The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-01-13

neither better nor worse than othe
johnnies, but, if anything. better
l told her | liked her awfully-lovee
her in, fact; and that if she though
it good enough, it would be toe
immense, don't you know.
She said she thought it was gooc
enough. | never shall understand
what she saw in me. 1t may have
been my cravat-an old gold silk
with a diamond in it;it may have
been my button hole-geIder,ro rose
and verbena; it may have been my
mustache, or my money; it may
have been all these things taken to
gether; but, anyway, she said it was
good enough. | remember the
words.
Haven't you seen that l love you
Why dearest, love as l have never
loved or thought could love. It's
not money want but love. I'll
make you good little, true little
wife; and thank God for bringing
such happiness into my life.
laughed, don't you know. 1t
was rather jolly sort of thing for
chappie to hear girl say. And
yet l found myself wondering all the
time what she'd said to the War
Office johnny.
A month afterwards, at the Podbur
Percivals, kissed her, among their
chrysanthemums; and my eye glass
fell out OF my eye and nit her on the
nose. Then she laughed and invent
ed nickname for me, which shall
not repeat here. 1t was what writing
johnnles call sort of idyl, don't
you know-love's young dream,
and all that.
But the worst of it was that, owing
to my awful idiocy, loves young
dream got off the rails before we had
been engaged month. | ought to
have married her instantly, before
we could change our minds, because
| still think we were meant for one
another. Instead of that l couldn't
get the War Office chappie out OF
my head, and l proposed we should
wait six months, to see if our
characters suited one another. 1t
struck me that if they didn't, it
would be better to find it out before
than after, don't you know.
Then the thing that made me SO
awfully chlppy happened 1 had
never doubted myself for moment
| worshipped Edith, and felt that
lie would be a hollow tomb without
her. No; my fear was that she, who
had tried of the other Joker, might
possibly weary of me too. Well she
didn't weary of me; but | actually
found myself getting a bit tired OF
her. 1t was frightfully rough on
chappie with my sensitive nature to
discover thing like this. couldn't
understand it. The old fascination
gaveplace to an absolute indifference.
The girl was just as afectionate as
ever but | didn't want to marry her
nearly as much as used to. In fact
l didn't want to marry any
body.
l went down and saw Soper. He
is one of those inspired idiots who
will help a cleverer man than himself.
Besides, he had known the girl be.
fore l did. But still Soper is nojudge
of a woman.
| told him everything. l analysed
my emotions, and simply dissected
myself that Soper might know all
the facts. said, Now what on
earth IS an honorable johnny to
do.
He was good enough to say he
would think it out for me.
What's become Of the War Office
Joker? l asked. "Couid we have him
back in the hunt again!"
But Soper happened to know he'd
Just married money.
So left him to think it out for me.
Three days later-upon the alter
noon l received the letters already
mentioned-I was to meet Soper
again and get his ultimatum. Some
OF the boys stopped me as l ascended
our celebrated marble staircase at
the Vampires and one and all de-
clared that death was written On my
face. l knew they were right. too
l felt that if didn't 60 away pretty
soon and get tone, should be lost
to them.
Hang it all, life isn't worth living
if you're going to get aches and
agonie5. And mental agony is the
worst sort. People don't think
feel things deeply, but do. don't
you know. l get horribly down,
and have little blue devils dancing
all over me, and hanging out of my
tie, and swarming up the gold chain
of my eyeglass, and swimming roune
and round in my brandy and sods
and sitting astride on my cigarette
And when its girl Of course its
worse.
l found Soper IN the smoking
room. Soper's appearance i
simply paltry. We haven't got {
footman who couldn't give him an.
weight and beat him. He parts hi
hair at the side and wears ghastl,
beard and arranges boxing matches
He fuses about and hasn't an
repose or bearing or style; an
when he gets excited, his SHARP
black eyes look different ways
a thing 1 hate. l fancy there's bi
OF Jew in Sopers blood, because h