The record-union., 1896-09-06

til the day of her death. While he was
alive her mission was to worship him;
now It's her mission to mourn him."
What a pathetic fate!" he said, with
a smile
Not a bit of it! She's quite happy;
l really believe she's happier than I am.
Don't you know there are lots of women
VINO get happiness out of life through
their Imaginary sacrifices?"
On the first day of their acquaintance
ne had observed the paradOxical quality
OF her mind, and he liked to hear her
talk in this strain. He though he had
never known so original girl. Some
times he amused himself by wondering
how so choice a spirit could ever find a
mate. 1t was this questioning that
prompted him when he said:
I'm afraid you have very pessimistic
ideas about marriage"
They're the ideas forced upon me
by the marriages of my friends" she re-
Piled without looking at him.
He held his pipe before his eyes and
seemed to be smiling at it. Don't you
ever intend to marry yourSelf?'
She laughed aloud. Il thought you
were coming to that"
She turned her face toward him, and
seeing him flush, she laughed again.
why should 1 marry?" she replied
I'm happy enough as I am. Bob and
1 lead just the kind of life I like
But think how happy you could make
some other Bob. Aren't you-eh-aren't
you just trifie selfish?"
That's the masculine element in me-"
she quickly retorted
That's very flattering to Bob
"Oh, when meet any one half as good
as Bob" she laughed.
What will you do?" he said, looking
into her face.
She waited moment before reply
ing. Il shall have desperate Irritation
with him..
Thomas watched the smoke curl slowly
from his mouth.
L should never be willing to marry a
man who wouldn't allow me perfect
freedom" she went on; who wouldn't
let me live out my life just as I chose
to live it. We'd have to be on perfect
equality"
''Oh, those conditions are easy
enough"
Are they? I've never seen the man
yet who'd agree to them, not even Bob,"
she added with a smile.
1 thought you had perfect freedom
already"
All, but I'm not his wife. A daugh-
ter's quite different. Besides" she
laughed, it's taken me years to train
my father
Iheir Indifference to the other board
ers in the hotel was strong bond of
sympathy between them These con-
sisted largely of women who passed
most of the day in gossip on the pi-
azzaS.
They think it's quite shocking that
Mrs. Wilder should allow me to go
about with you so much alone" she
said to him one day, while they were
resting by the roadside. after a long
spin on their wheels. Poor Mrs. VIII
der has such a hard time defending
me-"
he piucked piece of grass and bit
cff the end Il hope you don't mind"
ne said, tapping one of the pedals Of
ms wheel with his foot, and watching
it whirl
''Oh, not at ALL
Thats one reason why it's so de-
llShtful to be with YOU With most
girls L feel so-well, so constrained"
You think they expect you to firt
with them
oh, hardly that" he protested.
so many girls are afraid to be natu-
raj with men because they know that
II they are, nine men out of ten will
thlnK they want to fiirt, or they're in
loVe with them, or something like that
But with me its different. 1 give a
man to understand at the beginning
that | don't want to f1irt with him:
SO we start fair and we become the best
OF friends-unless-
lie looked up quickly. Unless what p"
Oniess he gets, rs a man l know
says, unless he gets 'hossy'"
he burst out laughing I've never
heard that before, but 1 think I under
stand what it means"
Ihats one satisfactory thing about
you, she went on. ''As soon as saw
You l knew you weren't the kind that
got 'flossy.'''
FOR few moments they were both
silent. Then she rose quickly. shook
her skirt, and started away on her
"heel. He followed, bending forward
10 give vent to the laughter that had
been shlnlng in his eyes She was GER
fanny the queerest girl he had ever
seen He wished that more girls were
IKE her. She was the only girl he had
ever met who appeared to be the same
ali the time; you always knew how to
take her; you could bank" on her
every time
During the last week of his six waaLc,
stay in Marblehead Mrs. Wilder had
particularly persistent attack of neu-
ralgia and Thomas was with Editb
Grant nearly every moment of the dav
L don't know what L shall do without
YOU she said on the night before his
departure as they were walking along
the shore. I've been with you so much
that i hardly feel as If knew the other
people at the hotel"
he waited a moment before replying.
doil Know what | shall do without
you fouv We made IL $3.50 pleasant
Tor me here. shall 60 back to nv work
new man. | was nearly Gone up
when l came here; that's why I had to
stop work at our busiest season.
IL must be awfully interesting-your
work, planning new houses all the
time, she said, trying to infuse a little
iiehtness into her voice
he did not answer. They were PASS
ing ledge of rocks where they had
often sat together. Suppose we sit
here for little while" he said. See
how high the tide is, and how prettv
that effect is over there. where the
moon is shining on the water. Looks
like big silver fleece, doesn't it?"
This time she did not reply. When
she had gathered her skirts around her
ana sat down, he took a place by her
SIDE. They both seemed to be siIenced