Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-03-28
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THE STUDYO OF WOMAN

L AAE C1 OD1 We NVDl AN
"No." said I, with pulssaut positive.
ness, to my friend Bascom; mo, sir,
shall not accompany you into the
haunts Of the unmarried woman"
But. my dear Marston," argued Bas.
com. you ought to 20. Of course, you
are bachelor OF 10"
Touch lightly on that point, please"
said I.
Society might make fad Of you as
. novelty"
And again, my dear Bascom, It
mightn't."
However, whether It does or not, I
want you to get out Of the rut Of bach.
elortlom and 60 with me-"
"You are very kind"
"For variety old man. Will you
soi'
AS said In the beginning, now re.
peat, NO, SIR"
Bascom had been married for sew.
eral years and I had his frequent as.
surance that his entire married life was
nothing more or less than path Of
silver sunshine, through golden gar.
den Of roses. 1t was a charming meta.
phor, but 1t fell upon unappreciativc
ears, for knew that Bascom had
written poetry In his youth, and, IN ad.
ditiOn to that, he was married, and I
knew wat all married men had to say
to bachelors Of matrimony, as they
had found It. It was simply sugar
spread upon an uncertain condition In
order to catch such unwary dies a.
might be attracted thereby.
"well, WE'LL" he said, "have It your
own way. am sure can stand It II
you can, but, say, will you join me
over Sunday at my own house7 I've
told my wife about you and she Il 80
anxious to see you that she commits.
STONED me to invite you out for Sun.
day"
Bachelor or no bachelor, I could not
afford to be bOor. and to slight such
an invitation as this was incxcusable.
50 began to hedge bit.
"My dear Bascom." I said, apologet.
ically. "why didn't you tell me you
wanted me to 70 to your house?''
"Well, It hadn't just occurred to me.
guess" and he laughed.
"Of course" went on, ut IL quite a
different thing to 90 there than to
go"
Then you'll Co." he interrupted, with
such an interest that I became sus.
picious.
Are there to be any OF the gay and
Siddy throng about?' I asked.
Summer girls and such?" he re.
piled.
"Mostly."
"Then I'll be frank with you and say
there IL not one on the place."
"Under these circumstances. then, I'll
co."
GOOD for you, old manw he ex-
claimed, clapping me on the back. T'n
60 and telegraph my wife that you will
come up with me Saturday evening""
Then he went out Of my office to send
bis dispatch.
II was about 4 o'clock Saturday after.
noon when he reached his home In the
country, three hours earlier than his
usual time Of arrival, as he had taken
me out at that hour so we might have a
little lOafng spell before dinner, and as
the day was unusually fine In the coun.
try and as 1t had not been pleasant In
the heated town was glad enough that
he had been 80 thoughtful.
1t was delightful under the big trees
Of his dOOryard-he objected to calling
II . lawn-and when he brought out 4
couple Of great, juicy mint juleps and
We sat there browsing upon them I
don't think ! ever felt more at peace
with the world than J. did ut that very
moment.
Later Mrs. BascOr, dainty little
woman. with three rs pretty children
as children eau be pretty to bachelor
OF my prOcllvities, Joined us and with
her came her sister, Mrs. Hilman, q
matronly woman Of IS. to whom I was
formally presented.
! confess to an admiration of Mrs.
Hilman as soon as ! saw her; not that
Mrs. BascOm wasn't admirable, but
that her sister was older and more sub.
stantial to my mind. In fact, Mrs. Hill
man was OF that pleasing rotundlty Of
person which seems to appeal to an
unromantic man OF 30, while Mrs. Bias.
com was rather spirltuelle and remind
ed one more Of tngels than of good
housekeepers. In addition to her other
attractions. Mrs. Hilman was of the
laughing, jolly kind of women, who
seem to carry surplus Of sunshine
with them for general distribution, and
I always had kind of sneaklng fond.
ness for that kind OF woman.
Invent to bed early, as IL the custom
in tho country, and though was in
good sleeping trim and my conscience
was In perfect order somehow I lay
awake thinking what lonesome sort
Of life a bachelors life was and how
much cozler and pleasanter woman
could make a mans life, even II she
hadn't more than half the chance.
After long time slept and dream
ed dreams In which there were sum-
mer girls and other disturbing ele-
ments, and when I awOke In the morn
ing, in response to Bascom's knock,
was my old self again and laughed at
the very Idea of woman as life com.
panion.
During Sunday had several very
interesting talks with Mrs. Hilman,
- ~ Il