The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-30
szSHE MADE A MISTAKE.

time when she wore her hair about her
was Joan Langley then and until she was
30. when she married Charley Forsyth,
and was sorry for her mistake within the
year. However, when he died, about three
years later, she spoke of him with great
affection. I could not tell if it was genu-
inc or prompted by an artistic desire to
make her manners match her mourning.
/ believe 1t was an unconscious mixture
of propriety and gratitude. AT any rate,
she remained unmarried for some time,
and lived by herself in pretty little house
on the comfortable income her husband
had not had time to lose. 1 was wrong in
saying she lived by herself, for friend, or
cousin, or some old sohoolfellow was al
ways staying with her.
Joan is a popular and cheerful young
woman, and have always been very fond
of her, but she has, or had, one popularity
which 1 could not appreciate. Until she
was widow 1t was in allegiance, but as
soon as she put off her first mourning and
began to go about and see her friends it
developed rapidly. She loved matchmak-
ing. I could never understand why, for
her own experience of marriage had been
most unhappy. II she had been less sweet
tempered should have imagined she was
copying the fox who, having lost his own
trail, tried to persuade his friends to fol-
low his example. Once I suggested to her
that as marriages were made in heaven,
and even then were not always success.
full, she would be wiser to leave them to
be dealt with in the usual way.
"You are quite wrong" she said. II
don't know who said that silly thing
about heaven and marriages. Of course 1T
was man, and of course he thought he
was saying something very clever, but he
really was talking nonsense. Now there is
Biddy Machin. She is such dear girl sha
deserves to be happily married"
$50 You look on husband as reward
Of virtue, no matter what he is likep''
We were sitting in her drawing room at
tea time. Miss Machin, who was staying
with her, had not come In, SO we were en-
joying our tea together. Joan looked SO
oontented, SO oblivious of the past, SO de-
termined to think we'll of marriage as an
Institution that could not help laughing.
"How horrid you are, Jimv" she said.
"You're not bit sympathetic. You ought
to be glad to take an interest In any one
and bother about them. Do you think it
is for my own pleasure I do it? Do you
think I enjoy having Mr.. Stamford al
ways here for instance?'
sob, Stamford Is he to be victim?"
asked.
81 don't know why you should call him
"a victim,' y" she said coldly. II think he
will be most suitable husband for Biddy
Maohin. She is one of the incest girls I
know, and has no money, poor thing So
she must marry"
"Why should Stamford provide for herP"
asked
He will be very fortunate if she lets
him. She is charming and pretty, and he
is we'll off and a very good sort of man. 1t
is an excellent MATCH
"Does she think sop asked.
~ have not asked her. I have some
tact, Jim. She likes him very much, and
she must marry some one They are very
good friends"
81 thought you intended young Sim
mons for her. Why did you changer" I
said.
"He's not we'll off, you know. I found
he had only expectations and very distant
ones, SO 1 think Mr.. Stamford will do
much better
"What mercenary woman you are
Joanl" exclaimed. "Do you only think
of money in your matchmaking schemesa
How about love?'
"Oh, love is such temporary thingp'
she said, with cynical air. "Any one
with an ounce of reason can get over an
attack of love in month, and do very
we'll without it, but money you must
have"
"And Stamford is to supply Miss
Machin with money instead of Ralph Sim
mons giving her love. That is very bust
nesslike. When do you expect to bring it
Off"
1.-THE engagement" she asked.
mo. the wedding. Surely you've got
beyond the engagement. Miss Machin has
been with you six weeks"
Yes, but these things can't be bur-
ried, i" she said slowly. II think Mr. Stam-
ford is only waiting for an opportunity to
speak"
Surely you give him plenty" said,
with laugh.
She blushed and said hastily: "You're
not at all nice today, Jim. don It see any
thing to laugh at. I can't help it if the
man won't propose"
''Oh, is that itf He won't come to the
pOint?"
~ wish you would be nicer" she muir
INJURED.
Indeed, will be nioe,'' protested,
seeing she was really hurt "Tell me
about it,
''There's not much to tell. saw from
the first he was just the man for Biddy,
and she seemed to like him, and he is al
ways very ready to come here or go any
where with us, and he brings flowers and
sweets and things
For her?'' asked.
"Yes, at least for us both, and they are
very great friends, but-they don't get
any further. He sits here for hours, and I
make all sorts of excuses to leave them to-
gether, but when come back I find them
sitting opposite each other, just calmly
talking and I shouldnt have thought he
was a shy man."
HE certainly never struck me as being
shy" said.
"Then he must be fool" she said
GROSSLY. II am always talking to him
about Biddy and how sweet she is at
home. I've all but asked him to propose
to her, and he only smiles and agrees with