Arizona silver belt., 1894-05-26
IN THE ORCHARD

losophcr 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. Then he would exclain against tho wind, shuffle the leaves till he got the right page and set tie to his reading Tho book was trea- tisc on ontology It was written by an. other philosopher, friend of this phi. losopher. 1t bristled with fallacies, and this philosopher was discovering them all and noting them on the 1yleaf at the end He was not going to review the book, as some might have thought from his behavior or oven to answer it i'll a work of his own. It was just that he found pleasure in stripping any poor tallacy naked and crucifying it.
 Presently a girl in white frock came into the orchard, Shc picked up an app pie, bit it and found it ripe Holding it in her hand, shc walked up to where the philosopher sat and looked at him. ' He did not stir Sho took bite out of tho apple munchod it and swallowed it. Tho philosopher cInoifiod fallacy on tho fyleaf. Tho girl flung the apple away.
 Mir. Jerningham, said she, "are l you very buay?' ! Tine philosopher, pencil in hand looked up.
 No, Mis- May, said he, not very,
 Because 1 want your opinion "
 In one moment, said the philoso- pher apologcticolly. He turned back to tho 1yloaf and be- gan tonail the lastf2llaeya littlo tight CT to the cross. The girl regarded him first with amused impa fence, then with ycXed frown, finally with wiStful re- grct He was so yc,y old for his age, shc thought He could not be much bc. ycnd 90, His hair was thick and full of waves, his eyes bTight and clear his c,nulc%ion not yet divostcd of all youth $ relies.
 Now, Miss May, I'm at yoar sery- ice, said ;hc philosopher, with lin g,,ing look at hia i,apalcdfallacy. And he closed tue book, keeping if, however on his l,noc
 The siri sat down just opposite to him
 IFS . very important thing want to ask you. she bEau, tugging at a t@it uf grass, ard it's yliy---tiillcult, &pl yuu rusm't tell any one l asked vou-as lcat I'd r2thor you didn t. {"
 " shall not sI.edl; of it--iRdeed l shall p-obai}ly not remember it, <" said 'ie philosopher.
 And you ruasn't look at TIC, please, wh'lo i'm asking you '' i cont 5hi!ik was looking at you, Pdt Ii was hog your pardon, said thc philosopher apolosoticaIy.
 Sl,c pulled tho taft of grass right ont of tho ground and flung it from her with all her force
 Suppose q man ''--she began. "No, tha, not right ''
 '"YGR can talo any hypothesis you please, observed the philosopher, "but you must verify it eftIrwar,l, of coursc. ?
 Oh, do let mo gocni supposo a girl, Mir Jerninghanl-I wish you wouldn't nod.
 It was only to show that I followed you.
 On, of course you follow me, as you call it Suppose a girl had two low. ers-you'r. nodding againl---or ought to say suppose there were two mon who might be ia loyo with a girl ?
 Only two:n asked the philosopher. You see, any number of men might be ill love With"---
 On, VIC can leave tho rest out, said Miss May, with sudden dimple-- 'thoy don matter '
 Very well, said tho philosopher, If they arc irrelevant, we will put them asidc y
 Suppose then, that one of these men was, oh, awfully in love with the girl and-and proposed, you lnow"----
 "A momantp' said tho philosopher, opening a notebook Let ne takc down his proposition What was it?"
 Why, pr9po,od to her-2sked her to marry him, said the Girl, with stare
 Dear me, how stupid Of mol l forgot that special uso of the word. Ycs?"
 ''Tho gil likes him pretty well, and her people approve of him and all that, you l.now y
 That siInplilcs tkc problem, 7 said tho philosopher, holding again.
 But she's not in--in love with him, you know She doesn't really caro for hinl--rruch. Do you undcrstand?''
 Perfectly. It is most natural state of raind "
 Well, then, suppose that there's an ff flaCr ,r-1,o ss.a 1-r,r
 "I only put down GB}--li.o that, j." pleaded tho philosopher, mcclsly exbib- iting his notebook
 Slc locked at him in sort of holp- loss oxasperation, with just a smile some whcro in tho background of it.
 "Oh, you really arc"-- aho exclaimed But let me 50 on. Tho other man is q friend of tho girls Hos very clovcr-- oh, fearfully clever, and he's rather handaosne. You needn't put that down. "
 Tt is certainly not very material, " admitted tho philosopher, and he crossed out handsome 1" Clever. he left.
 And the girl is most awfully--she admiras him tremendously. She thinks him just the greatest man that ever lived, you know, and she--she''- Tho girl paused.
 I'm following, said the philcso- pher, with pencil poised
 'She'd think it better than the whole world if--if sho could be anything to him, you know.
 You mean become his wife?"
 "Woll, If course do-at least, sup. pose do.
 "You spoke rather vaguely, you know.
 Tho girl cast one glance at the phi losonhcr as ehe ren1ied.