The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-12-14
ONLY A PAIR OF FOOLS.
BY P. Ai,ARrHUR.

lover to call As might be expected
she was looking her best, and her bes
was very good, indeed. She was wear
ing the dress she knew he liked, ant
her hair was made mp as she knew h,
loved to SEQ tin soft folds on tn,
sides and gathered into loose knot a
the back.
Though there was much about hel
petite figure and bright face that sug
gested sauciness, it was quite evident
there was at least one person In tn,
world for whose sake she was willing
to subdue her teasing disposition
Fred was really not late; but as she
happened to be ready to greet him DO
fore the appointed hour she was just
as impatient as il it were long past. A.
she could not spend all her time look
ing in the mirror over the mantel tc
see If her hair was just right and al
her ribbons in place, or in admirine
her diamond engagement ring, she
finally picked up the morning pape,
and began to read. After scanning
the millinery advertisements she
searched till she found the "Wit and
Wisdom" column. She then curied
herself in a capacious easy chair and
prepared to pass the time as pleasantly
as possible.
Now it sometimes happens that news.
paper humorists are exceedingly wise
young men who frequently give utter.
ance to marvellous maxims. As May
read down the column, laughing at the
jokes and from time to time exclaim-
ing against her lovers hardness, her
eye was arrested by notable bit OF
wisdom. 1t read as follows:
mo girl but fool would marry a
man whom she has never seen en-
ragged"
How absurd, "she exclaimed. "What
good would it do to see him enragcd?
1t would only make him say disagree
able things"
Then she unused awhile. WELL"
she thought, perhaps it would be bet
ter to know before one is married
than after what disagreeable things a
man can say. am not going to en-
rage Fred Tor any such foolish reason;
but, perhaps, it would be good fun to
tease him little. What can do? I
couldn't enrage him very well without
flirting, and am not going to do that.
knowi He always says a girl with
beautiful hair Gun make herself look
more hideous by doing 1t mp untaste-
fully than in any other way-and he
hates to see mine made up in knot
on top of my head. I'll just make it
up that way and see how he viii act.
We i'm hot 10
him just little and then make up
friends. He deserves little punish
ment. anyway, for 1t is almost FIVE
minutes past eight o'clock"
She hurried away to her room to
make the change just as Fred rang the
doorbell. lie was admitted by the
servant and was surprised not to find
May prepared to greet him. but went
into the parlor to wait. In his hand
he had box of bon-bons he. had
brought in payment of a wager he had
lost To make wagers with his fiancee
and lose them is the duty and delight
of every true lover. While waiting he
united the ribbon of the box. SO that
she might get at the sweets without
delay. But still she did not come.
To pass the time he was at last
forced to take up the paper May had
LETT in the easy chair Finding it
folded SO as to show the "Wit and Wis
dom" column, no began to read the
paragraphs As became man of the
world, he shifted eontemptuously at
the old jokes and smiled patronizingly
at those that were new to him. Sud
denly he came to a dead halt ut the
companion paragraph to the one that
was inspiring Mays conduct at that
moment 1t read:
.'No man but fool would marry .
girl whom he had never seen cry"
What ponsensew he said, as he
passed on to the next paragraph. But
he didn't read much before he found
himself turning back to that piece of
wisdom.
by Jovel' he thought. II have
never seen May cry. Well. hope I
never shall. I wonder what is keep
ing her? Probably she is preparing
some little surprise for mel" and he
smiled to himself with that blissful
egotism peculiar to men who are en-
gagged. After awhile he reflected: II
wonder if it would really be very hard
to make her cry? guess not She is
such dear. tender-hearted little Great
urc it would be cruel to try. Still I
could easily explain everything away
and then we could make up friends
She really deserves some punishment
for keeping me waiting. believe I'll
pretend to be offended and make my
self disagreeable to her. know that
will bring the tears to her eyes in an
instant and then I'll explain. To be-
gin with, I'll pretend not to have
brought the candies" He went out In
to the hallway TO hide the box. The
first place that suggested itself was
his hat. and he dropped the box into
its ample depth. He had no sooner re-
turned to the parlor than May apr
peared. Each had the same end in
view-to offend the other slightly. Ut
course, neither began the plan of CAM
paign until after the kiss of greeting.
Then he noticed that her hair was
made up IN the way he dstested. There
Was his excuse for being disagresabls
cad he jumped ati