The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1894-04-06
A MISTAKE.

O0h yOu tLIbbl Ii Ii HI nBAbSotNIDo
ening the butt aer?''says Belinda, with her
laugh. "Or shopping in the Edgware road
in q waterproof? Am I your idea of the per
son who would take an interest in suet and
semolina and darn your socks in the even
ing as a recreationa My dearest Jack, ii
you think anything 80 absurd. you must
be evena greater fool than take you for"
"And you are 80 clever-so c~onfounded-
ly clever, you know, Belinda, 2" says Jack,
looking at her c~uriously through his half
closed eyes. Belinda has taken the chair
opposite to him-a great, deep chair which
acts as a frarue to her fair, assured beauty
and the rich s~oftness Of her costly dress.
~ am honest" answers Belinda, land
romantic, too-thar Is, as romantic as most
people. Theoretically romantic, you know,
and in practice practical. My dear Jack,
you know-sentimental enough to fall in
love with a government clerk, but l shall
not be fool enough to marry him."
"Thank you" says Jack, still looking
at her indolently.
Belinda. "You ought to be. am spar
ing you a great deal. What would you do
with a wife who wanted about double your
entire annual income for a dress allow
ancei"
Jack is understood to murmur lazily
that any wife of his would be required to
make a good many sacrifices.
"Sacrifices !" echoes Belinda. "How
bourgeois and high minded we arel My
dear Jack, the influence Of the country
clergyman, your papa, and the squirrels
daughter, your mamma, is painfully ap-
parent even now. If people are not to mar
ry to better themselves, why in the world
should they marry at ALP"
"Effete persons in the country, Belin-
da," says Jack, leaning forward and look
ing into her face with an odd intentness,
occasionally marry for love-"
"Do you offer their example for my ben
eft?" says Belinda, laughing a little.
Perhaps she laughs to cover some slight
and unusual ~ous A faint color
fickers for Il moment in her cheeks ant
dies away and leave her pale.
81 have the audacity to do SO" says
Jack. tits absurd and quixotic and ri
diculous, Of course. / don't think l expect
you to follow it. The instances in which
women have found affection capable of
making life more tolerable than do "a tow
house and a country house and q first rate
dressmaker are uncommonly rare. Yet
they have been, Belinda"
"Have they?" says Belinda. "Is there
any proof of that? Is there IN proof that
the women who nave married for affection
wouldn't be ready enough to barter it at
the end of a year or two for those other ad-
vantages? The birthright for the mess of
pottage, you would say. But my sympa-
thies nave always been with Esau."
"Suppose," says Jack, with something
that is eager n strained under his light
manner, 1--WE come to the point. Do you
care for me, Belinda?"
81 am going to be honest in every re-
spect," says Belinda, with that color COM
ing and going in her face. "So-yes."
evil you marry me, Belinda"
There is a pause.
NO." says Belinda, but as if it hurt
her.
"Why not?"
"Honesty again" answers Belinda light
ly. She feels perhaps as if that lightness
were a sort Of safeguard. ITO put it bru-
tally, I don't consider love and a clerkship
are enough to live upon"
as this inal?" says Jack, still very in
tently.
ut is so final" she "that I
must ask you never to mention the subject
again. I have my feelings, too, you know.
I wish perhaps they were strong enough,
as some women's have been, to let me do
as you wish. But they are not. Spare me
as much as you can. When / am rich and
prosperous, l shall no doubt regret you,
but if l had you should spend my life
regretting the richness and prosperity.
choose the lesser of two evils"
"And suppose, Belinda, :" says the man,
"that you had been fortunate enough to
fall in love with a rich MANI"
II can't suppose anything SO absurd"
answers Belinda. "Tha sort Of thing does
not happen outside NOVELS"
"Sometimes, " he answers, though rare
ly. Yesterday I was a poor man; today,
through the death of a relative, I am a
rich one."
She looks at him suddenly. The color
burns into het face and dies out of it. She
reads contempt in his eyes-a scathing
contempt for her.
81 leave here early tomorrow morning."
she says at last and very steadily. At will
say goodby to you now"
He opens the door for her, and as she
passes him their eyes meet for the last
time.-M. and r, in Black and White.