The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-06-19
SHE MADE A MISTAKE

bavo known Joan Forsyth from tho
time when she wore her hair about her
ears and her socks about her ankles. Sho
was Joan Langley then and until she was
90, when she married Charley Forsyth,
and was sorry for her mistake within the
year However, when no died. about three
years later, shc spoke Of him with great
affection. l could not tell If it was genu-
inc or prompted by M artistic desire to
mako 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 q pretty little house
on tho comfortable income her husband
had not had time to lose. l was wrong in
saying she lived by herself, for friend, or
cousin, or some old schoolfcilow was al
ways staying with her
Joan Is u popular and cheerful young
woman and have always been very fond
of her, but sho has, or had, one popularity
which could not appreciate. Until she
was a widow it was in allegiance, but as
soon as she put off her first mourning and
began to go about and sec her friends it
developed rapidly. She loved matchmak-
ing l could never understand why, for
her own experience Of marriage had been
most unhappy If she had been less sweet
tempered l should have imagined sh0 was
copying tho fox who, having lost his own
trail, tried to persuade his friends to fol-
low his example. Once l suggested to her
that as marriages wCro mndo 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 arc quito wrong" she said. Il
don't know who said that silly thing
about heaven and marriages. OF course it
was q 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 Il dear girl she
deserves to be happily married"
$50 you look Oh q husband as o reward
of virtue no matter what he is likoI"
We were sitting in her drawing room at
tea time. Miss Machin, who was staying
with her, had not como in, SO we were en-
joying our tea together. Joan looked so
contented, so oblivious of tho past, so de-
terminod to think we'll of marriage rs an
institution that 1 could not help laughing.
Glow horrid you are, JimP" she said.
Your not bit sympathetic. You ought
to be glad to take an interest in any one
anu DOlIlCE ADOuU llltlll. DO yOu biAlln ~
is for my own pleasure do 1t? Do you
think 1 enjoy having Mr.. Stamford al
ways here, for instanoe?'
"Oh, Stamford! Is he to DO n victim?"
l asked.
81 don't know why you should call him
"a victim,'" she said coldly. Il think he
will be a most suitable husband for Biddy
Machin. She is ono of tho incest girls
know, and has no money, poor thing! so
she must marry"
"Why should Stamford provide for herr"
l asked.
"He will be very fortunate If she lets
him. Sho is charming and pretty, and he
is we'll off and a very good sort of man. 1t
is an excellent match
docs she think soY" L asked.
81 have not asked her. L have some
tact, Jim. She likes him very much, and
she must marry some one. They are worry
good friends.
IL thought you intended young Sim
mons for hor. Why did you changer" l
said.
Hes not well off, you know. found
he had only expectations. and very distant
ones, so 1 think Mr.. Stamford will do
much better"
"What meroenary woman you are,
Ioanrr 7 exclaimed. "Do you only think
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