The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-09-19
etAIr- Walton"
"AIadan."


mot yet"
Then they both burst into laughter;
for the young man. as he made that ref
erence to proposing, shifted his position
away from his companion with an air
of alarm; the result being that the
little table on which he was seated
toppled over, and ne Unexpectedly found
a seat on the grass instead.
Miss AIulgrove," said he, when their
nirth had subsidized, and he was begin
ming TO gather up the materials out or
which he had been constructing a toy
yacht for her small brother, you OBJ
serve that chance has supplied an ap-
propriate' answer; the very mention OF
love upsets me-
But it has brought you TO your knees
as we'll
Il beg your pardon; it is duty that mas
brought me to my knees, not love.
have promised Tommy that his beat shall
be finished this morning, and now 1 can't
find the rudder-bother the thing
There 1t isl exclaimed Tommy's sister.
darling from ner seat, and picking the
missing article from out long tuft or
grass.
When order was restored once more,
and they had resumed their taskS-he
working at the little vessel with all a
sailors cunning, she making Tor IL the
sails that he had pl9nned-tnere was
silence between them for some minutes
At last Walton spoke in medltatlVe
fashion, showing that his mind had been
bordering her unexpected question.
Il am inclined to think that love.
nowadays. is too often unreal; ii has lost
its simplicity and sDOntane0uSness, De
cause SO much Is made of it in fiction.
THAT is exactly what 1 have felt my
self" said Marina MulgroNe quickly.
tAnd 1 think we women are chiefly TO
blame. We all know, in our hearts, that
modern civilization doesn ADMIT OF
much romance in real life, and yet we
are not a bit satisfied unless men make
love to US in highly sentimental way.
1t is delightful if papa and mamma Cd
ject; we get an opportunity 10 pose IKE
the heroine of three volumes, ana IL Is
delightful too if the dear man who
offers his heart and wants ours seems
in a fearful state of agony while we are
thinking whether the exchange is worth
making; and the worst of all IS, there
As no honorable retreat for either of the
engaged ones. even if they find, on bet
ter acquaintance. that they don't like
each other well enough To set married.
No: the novelist has decided mat true
love is eternal and therefore the poor
wretches submit to their fate The
girl especially is afraid 10 return her
engagement ring. because she mas read
so much about the frightful effect or
lection yesterday: tomorrow, If she says
she has changed her mind, and does not
care to get married, he begins life anew
as a scOundrel, or is hopeless drunk
ard in six months time
when. instead of any thing of the sort
happening, the poor fe-IOw would jump
for 10y to get his discharge said Wal
ton. ''But that novelist mas decided Tor
him that the gurl must necessarily break
her heart, or end her days as miserable
afc Il fra 70
mind
And 50 they got married. and lead a
cat-and-dog life" said Marina pensively.
"But how is this state of things 10 De
altered. Miss Mulgrove? You have
thought so much about the problems of
modern society. is there any way of
making marriage a safer transaction for
both parties? You see. we can't abolish
love- but the calamity Of marriage might
be-might be"
Avoided - inquired Marina calmly.
There was a hooking CLEAN in those
thoughtful gray eyes Of hers as she
spoke.
No; We must recognize the inevitable.
I fear; but something might be done,
surely 10 moderate its evils.
Wen. what should you say to a seven
or ten years lease instead of the present
lifelong contract"
Let me see. how would that work?"
said the young sailor musingly. Il marry
" hypOthetical-and at the end Of seven
years you have had enough Of me. But
although you may then be glad of your
liberty your chances in the matrimonial
market cannot be, seven years hence, as
good as they are now. That is difficulty,
isn't it?''
Eyes. sir: and allow me to say that
your chances will not be any better than
mine if l can help it,"
"Miss MulgrOve, you are feminine, and
not philosophic," interrupted Walton. with
severity.
pardon me; I am merely practical. At
the end of those seven years you will
certainly try 10 marry again; and the
next Lady Of your choice will naturally
come TO me for references"
''Um-that win be awkward. A gen.
uine widower is snapped up by the sex
without inquiries-out Of sheer sympathy
but this widOYer by arrangement, must
needs be armed with frst-class testi-
monials from his previous partner"
''Of course" said she with a mis-
chievOuS smile.
''Stll. there is this to be said: couples
will have all the more reason for renew
ing the lease with each other, because
of these unpleasant consequences We
have been discussing. In fact. in the ma
jOrity OF cases it seems probable that the
partnership would be lifelong one, Just
as it is now"
''Only they would to make that certain,
other" said the young lady mockingly.
How dreadful
However, there would be an entirely
new theme for tea-table gossip. That
would be at least one advantage of the
new matrimonial method. Mr.. and Mrs.
So-and-Sos lease will shortly expire.
wonder if they intend to renew? Neither
Of them has said a word yet. How are
they behaving?'"
Evidently there We're elements of strong
nindedness In Miss MulgrOves character
But she possessed beauty and grace of
behavior to neutraliZe these. She passed
as an "Odd girl among her female
friends-nOne of them ever said worse
than this. With men she was distinctly
popular. Her personal charms no doubt
partly accounted for the fact; still it was
] think chiefly due to her ready COM
prehensiOn of the masculine temperament
As her own brother said-he was a naval
officer and WaltOn's intimate friend
t'Marina makes fun enough of US poor
wretches; but at the same time we are
not such a blind puzzle TO her as TO most
girls she seems to understand by in
stinct what a mans notions are like and
to accommodate herself TO them in what
she says"
1t must not be supposed, however, that
Miss Mulgrove was in the habit of con-
versing with all her male acquaint-
ances with as much freedom as she did
known for many years. He and the
brother referred TO began their naval
career together. When on shore they
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