Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-03-02
MAKING A MATCH.

L wouldn't marry the best man thai
ever lived!' And she meant il, or whe,t
answers the same purpose, she Thought
she meant it. After all, how few of us
every know what we mean? 1 engag-
ed myself once, when a gil, and the
simpleton thought he owned me. ]
soon took the conceit out of him and
sent him away about his business. The
voice was now little sharp. What
wonder, with so CALLING a memocy? Nc
man shall ever tyrannize over me-nev-
er! What the mischief Go you suppo3e
is the ma tier with this sewing machine?'
Annoyed ct your logic, most likely,
said my friend, a bright young matTon,
as she threaded her needle. My hu2-
band is not tyrant, Miss Kent.
I am glad you are satisfied YVES the
lacOnic reply.
1T was quite eviden1 by The express
sion of the dressmakec's face that she
had formed her own opinion about ny
friends husband, and was quite COIL
peae1t 20 ao,n and express pa. opinion
on any subject. Miss Kent was g, litiIe
woman, fair as a girl and plump rs a
robin. She wasn't ashamed TO own tnaG
she was forty years old and an oIo maid.
She had earned her own living mOst of
her life, and was proud of it. She was
a good nurse, a faithful friend and a
jolly companion, but couch her the
wrong way and you'd wish you hadn't
in much shorter time than il takes me
to write il. Her views or all subjects
were strikingly original, and not to be
combated.
What are you going TO do when you
are old persisted the mistress of the
establishment.
What othei folks do, l suppose
But you can't work forever
Can't say chat l want to-
Now, Miss Kent, a husband with
means, a kind, intelligent man
L don't want any man, l tell you,
Mrs. Carlisle, l wouldn't marry the best
man living, if he was rich as Cr9sus,
and would die if l didn'G have hiIl.
Now, if you have exhausted the mar
riage question, l should like TO Try on
your dress
There was something behind ali this
1 knew well. My friends eyes danced
with fun, and as Miss Kent fitted the
waist, she threw me a letter from the
bureau.
Read that she said, with knowing
look; it may amuse you
This is what the letter said:
MYDEAR JENNIE-I shall be delight
ed to spend month with you and your
husband. There must be, however,
one stipulation about my visit-you
must say no more about marriage.
shall never be foolish again. Twenty
years ago to-day l wrecked my whole
life. ['Better embark in new snip,
hadn't l p puG in Jennie sotto voce. So
unsuitable was this marriage, so utterly
and entirely wre, ched have been its
consequences that l am forced to be-
lievethe marriage institution mistake.
So, for the last time, let me assure you
that wouldn't marry the best woman
that ever lived, if by so doing l could
save her life Your old cousin.
MARK LANSING.
Rich, isn't heN said Jennie, and then
pointed to the chubby. little figure
whose back happened to be turned
shook my head and laughed.
You'll see,' said the incorrigible.
See what?' inquired Miss Kent, quite
unaware of our pantomine.
| That parties which are chemically
attracted will unite. OF course an
alkali and an acid. Don't you think
this sleeve little too long, Miss Kent
Not after the seam is off. But what
were you saying, Mrs. Carlisle The
other day at Professor Boynton's l saw
some wonderful experiments
And did they succeedY inquired Jen-
ME demurely.
Beautifully
So will mine. l never yet botched a
| job in my life.'
4 don't think I quite understand
you,' replied Miss Kent perplexed.
No? l always grow scientific when
talking about marriage, my dear
'Bother! was all the little woman
said, but the tone was much better n&-
tured than l expected.
The next week cousin Mark arrived,
and l liked him at once. An unhappy
marriage would have been the last
thing thought of in connection with
that gentleman. He had accepted the
situation like man, Jennie told me,
and for fifteen years carried a load of
misery that few could have endured.
Death came to him at last, and now the
poor fellow actually believed himself an
alien from domestic happiness.
Singular as it may appear Cousin
Mark was the embodiment of good
health and good nature; fifty, perhaps,
though he didn't look it, and as rotund
and as fresh in his way as the little
dressmaker was in hers. AS | looked
at him l defied anybody to see one and
not be reminded of the other. True, he
had more of the polish which comes
from travel and adaptation to different
classes and individuals, but he was not
whit more intelligent by nature than
the bright little woman whom Jennie
determined he should marry.
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