The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-03-23
CHARLES EPISODE.

"Annt Betsy, do you think me a
humbug?"
Hooked at the speaker and consid.
cred. He threw himself upon the
sofa and fixed his blueeyes expsctant.
ly upon my face. deliberated a
| moment and then answered slowly:
IA humbug, Charlie, is one who pre-
tends to be what he is not. I am not
skilled in entomology, but should feel
quite safe in declaring that you do
not belong to that species OF insects. I"
mo Joking, auntie, want an hon
est opinion. Am not n humbug if
am one thing today, another thing
tomorrow, and still another thing
next week, even if l am sincere in such
variety?'
II don't quite understand the drift
OF what you say" said I. "Please ex-
plain"
well, you know Grace Fielding"
said he cooring slightly.
ooh, yes! know Grace Fielding
very WE'LL" said l. "Go on. What
about herr"
"Pshaw! Aunt Betsey," said he
lmpatiently. "lou onsht to know
what want to say. 1t seems as if
everybody must know. Why have
thought tor more than two years that
was in love with her"
"lou thought so." said l. 'Don't
you think SO now"
mo; and that is why am disgust
cd with myself. Six weeks ago l was
ready to punch the head OF any fellow
that looked at her. l wouldn't dare
tell you what q fool I made OF myself
over her picture AMI a lock OF her
hair have installed her mistress Of
some OF the finet air.castes ever built
by mortal man. And now, after all
this nonsense, she is no more to me
than Susie Allen, or Mary Snow, or q
dozen other girls could mention"
mo more than Dolly Stevens,
suppose" said Iquietly.
"Aunt Betsy, where did you get the
key to my miserable Inconsistency"
said he with almost croan.
"Then ann not mistaken" said l.
He buried his face in his hands and
did not speak for several moments.
Then he raised his head.
IL want to do what is right" said
he, land l want you to advise me.
Will it be right tor me to 20 on pre-.
tending to care for Grace when | do
not? know | cannot do it. But
thcn,aftcr two years devotion to her,
it 'loesen's seem Just the thing to drop
her and devote myself to somebody
else--does it?" And he looked at me
in Il hopeless kind OF way that made
my heart achefor him.
"Dear Charlie" said l, "would it be
any consolation to you to know that
Grace has also utsrown her childish
preference for you? She told me so
when she was here yesterday. Now,
us you are both so young, and there
is no engagement between YOU"
"Then we are n pair of humbugs, "
said he. interrupting me. "Well, it is
II relief to know she don't care for me,
but am almost as sorry to lose con-
iidence i'll her as to lose it in myself.
Of course, any feeling SO ileetins could
not lie real."
"Do you think so?"
Glow could l think otherwise?"
"Did you have the toothache badly
last Friday night"
you bet did. DIR. Forceps made
quick work OF it though, Saturday
morning"
Are you quite sure it ached?'
"Sure? | was nearly insane with it
for twenty-fonr hours"
"Twenty-four hours is a short time.
Any pain SO fleetins Us that could
hardly he real, it seems to me-"
Charlie gave me a comical look.
"lt is too bad" said he, "to turn
my argument against me in that way
but | don't think your illustration
holds good. Physical pain is not q
criterion by which to Judge emotion. u
"iet, after ALL" said !, "there is a
great similarity between ouremotions
and physical pain. We know they
act and ieactupon each other through
the nerves; but what want to make
you see is that an emotion, as well as
u pain, may be real, acute. sincere
and ut the same time OF short dura
ton. You say you thought you were
in love with Grace Fielding; now YOU
think you are in love with Dolly Stew.
ems, and it may be you will"
"Be in love with some one else next
year. interrupted he. "rhe sugges.
ton isnot ilatterlns to my constancy,
but | must surely acknowledge it's jus.
tice."
Now. my dear boy, do not be too
severe in your sef-condemnation.
Young people fall in love, rs young
birds try their wings. They usually
make several attempts before they are
fairly launched i'll either case. III the
birds it is the failure OF undeveloped
pnions. In the young OF the human
species it is the failure OF undevelop.
ed emotion. Take this as a lesson.
Charlie, and lie thankful 1t has not
proved so bitter a one to you as it
has TO many.
''rhank you, auntie, for trying to
make me think better Of myself than
thought ever should. And now
that have got out OF that scrape,
will 80 to my room to study the tao
tics necessary to get me into simila:
one"
don't he hasty, Charlie. Per.
haps-"
Faint heart never won tair lady,
| Aunt Betsy. Good-night." And the
bright younsiace OF my favorite nepl,.
CIV disappeared.
could hear him upstairs, whistlins
softly, and knew that he was building
new and beautiful mir castles fol
another queen than Grace Fielding.
Charlie Dayton was only 10 years
old when this conversat ion took place
AS young child, he had been as mis-
rhievo,ls, wheetllesome. winsome little
rousue as could he found in the colln.
try. Peopln understood his pranks
io,gave them quickly and petted
him. AS he grew up lie developed an
lmperious nature, was impatient Of
arbitrary restrictions, and made some
enemies by expressing mis- opinion.
more freely than, perhaps. he should
have done. But his imperlousncs>
gave way to affection. and public
opinion was never shocked by any
breach OF decorum on his part.
Nature WAS in one of her most gen
ero,ls moods when she endowed him