The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-12-13
miscellaneous.
ONLY A PAIR Of FOOLS.

she was lOOhlhS HCl DCSU, uAu hCi oCse
was very good, indeed. She was
wearing the dress she knew he liked,
her hair was made up as she knew he
loved to see it-in soft folds or the
sides and gathered into d loose knot
at the back.
Though there was much about her
petite figure and bright face that sug
gested sauciness, it was quite evident
there was at least one person in the
world who was willing to subdue her
teasing disposition. Fred was really
not late but as she happened to be
ready to greet him before the appoint
ed hour she was just as impatient as
if it were long past. As she could not
spend all her time looking in the mir
ror over the mantle TO see if her hair
was just right and all her ribbons in
place, or in admiring her diamond ell
gagement ring, she finally picked up
the morning paper and began to read.
After scanning the millinery adver
tisements she searched till she found
the wit and Wisdom" column. She
then curled herself in a capacious
easy chair and prepared to pass the
time as pleasantly as possible.
Now it sometimes happens that
newspaper humorists are exceedingly
eyoungmen whofrequently give ut
terance to marvellous maXims. AS May
read down the column, laughing a:
the Jokes and from time to time ex-
claiming against her lovers hardness,
her eye was arrested by notable bit
OF wisdom. 1t read as follows
mo girl but a fool would marry
man whom she has never seen enrag
ed.n
How absurd" she exclaimed.
What good would it do to see him
enraged 1t would only make him
say disagreeable things
Then she unused awhile. "Well,"
she thought, perhaps it would be
better to know before one is married
than after what disagreeable things a
man can say. | am not going to en-
rage Fred for any such foolish reason;
but, perhaps, it would be good fun to
tease him little. What can | do? |
couldn't enrage him very well without
flirting, and l am not going to do that.
| know He always says girl with
beautiful hair can make herself look
more hideous by doing it up untaste-
fully than in any other way-and he
hates to see mine made up in a knot
on top of my head. I'll just make it
up that way and see how he will act.
1t will annoy him so that | can tease
him Just a little and then make up
friends. He deserves IL little punish
ment, anyway, for it is almost five
minutes past eight o'clock.
She hurried away to her room to
make the change just as Fred rang the
doorbell He was admitted by the
servant and was surprised not to find
Nav 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 wager he
had lost. To make wagers with his
fiance 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 fore
ed to take up the paper May had left
in the easy chair Finding it folded
so as to show the "Wit and Wisdom"
column, he began to read the para
graphs. AS became man of the
world, he shifted contemptuously at
the old jokes and smiled patronizingly
at those that were new to him. Sud
denly he came TO a dead halt at the
companion paragraph W VIC OiIC 0Iloe
was inspiring Mays conduct at that
moment. 1t read:
No man but Il fool would marry a
girl whom he had never seen cry.
What nonsense ~ he said, as lie
| passed on to the next paragraph.
But he didn't read much before lie
found himself turning back to that
piece of wisdom.
"By Jover' he thought, Il have
never seen May cry. Well, l hope l
never shall. | wonder what is keep
ing her? Probably she is preparing
some little surprise for me :" and he
smiled to himself with that blissful
egotism peculiar to men who are en-
gagged. After awhile he reflected: Il
wonder if it would really be very hard
| to make her cry? 1guess not. She is
such dear, tender-hearted little
creature it would be cruel to try. Still
| 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 myself disagreeable to her.
| | know that will bring the tears to her
ewes in an instant and then I'll eX-
plain. To begin with, I'll pretend not
| to have brought the candles" He
went out into the hallway to hide the
box. The first place that suggested
itself was his hat, and he dropped the
box into it's ample, depth. He had no
sooner returned to the parlor than
May appeared Each had the same
end in view-to offend the other slight
". OF course, neither began the plan
of campaign until after the kiss of
greeting. Then he noticed that her
hair was made up in the way he de-
tested. There was his excuse for be-
ing disagreeable and he jumped at it.
"Have you any idea how homely
you look when you have your hair
made up in that way p he asked.
Tine cruel candor of the question
made her gasp, for he had always
vowed that she looked beautiful i'll
every way.
why she answered, saucily, there
are other people who like it very much
in this way
"Who, for instance p
Reggie Burnett
A detestable fellow, who Fred would
not honor 10y considering as a rival.
81 am proud to find you value his
opinion more than mine he answer
ed holly.
HE, at least, does not neglect tC
pay when he loses IA wager, she re
sponded, looking about for the expect
! 6