Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-06
q SUMMER ENGAGEMENT.

mate. IL Was this questioning That
prompted him when he said:
I'm afraid you have very pessimistic
ideas about marriage"
They're the ideas forced upon me by
the marriages OF my friends" she re-
Piled, without looking at him.
He held HIS pipe before his eyes. ana
seemed 70 be smiling ct her. Don't you
ever intend 70 marry yourself?'
She laughed aloud. II thought you
were coming to that"
She turned her face towards him, ana
seeing him nush, she laughed again.
"Why should j marry?' she replied. I'm
happy enough as / am. Bob and 1 lead
the kind OF life / like"
"But think how happy you could make
some other Bob. Aren't you-er-arent
you lust trife selfish?"
That's the masculine element in me"
she quickly retortod.
That's not flattering 10 BobV'
"O4n. when meet any one half as good
as Bob" she laughed
what viii you do" he said, looking
INTO her face.
She waited a moment before replying:
81 shall have a desperate filtration with
him."
Thomas watched the smoke curl slowly
from his mouth.
IT should never be willing TO marry n
man who wouldn't allow me perfect
freedom" she went on; who wouldn't
let mo live out my life just as 1 chose
70 live It. We'd have to be on perfect
equality"
"Oh. those conditions are easy enough"
Are they? I've never seen the man
yet who'd agree TO them, not even Bob"
she added with a smile
Il thought you had perfect freedom al
ready"
"Ah. but I'm not his wife. A daugh-
ter's quite different Besides" she laugh
ed. 'fts taken me years to train my IA
Their"
Their indifference to the other boarders
IN the hotel was a strong bond Of sym
patty between them. They consisted
largely Of women, who passed most Of the
day in gossip on the piazzas.
They think it's quite shocking that
Mrs. Wilder should allow me to go about
with you so much alone" she said to
him one day while they were resting
by the roadside. after a long spin on
their wheels. Poor Mrs. Wilder has
such a hard time defending me-"
He plucked a bit of grass and bit on
the end. Il hope you don't mind he
said. tapping one Of the pedals OF his
wheel with his foot. and watching 1t
whr
"Oh. not at all"
That's one reason why It's so delight
ful TO be with you With most girls
feel so-well, 50 constrained"
"You think they expect you TO fiirt with
them"
"Oh. hardly that" he protested.
$50 many girls are afraid 10 be natural
that ~ thew
are. nine men out Of ten will think they
want TO firt or they're in love with
them. or something like that But with
me It's different. / give man TO under
stand at the beginning that / don't want
20 flirt with him; so we start fair ana
we become the best Of friends-unless-.
He looked up quickly. UNLESS whatY'
unless he gets. as a man know says,
unless he gets hossy.
He bursts out laughing. 1--WE never
heard that before, but l think 1 under
stand what 1t means"
That's one satisfactory thing about
YOU" she went on. LAS soon as 1 saw
YOU / knew you weren't the kind that
that got 'lossy.'"
For a few moments they were both
silent Then she rose quickly. shook her
skirt. and started away on her wheel.
lie lOllDWtAs btlliLS Abl " diu " ElN~
vent to the laughter that had been shining
in his eyes. She was certainly the queer
est girl he had ever seen. He wished that
more girls were like her. She was the
only girl he had ever met who appeared
10 be the same all the time; you always
knew how TO take her; you could bank
on her every time.
During the last week OF his six-weeks'
stay in Marblehead Mrs. Wilder had a
particular persistent attack Of neuralgia,
ana Thomas was with Edith Grant
nearly every moment Of the day. II
don't know what l shall do without
you" she said on the night before his
as they were walking along
the shore. i've been with you so much.
that I hardly feel as II knew the other
people at the hotel"
lie waited a moment before replying.
Il don't know what i shall do without
you. You've made IL $3.50 pleasant for
me here. I shall go back to my work
new man. I was nearly done up when
I came here; that's why I had TO stop
work at our busiest season."
1T must be awfully interesting-your
work. planning new houses all the
time" she said, trying to infuse little
lightness into her voice"
He Gid not answer. They were passing
= ltQEt QA IUEhS where lntN 0dQ often
sat together. Suppose we sit here for
b little while" he said. "See how high
he tide is, and how pretty that effect
IS over there, where the moon is shining
on the water. Looks like big silver
ieece. doesn't it?''
This time she did not reply. When she
had gathered her skirts around her and
iat down he took q place by her side.
They both seemed TO be silenced by the
beauty Of the scene around them.
1T seems strange TO think that 1 shall
De away from all this tomorrow" he
laid sadly. New York is beastly at this
season Of the year. The sidewalks seem
o reek heat Where shall I be at this
ime tomorrow? Let me see. III have
Inner at some stuffy hotel-restaurant,
md then I'll go back TO my hot rooms
n the Alpine"
He waited for her to say something,
but she did not speak.
Then l shall think of you. he went on,
and l shall be perfectly miserable"
He thought he heard her laugh, but he
Was not sure.
Il shall think OF you In the midst or all
his GOODNESS and lovllness. You're part
II H." he added with smile. IF were
1 poet I'd write some verses about that"
Il shall miss you, she said. 1T will be
stupid without you"
you will miss me?' he cried eagerly.
DO you mean that?"
why, OF course DO"
He covered his face with his hands. his |
elbows resting on his knees. 1T makes |
ne quite sick TO think OF leaving. 1 used |
% think ! liked living in New York; now |
he thought Of going back there to-mor-
'Ow-"
"You'n get used TO again in a few
lays"
But / shan't get used 10 being away |