The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1896-07-09
WHICH;
81 MADGE ROBERTSON.

feStSE Will OIL uSs
eyes," said her friend, 'sTom is
different? Why?"
Mrs Forester busted herself with
the tea, which maid had just brought
out to the lawn. They were watching
the tennis courts. Her friend balanced
his hat on his stick
"I don't see how Tom is different.
He is precisely like any dozen other
men you would knock over if yon
played bowls at tea. The only dis
tinctive thing he ever did was marry
ing you.
ssHe did rot even do that" med1-
tated Mrs. Forester from behind the
urn. NO" she added slowly, 81
married him."
"I knew there was nothing special
about Tom"
s'Tom is better than any other
man." observed Toms wife, dispas-
sionately.
The friend smiled.
Take some cake, some more cake"
and Mrs. Forester held out the bas-
ket.
"This is the first T have had" he
repcoached. 'tBut to come back to
marrying for money. You advise me-
to do it and refuse to consider love as
a contingency, even as factor. Yet
when I tax you with Tom and your
own bliss, you go off into personali-
ties, which is not natural to woman,
and therefore uneonvincing. Wy
mott domestic felicity for me? Have
rxd Tom monopoly"
81 always had monopoly of Tom"
said his wife irrelevantly.
The friend took some more cake re-
signedly.
II suppose I shall have to hear
why you married him. Don't mind
my affairs if you want to talk about
yourself.
s:Bernie Allan says that you are the
rudest man In town.
Bernie is a discerning young wom-
an. I shall see that she holds to that
view. But go or. You proposed to
him when you we've out West to-
gether?"
Mrs. Forester put down her cup.
'sIt was the oldest thing" she be-
gan reminiscentiy. "Tne Allans took
me with them when they went to
China. We went through Canada,
rouknov-Bernie, her brother Allan,
Tom, the Allan father and mother,
Charlie Hicks and !. It was jolly
enough If you like. There were no
affairs on. Bernie tad half Ell eye on
Tom, but it was Charlie after all. I
talked to any enc of the three who
happened to be beside mel hate be-
ing talked to down my back"
The friend obligingly took g chair
opposite her.
$50 it was all very nice No get
ting mp at dayligh: for fear the other
girl was scoring while you slept I
enjoyed myself immensely until one
day ir the Rockies. Since then I have
not had minutes peace"
''Chilblaips?' queried her sympa-
thetic friend.
"Curiosity," replied Mrs. Forres-
ter, solemulv, ''overpowering, over
whelning, ungratihel curiosity. I'm
til one fatal moment I was happy,
innocent girl; since then have been
merciless, bounding detective.
':Dear me-" said her guest, distract.
edly, "give me another cup Of tea,
with lemon in it, please. Now I am
braced."
EFT is not joke, crowned his host
ess, t:it is the secret Of ny life
This is what 1 get for being q nice,
friendly man" he groaued. IF any
more young women tell me the secrets
Of their lives. ny head will burst.
That wonld be an interesting veri-
ieaticn." said Mrs. Forester, ro-
litely. "We!i. ws got along bea8tj-
fully until the second day IN the noun
teins. not 6 quarrel among Us. We
we're in the Seikirks when the incident
happened. Iou know the horrid sue
cessiou Of snow sheds and tunnels
Naturally it occurred to US all that We
would prefer an occasional landslide.
Bernie and Tom pined for an avail
anche. Tbey were always hope
fully spying out snow on the noun
tain side This morning We were al
in the observation car, getting our
eyes full Of cinders and making tour
ist idiots of ourselves. There was no
one else in the car except some old
frumps in The further 4n:l The Allan
elders were playing double dummy in
the Pullman. Bernie was chatting
Tom about his probable behavior in