Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-04-23
CAUSE AND EFFECT.

n
"Gossip-it's a confOunded nuisancel
1 That's what / call it! Why can't they
| let US alone? | am accustomed TO any
amount Of gossip. People must have
something TO talk about, and I'm sure
{ I'm delighted to be able 10 afford them
any amusement, but when it comes to
being smacked ON the hack ard cOngrat-
ulated six times in one afternoon it's
coming it bit too strong. don't
mind for my own sake-a man can look
after himself-but I'm thinking Of you
/ 1 was in hopes that you had not heard.
Not heard indeed had two letters
this morning and three this afternoon,
four wanting TO know when the we'd
ding was to be and the fifth from girl
| asking to be bridesmaid. | am afraid TO
90 out. People fly at me at every cor
ner, shake my hands off and say how
delighted they are, and how charming
it is, and how they always knew it
would come to this, and that we are
made for one another-they never did
know two people so exactly suited. -
Extraordinary! That's what they
say TO me. never was so taken aback
in my life. OF course we've always
been good friends, but
Certainly not -
And l don't think''-
Neither do L It's absurd Utter
nonsensew
''No, but really-let US have it out
while we are about it. What can have
,-sa 70 c,,nh rid inr11p
We have been a good deal together, of
! course, because we are in the same set
and always seem to hit 1t off, and you
are such a jolly good dancer and all
that kind of thing-but can't see what
we have done to set people talking at
this rate. Honestly, now-I am anxious
to know-did you ever imagine-that
is to say, did youathink-I mean, have
| ever
"You never have. No, Captain May,
and have never imagined! On the con
trary don't mind admitting, now that
we are upon the subject, that | have
cherished a secret grudge against you
because you have never given me an op-
portunity of refusing you. That sort of
neglect rankles in a woman's mind, and
now you see for yourself the awkward
position in which it has placed me.
When people ask if l am engaged to
you, am obliged TO confess that l have
never been asked You ought TO have
thought of this and provided against
it. 1t would have been so easy some
night at ball or in an interval at the
theater-the whole thing might have
I II
should have been able to say that had
refused you, and everything would have
been happy and comfortable. 1 don't
feel as if could ever forgive your
"Sorry, indeed! You see 1 should
have been most happy, only could new
er fcel quite sure Jnar you reaIiy WOuIu
re-
How odious you arel You need not
have been afraid. There never was any
thing more certain since the beginning
of the world. / wouldn't marry you to
save my life. would as soon think of
falling in love with the man i'll the
moon We have always been friends, Of
course, but that counts for nothing.
One may like person very much and
yet find it quite impossible TO go any
further. l could better love IA worse
man.
"Same with me l think no end of
you, but when Lewis came up and con-
graduated me the other day l was
struck all of a heap If he had said the
same thing about a dozen other girls, l
should have been less surprised, but it
never occurred to me to look upon you
in that light,
ooh, indeed! I'm awfully obliged,
I'm sure, but l don't think much of
your taste There are dozen other men
who wouldn't agree with you, that's
one comfort As l am so utterly repul
sive in your eyes, think l had better
say Good afternoon at once and re-
lieve you of my presence
''What nonsense you talk! l never
said word about your appearance that
| know of That's the worst of arguing
with woman-she flies off at tan
gent, and there's no doing any good
with her. l don't see why you should
be offended. You seemed to think it
just as impossible to fall in love with
me.
That's different mean l don't
care what you think, but other people
think-that's to say, l have always
been told Some people think l am
very nice, if you don't | think it's per
fectly hateful of you TO say such things
l should like to know, just as "A matter
Of curiosity what it is in me you object
to so muchP'
'You won't like it, you know, when
you do hear. You'll be i'll u bigger rage
than ever Much better leave it alone.
Well, if you will have it, / dislike the
way you do your hair. Wait n moment;
it means more ii an you think. 1t is not
only ugly in itself: but it shows fatal
want of perception. Your beauty-f
you will allow me to say so-is of
classic order, and if you adopted more
natural style of coiffure your appear
ance would really be-cr-uncommo
fetching! Stead Of that, you persist in
following a hideous exaggeration Of
fashion, which destroys your individu-
ality and is utterly unsuitcd TO your
STYLE 1t seems n small thing in itself,
but it has farreaching consequences
The moment we meet | notice IL, don't
you know, and feel annoyed. The whole
time I am with you / am worrying
about it. 1t sets up chronic state Of
evaporation. Perhaps you don't under
stand the fccling''-
ooh, yes, dol Perfectly feel the
same toward you because You will in
sist on wearing enormous stand up col
lars call that want of perception,
if you like. l wouldn't be personal for
the world, but l have seen men with
longer necls. When you want to speak
% your neighbor, you have to twist
your whole body. 1t makes Iao die with
laughing to see you. j."
Delighted to afford you so much
amusement Sorry l make myself so
ridiculousl You are excessively polite
I'm sure.
"You were great deal worse your
self You said that p
Nothing of the kind. You misun-
derstood me. / simply remarkcd'-
Don't contradict You said | was
an ugly thing, and that it exasperated
you only 10 sec me. You did II makes
it worse to deny it. / can't think how
you can look me in the facet
"Why get excited? It's really not
worth while and you win make your
self so hot It's not becoming To- be hot
was about 10 say when you 50 rudcly
interrupted me that you had misundor-
-. s MI, I