Semi-weekly independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-19
THE STUDY OF WOMAN

ness. TO my friend Bascom mo, sir, L
shall not accompany you into the
haunts of the unmarried woman"
but. my dear Marston," argued Bias
com. ''yOu ought to 60. OF course, you
are a bachelor of So
Touch lightly on that point, please
said L.
Society might make a fad of you as
a novelty"
"And again. my dear Bascom, it
mightn't"
However. whether it does or not,
want you to get out of the rut of bach
elordom and go with me-"
You arc very kind"
For variety old man. Will you
go2"
CAS- said in the beginning, l now re-
peat. No. sir p"
Bascom had been married for sew
erai years and | had his frequent as
surance that his entire married life was
nothing more or less than path of
silver sunshine. through a golden gar
den of roses 1t was Il charming meta
phor. but it fell upon unappreciatiye
ears. for | knew that Bascom had
written poetry in his youth. and, in adj
ditiOn to that. he was married, and |
knew what all married men had to say
to bachelors of matrimony, as they
had found it. 1t was simply sugar
spread upon an uncertain condition in
order to catch such unwary flies as
might be attracted thereby.
''Wcll, we'll" he said. "have it your
own way. l am sure | can stand it if
you can, bur. say, will you join me
over Sunday at my own house? I've
told my wife about you and she is so
anxious to see you that she commits
stoned me to invite YOU out for Sun
day"
bachelor or no bachelor, / could not
afford to be boor, and 10 slight such
an invitation as this was inexcusable.
So | began to hedge Bit.
My dear Bascom," l said, apologet
ically. why didn't you tell me you
wanted me to go to your house."
We'll. 1t hadn't just occurred TO me,
guess" and he laughed.
"Of course" went ON, lit is quite a
different thing to so there than to
60"
Then you'll go" he interrupted, with
such an interest that | became sus-
piclous.
"Are there to be any of the gay and
giddy throng about:" l asked.
Summer girls and such!" he re-
piled.
Mostly
''Then I'll be frank with you and say
there is not one on the place.
"Under these circumstances, then, I'll
CO."
Good for you, old man. he eX-
claimed. clapping me on the back. iii
go and telegraph my wife that you will
come up with me Saturday evening"
Then he went out of my office to send
his dispatch.
1t was about 1 o'clock Saturday after
noon when he reached his home i'm the
country, three hours earlier than his
usual time of arrival, as he had taken
me out ut that hOnr so we might have a
little loafing spell! before dinner, and as
the day was unusually fine in the coun-
try and as it had not been pleasant in
the heated town | was glad enough that
he had been so thoughtful.
1t was delightful under the big trees
OF his doOryard-he objected to calling
1t a lawn-and when he brought out a
couple of great. juicy mint juleps and
oaf thnp0 h..nxy-S.frv
don't think ever felt more at peace
with the world than | did at that very
moment.
Later Mrs. Bascom. 4 dainty little
woman, with three as pretty children
as children can be pretty to a bachelor
Of my proclivities. joined us and with
her came her sister. Mrs. Hilman. a
matronly woman Of 50, TO whom | was
formally presented.
/ confess to an admiration of Mrs.
Hilman as soon as | saw her: not that
Mrs. BaScOm wasn't admirable. bur
that her sister was older and more sub
stantial to my mind. In fact. Mrs. Hill
man was of that pleasing rotundity of
person which seems TO appeal to an
unroInantic man OF 30. while Mrs. Bas
com was rather spirituelle and remind
ed one more Of angels than of good
flousekeepers. In addition to her other
attractions. Mrs. IIilman was of the
laughing, jolly Kind of women, who
seem to carry a surplus of sunshine
with them for general distribution. and
always had Il kind of sneaking fond
ness for that kind of woman
l went to bed early, rs is the custom
"a the country, and though / was in
.OOd sleeping trim and my conscience
sas In perfect order somehow / lay