The Dickinson press., 1896-09-19
she MADE 4 MISTAKE.

ssAAc cAS WOTe lSr Il0lF aUOuI u0E euF6
and her socks about her ankles. She
was joan Langley then IN I until she
was twenty, when she married Charley
Forsyth, aud was sorry fer her mis-
take within the year. However, when
he died, about three years later, she
spoke Of him with great affection. I
could not tell IL 1t was genuine or
prompted by an artistic desire to make
her manners match her mourning. I
believe 1t was IN 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 the comfortable income
her husband had not had time to lose.
was wrong In saying she lived by
herself, for a friend, or cousin, or some
old schoolfellow was always staying
with her.
Joan is q popular and cheerful young
woman, and 1 have always been very
fond of her; but she has, or had, one
popularity which l could not appreci-
ate. Until she was a widow it was in
allegiance, and as soon as she put OF
her first mourning and began to go
about and see her friends. it developed
rapidly. She loved matchmaking. l
could never understand why. for her
own experience of marriage life had
been most unhappy. II she had been
less sWeet-tencpered I should have
imagined she was copying the fox who,
having lost his W tail, tried to per-
suade his friends to follow his exam
pie. Once l suggested to her that, as
marriages were made IN heaven, and
even then were not always successful,
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
bou heaven and marriages. or
course, 1t was a man, and Of course he
thought he was saying something very
clever; but he really was talking non
sense Now, there is Biddy Machin.
She is such a dear girl, and deserves
to be happily married."
5 you look on a husband as a re-
ward of virtue, no matter what he is
like:"
We were sitting in her drawing room
at tea time. Miss Machin, who was
staying with her, had not come in, so
we were enjoying u tea together.
Joan looked SO contented, SO oblivIous
of the past so determined to think we'll
of marriage MS an institution, that I
could not help laughing.
"How horrid you are, Jim!' she said.
you're not a bit sympathetic. You
ought to be glad to take an interest in
anyone and bother about hem. Do you
think 1t is for my own pleasure I do it?
Do you think I enjoy having Mr.. Stam-
ford always here, for instance?"
"Oh, Stamford! Is he to be q VIC
tim" I asked.
Il don't know why you should call
him a victim" she said, coldly. II
think he will be a most suitable hus-
band for Biddy Machin. She is one of
the incest girls I know, and has no
money, poor thing! So she must mar
ry."
"Why should Stamford provide for
her" I asked.
"I1e will be very fortunate If she let's
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 so" l asked.
Il have not asked her. I have some
tact, Jim. She likes him very much,
and she must marry someone. They
are very good friends"
II thought you intended young Sim
mons for Ler. Why did you changer
I said.
-"He's not we'll off, you know. 1
found he only had expectations. and
very distant ones; so I think Mr.. SIAM
ford will do much better"
what a mercenary woman you are,
Joan!" I exclaimed. do you think
only of money in your matchmaking
schemes? How about love-"
"Oh, love Is such a temporary thing!"
she said, with a cynical air. "Anyone
with an ounce Of reason, car get over
an attack Of love in q month, and do
very we'll without it; but money you
must have"
"And Stamford is to supply Miss Ma
chin with money instead Of Ralph Sim
mons giving her love. That is very
b~usiness-like. When do you expect to
bring 1t Off"
1.-THE engagement" she asked.
"No; the wedding. Surely, you've
got beyond the engagement. Miss Ma
chin has been with you six weeks"
Eyes; but these things can't be hur-
ried," she said, slowly. II think Mr..
Stamford is only, waiting for an or
%portunity to speak,"
with a laugh.
She blushed and said hastily: you
arc not at all nice to-day, Jim. I don't
| see anything to laugh at. 1 can't help
it II the mar won't PROPOSE"
ooh, Is that it He won't come to the
point?"
Il wish you would be nicer" she
murmured.
Indeed, I will be NICE" I protested,
seeing she was really hurt. "Tell me
about It."
"There's not much to tell. I saw from
the first he was just the man for Bid
dy, and she seemed to like him, and
he Is always very ready to come here
or go anywhere with us, and he brings
flowers, and sweets, and things"
For herr" l asked.
eyes; at least, for both, and they are
very great friends but-they don't get
any further. He sits here for hours.
and l make all sorts of excuses to
leave them together; but when 1 come
back I find them sitting opposite each
other, just cal1.ly talking; and I
shouldn't have thought he was a shy
man."
"He certainly never struck me as be-
ing shy" I said.
"Then he must be a 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 pro-
pose to her, and he only smiles and
agrees with everything I say. Never
mind, I'm determined he shall marry
her, and ]. always get my way"
"Like all pretty women" said I, "but
take care! Matches are dangerous
things to play with, and some day you
will get your fingers burnt"
"Nonsense! l know what am
about. II I approved of betting, ]
would bet anything that Philip STAN.
ford proposes to Biddy within a
week."
arose to so as the door opened to
admit a visitor. mi. Stamford" said
the maid. I smiled and glanced a
Joan, but she was back to the light
and did not notice me. Half way
ArxRrr Tho nfuA>% Noro4 IN Hffce