, 1896-09-12
MONTHS AFTERWARD

aHnount OF gossip. People must have
som.ShiD. to talk about, and I'm sura
I'm delighted to be able to afford them
any amusement, but when it come, tn
being smucked Oh the back and consrat-
ulated six times lii one Afternoon, it's
coming it n bir too strong. Idon't a:ni
1o. my " sakc-a man can look after
hlmself-but I'm thinking of you. 1
was in hopes that you had not heard"
mot heard, indeed! l had two let
tiers this morning and three this after
noon-four wanting to know when The
wedding WAS to be and the fifth from :.
girl asking TO be bridesmaid. | ~,
afraid to go cut. People fly ut nc a5
every corner, shake my hand off and say
how delighted they are and bow charm
ing it is and how they AWAY knew il
would come to this and that we are
made for one ano,hcr-,hcy never did
know two people so exactly suited"
"ExtraorGinary! That's what they
say to me. l never WAS SO taken aback
in my life. OF course. we've always
been good friends, butt
Certainly not"
"And l don't thinl;"-
Neither do l.. It's absurd! Utter
nonsensen'
mo. but reaily-let US have it cut
while we are about it. What can have
given rise to such II ridiculous report:
We have been II good deal together, of
course because we are i'll the same set.
Il always seem to hit it off, and You
arc Sy1ri, "a gnlty ,,nli ,I.,r,r .,,i Ill
that kind of thing, but | cant see what
we have done to set people talking at
this rate. Honestly, howl am anxious
to know-,iiI you ever imaGine-that
is to say, did you thiuk-l mean, have
l ever
You never have! 80. Captain May,
and ] have never imagined! On The con-
trary l don't mind admitting Eow that
we arc upon the subject that | have
cherished Il secret grudge against you
because you have never given me an OPP
portuNity CT refusing you. That sort of
neglect raIklcs i'll q woInan's mind. and
now you see for yourself the awkward
position in which it has placed me.
When people ask if ! am engaged to
you, l am Obliged to confess that | have
Lo,ch. of Ill, .ra n.a,i1o5 aoo,.. :.
II would b,,o Moon 90 o,sr sn,na ,;,ht
a., I'LL -, ~, ;,,,r,,i -. H., H.,
to,-,Ln v.hnIc ,,,in, ,n;olt ,.ya roor
owe i'll five minutcS-anu then | should
have been able to say that had refused
you, and everything would have been
happy and comfortable. | dcn't feel as
if 1 could ever forgive you!'
..smrv. ;ndecdl Won SOC I shonld
b,vo Irar ,ros, r,,,rr ,,Ir 7 cnrLI
no,o,. fool op;to sura tia, r,r ro,Ilr
wonld re"--
..uov cG;o,s w, ,ro, yo,, uo,l M,
have bc,n t.?sid: ,hcrc povc. was any.
thing MORO certain since ,hc bc.,;crin,
of Tho wor,I wouIIr't m,r,.v vo,, Re
save vour l;fel 1 would AS soon think of
falling in live with The man in the
moo,i W.. j,,vc alv.vs bc,n fric,.a. of
conr,c ,u, rho, comm. for ro.,;r,
Owe ,n,~ lilo :, parsnp very winch and
va, GuI If c,:.c ;,rnnss;hIo ,n o"ny
f,rthr, r,nId Lr,tr, ,ovo :, ho,ss.
m,nr,
.Somo with rc, T th;nl, no cpa n,
vor lint wh,,I ryv;s crr,c and co,,,.,t.
Mated mo ,hr other dav I was struck
ali of -, boop IF bo h.,d s,;d tbc s,n,
ching ,hout , do,.n otho, oirIs r sbo,1d
have boo, los. snrnr;sn,l Int Il nova,
occurred to me to lool, anon Won in tha,
Ii.ht
s. ;,dooa, ~, ,,vf,,,v ob,;,od
J,,, snre tnt 7 do,,., t,hiE mnch .,
vor, .ost, Thoro ~ do.on othor mo,
w,,o wrn,duit ,crec Win vcn ,h,t,,
ono co,,fo,t Al ,u ca MIRO, w. ro.,I
sivc i'll your eyes, L think l had better
say Good afternoon at once and re
lieve you Of my presence.
What nonsense yon talk! l never
said II word about Your appearance thai
/ know OF. That's the worst of arguing
with u woman; she flies Off at tangent,
and there's no doing any good with her.
I don't see why you should be offended.
You seemed to think 1t quite rs lmpos-
sible to fall i'll love with me.
"That's different. l mean l don't
care what You think, but other people
think-that's to say, have always been
told. Some people think am very NICE,
it you don't. l think it's perfectly hate.
full OF you to say such things. should
like to know, just as u matter OF curlos'
ity, what it is III me you oDJect to Sc
much"
You won't like II, you Eno", "heh
you do hear; you'll be i'll q bigger rage
than ever. Much better leave 1t alone
Well. it you will have 1t. d'slike the
way you do our hair. Wait II