The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1894-07-14
A STUPID SAGE.

day. The sun shone beyond the or
chard and the shade was cool inside.
a light breeze stirred the boughs of
the old apple tree under which are phil
osopher sat. None of these things did
the philosopher notice, unless it might
be when the wind blew about the
leaves of the large volume on his
knees, and he had to find his place
again.
The girl sat down just opposite to
him.
'1t's a very important thing I want
to ask you," she began, tugging at a
tuft Of grass, "and it's very-difficult,
and you mustn't tell any one I asked
you; at least, rather you didn't
II shall not speak of it; indeed, I
Shall probably not remember it," said
the philosopher.
''And you mustn't look at me, please
while I'm asking you.'
Il don't think I was looking at you,
but if I was I beg your pardon" said
the philosopher, apologetically.
She pulled the tuft of grass right out
of the ground and flung it from her
with all her force.
Suppose a man" she began
''No, that not right
s.-..-.Y You can take, any hypothesis you
please, observed the philosopher, but
you must verify it afterward, of
course"
"Oh, do let me 60 on. Suppose girl,
Mr.. Jerningham-I wish you wouldn't t
nod
'It was only to show that I followed
you"
"Oh, Of course, you follow me- as
you call it. Suppose girl had two lov-
ers-you're nodding again!-or, ought
to say, suppose there are two men who
might be in love with a girl
'Only two?" asked the philosopher.
''You see any number of men might be
in love with-''
"Oh, we can leave the rest out" said
Miss May, with a sudden dimple, "they
don't NATTER
Every well,'' said the philosopher IF
they are irrelevant, we will put them
aside''
"Suppose then that one of these men
was, oh, awfully in love with the girl,
and-and proposed, you know
"a momentv' said the philosopher,
opening a notebook. Let me take
down his proposition. What was it:''
why, proposed to her-asked her to
marry him. said the girl, with stare
Dear me! How stupid of me! I for
got that special use of the word. Ycs?''
'"The girl loves him pretty well, and
her people approve Of him and all that.
you know"
"That simplifes the problem" said
the philosopher, nodding again
"But she's not in--in love with him,
you know. She doesn't really care for
him-much. Do you understand"
Perfectly. It is a most natural state
Of mind"
''Well, then, supposing that there's
another mah-What are you writing?'
II only put down (B)-like that -
pleaded the philosopher, meekly exhi-
biting his note book
She looked at him in a sort Of helpless
evaporation, with just smile some
where in the background Of it.
ooh, you really are" she eXclaim-
ed.
'But let me go on. The man is a
friend of the girls; he's very clever
oh fearfully clever; and he's rather
handsome. You needn't put that
down"
IL Is teItdlu uOG very HdIcIldl,
admitted the philosopher, and he cross
ed out 'thandsome." "Clever" he left.
'.And the girl is most awfully-she
admires him tremendously; she thinks
him just the greatest man that ever
lived you know And she-she-" The
girl paused.
"I'm following" said the philosopher,
with pencil poised.
''Shed think it better than the whole
world if-if she could be anything to
Aim, you know"
''You mean become his wife?'
''Well, Of course, do-at least, sup
pose I do
''You spoke rather vaguely, you
know"
The girl cast one glance at the phil
osepher as she replied: .......
''Wel1, yes. I did mean become bis
wife, i
eyes. Wen? .....@ =
But continued the girl, starting
On another tuft Of grass, che doesn't
thing much about these things. He
likes her. I think he likes her----'''':
..WeH, doesn't dislike herr? suggest
ed the philosopher. Shall we call him
indifferent? ?"