The Forrest City times., 1892-04-01
MAKING A MATCH.

MISS hehl was u ltttle woman, lair as girl and plump as robin. She wasn' { ashamed to own that she was forty and an old 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 stroke her the wrong way and you'd wish you hadn't in much shorter time than it takes me to write it. Her views on all subje ts 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 other folks do, I suppose" !"
 But you can't work forever" !"
 Cant say that l want to-"
 Now Miss Kent husband with means. kind. intelligent man"
 Il don't want any man. l tell you Mrs. Carlisle. l wouldn't marry the best man living if he was as rich as Crnsus and would die if l didn't have him. Now if you have exhausted the marriage question, l should like to try on your dress
 There was something behind all this l 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 a know ing look. 1t may amuse you
 This is what the letter said:
 My DEAR JENN1E-I shall be delighted to spend month with you and your hus- hand There must, however, be one stipulation about my visit-you must say no more about marriage. l shall never be foolish again. Twenty years ago to- day wrecked my whole life t''Better embark in a new ship, hadn't hef' put ill Jennie, sotto voce So unsuitable was this marriage, so utterly and entirely wretched have been its consequences that l am forced to believe the marriage insti- tuition a mistake So, for the last time, let me assure you that l 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 he?n said Jennie and then pointed to the chubby little fig ure whose back happened to be turned. ] shook my head and laughed
 You'll see said the lncorrigible
 See what?n inquired Miss Kent quite unaware of our pantomime.
 That parties which are chemically attracted will unite Of coarse an alkali and an acid. Don't you think this sleeve a little too long Miss Kent?'
 Not after the seam is of. But what were you saying Mrs. Carlisle? The other day at Prof Boynton's l saw some wonderful experiments,
 And did they succeed" inquired Jennie. demurely.
 ''Beautifully."
 50 will mine. I never yet blotched D job in my life" :"
 Il don't think I quite understand you. replied Miss Kent perplexed.
 No? 1 always grow scientific when talking about marriage, my dearn
 Botherln was all the little woman said but the tone was much better natured than l expected The next week Cousin Mark arrived. and 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 a 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 him. self an alien from domestic happiness. Singularly as it may appear. Cousin l Mark was the embodiment of good health and good nature; fifty, per haps though he didn't look it. and as rotound and as fresh in his way as the 1 little dressmaker was in hers. As l looked at him defed anybody to see X one and not be reminded of the other. True. ee 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.
 K Il was surprised you should think 1t necessary to caution me about that Cousin Mark. " cooed the plotter as she stood by his side looking out ot the window The idea of my being so ridicuousr' and in the same breath with wink at me. Come. let us go to my sitting room We are at work Ethere, but it won't make any difference Do you will itP"
 Of course Cousin Mark answered ',No," promptly as innocent as a dove about the trap being laid for him.
 That is my cousin Mr. Lansing. Miss Kent" And Mir. Lansing bowed politely and Miss Kent rose dropped Der scissors blushed and sat down II in. Cousin Mark picked up the N 5fractory implements, and then Mrs. N arlisle proceeded with rare caution tact to her labor of love. Cousin E ark, at her request read aloud an nrticle from the Popular Science Monthly. drawing Miss Kent into the Discussion as deftly as was ever a fly rawn into the web Of spider.
 Who is that lady Jennie' Cousin lark inquired in the evening
 You mean Miss hentyN said Jen- {, |e looking up flom her paper Oh
 e is a ladyi have knowG her Tor