Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-06-24

Well l will so and ses how Dick is get
ting on: he mast re nearly ready,
Exit Mrs. Dick)
SCENE IL.
Same place, Capt. Dalrymples
lessing-room. The captain perform
ing his toilet Enter his better half,
with a slightly disturbed air.
His Better Half-Dick. your siS,ev
Nora is without exception the mos as
gravating girl know.
Capt d What's she been doing
now?
His Better Habits what she won't
do. I'll tell YOU all about ii. Gives
substance of conversation relating to
flowers in scene H.
Capt, d. with the air of having made
discovery)-So YOU think Lyster
sent EN-. Ell?
And she won't take them OF wear
them, or anything.
Capt. d. Chas happy thought
P'raps she thinks she looks as wen
without y know
His Better Half signing audibly)-
Oh, Dick! That isn't the question al
all. Don't you understand YOU stupid
boy, that if Mr.. Lys,er sent the flowers
he would be anxious fer Nora to wear
them?
Capt. D, (tholoughly puzz,ed)-Oh,
yes, understand that well enough;
any fool could. But what have you to
do with ii all? Can't Nora please her
self?
His Better Half Cmurmurs softly
But should 50 have liked to see her
nicely settled.
Capt. ID. (has bright idea)-l see.
You think Lyster wants to marry Nora.
What a little woman it is.
His Better Half thought you UNI
derstood that from the first. (Sotto
voce.) Men are stupid. (Aloud)
Any one can see he admires her very
much And he's such a good match.
Dick; Mrs. Viccars says he can't have
less than five thousand a year.
Capt. d. (skeptical and ungallanU -
Take half off. | don't know so much
about his being good match, either;
he's not a fellow other fellows care for
His Better Half (scornfully)-Me
say all sorts of things about each other
They gossip So
Capt. d. (rather staggered, with vivid
recolleCtionS of sundry afternoon teas
and nice long chats" incident thereto,
he has heard of from time to time)
(sotto voce) BY Jove!
His Better EIalf-What do you know
about Mr. l.yster. Dick? | always
thought he seemed very nice
Capt. Dts only general soft of
feeling some of those chaps at the
club have. Maneuvers heavily 10
change subjectJ But YOU we're telling
me about Nora.
His Better Half falls in with alac
mty)-Yes; she asked my advice, and
then did just the opposite. tSighs.)
And such match! Five thousand a
year!
Cap. d. tsotto voce. )-Two-fve, aud
Lyster. Hm-m-m.
His Better HaIf-And | believe she'd
made up her mind all the time. Peo-
pie shouldn't ask advice if they don't
mean to take it, should they?
Capt, Dts very commin failing
(sotto voce, to his relection), specially
among women.
His Better Half (only hearing what
she was intendedl-Yes And now.
Dick, I'm in rather an awkward pasl-
2 ~ i,
me to do?
Capt. ID. (turns toward her)--Well,
should let Nora manage her own af-
fairs; Lyster can look out for himself;
and If | We're you. should steer clear
of matching all the days of your life
Continues his dressing)
His Better Half-Oh | can't do that,
Capt. DIT is no use with Nora, at
any rate; quite waste of time on your
part though perhaps you didn't know.
His Better Half Intensely excited
Is there somebody else? Oh, who is
it? And why didn't you tell me be-
fore?
Capt d. (enioying sersation)-Do
you remember Stronghold?
His Better Half (terribly disap-
pointedl-Maj Stronghold. Oh, no,
Dick! 1t can't be! Why, hes almost
old enough to be her father! It's i'm
possible.
Capt. d. (only two years younger
than the major. privately thinks his
better half is eXaggerating and feels
Injured don't see why; anyhow, he
was awfully gone on her when the regi-
ment was quartered at Lendal and
Nora and the mater were living there.
| don't think they came TO an undo
standing-that's what you say, isn't it?
because he hasn't anything; to speak
of, that is.
His Better Half (af.er thinking hard
for fifteen seconds do you think
she really likes him?
Capt. D.-Can't say, I'm sure; she
might have done. He's an awfuliy
good fellow, out and out the best !
know II they'd settled ii al Lendal,
something might have come Of it, but
they didn't, SO 1t dropped. | suppose