gentleman. He had accepted the
situation like a man, Jennie told me,
and for fifteen years carried II load OF
misery that few could have endured.
DEATH came to his relief ut last, and
now the poor tai!ow actually believed
himself an niicn from domestic happi.
ness.
Singular as it may appear, Cousin
Mark was the embodiment of good
health and good nature; City. perhaps,
though lie didn't look ii, aid M TO.
tund and fresh in his way as the little
drcssmaker was in hers. AS looked
at him dciied anybody to see ono and
not ba reminded of the other. True,
he had mors OF the polish which comes
from trilva 4lld i,,i;;,,tntion to differ.
ent classes and 'iinidivittuiaa,s, ut .ewas
not whit more intelligent by human,
nature than the bright little woman
whom Jennie determined he should
marry.
~ was surprised you should think it
necessary to caution me about that
Cousin Mnrk." eooad the plottcr, as
she stood by his side, looking out Of
the window. "'rllc idea OF my being SO
ridiculous" and in the same breath,
with IL wink at me. "Come let usgo to
my sitting room. We are at work
there, but it won't make any differ
cnco to you, will it?" :,
Ofeoiirss Cousin Mark answered No,
promptly, rs innocent as ~ dove abou1
the trap being laid for him. I
"rhis is my cousin-Mr. Lansing
Miss Kent" and Mr.. Lansing bowed
politely. and Miss Kent arose, dropped
her scissors, blushed. and sat down
again. Cousin Mark picked up the re-
factory implements, and then Mrs
Jennie proceeded with rare caution
and tact to her labor Of love. Cousin
Mark, ut her request, read aloud on
article from the Popular Science
Monthly, drawing Miss Kent into the