The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-03-06
ONLY A PAIR OF FOOLS
BY p. A. M'ARTHUR.

May was waiting for her affianceC
lover to call. AS might be expected
she was looking her best, and her best
was very good, indeed. She was wear.
ing the dress she knew he liked, and
her hair was made up as she knew he
liked to see it-in soft folds on tho
sides and gathered into loose knot
at the back.
Though there was much about her
petite figure amt bright face that Sug.
gested saucincss, IL was quite evident
there was at least one person In the
world for whose sake she was willing
tn subdue her teasing disposition.
Fred was really not late; but as she
happened TO be ready to greet him
before the appointed hour, she was
just as impatient as II it were long
past. AS she could not spend all her
time looking in the mirror over the
mantel to see that her hair was just
right and all her ribbons in place, or
in admiring her diamond engagement
ring, she finally picked up the morn
ing paper and began to read. After
scanning the millinery advertisements is
she searched till she found the "Wit
and Wisdom" column. She then curl
ed herself in capacious easy chair
and prepared to pass the time as
pleasantly as possible.
Now it sometimes happens that
ncwspa per humOriSts are exceedingly
wise young men who frequently give
utterance to marvellous maxinis. AS
May read down the column, laughing
ut the jokes and from time to time
exclaiming against her lovers tardi-
ness, her eye was arrested by nota-
bic bit Of wisdom. 1t read as follows:
mo girl but a fool would marry a
man whom she has never seen en-
ragged"
"llOw absurb!" she exclaimed.
"What good would it do to see him
enragcd? 1t would only make him
say disagreeable things"
Then she unused awhile. "Well," :"
she thought, perhaps 1t would be
better to know before one Is married
than after what disagrcca5lc things a
man can say. l am not going to en-
rage Fred for any such foolish reason,
hut perhaps it would be good fun to
tease him little. What can / do T.?
] couldn't cnragc him very well with
out flirting, and I'm not going to do
that. l know! lie always saysa girl
with beautiful hair can make herself
more hideous by doing it up untastc-
fully than any other way-and lie
hates to see mine made up in a kLOt
on top Of my head. I'll Just make IL
up that way and see how he will act.
1t will annoy him so that / can tease
him just n little and then make up
friends. He deserves little punish
mcnt, anyway, for It's almost I've
minutes past eight o'clock"
She hurried away to her room to
make the change just as Fred rang
the do0rbcll. He was admitted by
the servant and was surprised not to
find May prepared to greet him, but
went into the parlor to walt. In his
hand he had u box Of bon.bOns lie had
brought 10 pay mcnt OF wager he had
lost. TO make wagers with his
tiancee 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.
10 pass the time he was forced
to take up the paper which May had
left in the easy char. Finding 1t
folded so as to show the wit and
Wisdom" column, he began to read
the paragraphs. As became man Of
the world, lie shifted contcmptuously
at the old jokes and smiled patruniz.
ingly at Those that were new to him.
Suddenly he came to a dead halt at
the companion paragraph to the one
that was inspiring Nays conduct ut
that moment. 1t read:
"N0 man but q fool would marry \
girl whom he had never seen cry"
"What nonsense" he said, rs lie
passed on TO the next paragraph. But
he didn't read much before he found