The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1897-01-01
Ben's love Hffair.

1t was agreed on all hands that Ben
Whitley was very practical fellow.
By some this nay have been said Of
him disparagingly, though others I'M
doubtedly applied the words In a CON-
plimentary sense. Practically has its
! euloglsts, but it has, also, its censors.
There are some people who will fluid
fault with prose because it isn't poetry;
the same sott of people consistently
denounce practicality because Of its
inethciency in specu!ativeness. For it
is a common form of criticism to con-
denim a thing not so much for being
what it is as for not being something
else.
Ben Whiteley's mind run clear and
pure as brook. He was broker in
the city. At one time in his life he
had been shockingly poor and had to
work very hard. His industry at last
had met it's due reward. Arrived at
nearly middle age, he was in very COM
Portable circumstances, and he saw no
reason to doubt that his prosperity
would continue. When he announced
to his friends that he thought Of TAX
ing to himself wife it was generally
felt that the step he meditated was a
prudent and q proper one. and only
what might, under all the circum-
stances of the case, he reasonably ex-
pected. And when he further stated
that lie had made an offer of his hand
to one Miss Edna Latrobe, the daugh-
ter of a very wealthy dry goods mer-
chant. and that his offer had been ac-
cepted by that lady, his friends, among
whom numbered myself, fastened to
tender him hearty congratulations ON
the happy occasion.
Ben spoke of the matter in his own
simple, sober way:
''Well, you know, I'm getting on" he
said, land if I'm ever to marry it's
about time should be setting about
1t. A few years hence it will be too
late. shall be settled don II then in u
bachelor kind of life, shall have adopt
ed bavhe.or views and habits and bach.
el0r ways of looking at things, which
shouldn't be able to alter or get out of
ut any price. A few years ago could
not have afforded 1t, to put the matter
ihinly. and so it was quite out Of the
question. But always looked for
ward to getting married when could
afford 1t, and now TIN going to carry
out the notion. You're very kind, and
I think shall be happy-in fact. I've
NJ doubt about it-as happy as any
fellow has any right to expect to he.
One ought not to expect too much, of
course. But I'm very fond, in my
w0y, Of Miss Edna Latrobe, and !
think TINT she, in her way. is fond of
me. She Is not too young nor too old,
not too go0d-looking nor too plain.
She's sensible enough and accom-
plished enough, and do not see why
she should not make me very good
kind Of wife, ind, similarly, don't
see why should not make her very
good kind of husband. What more
10 there to be said? Perhaps I'm not
very fond Of old Latrobe, and perhaps
old Latrobe is not very fond of me.
But, still, I don't see that that need
matter very much. / daresay we shall
understand each other by and by;
meantime, we must rub on, just as
well as we can. and / must try to make
the best Of the old gentleman's hui
mOrs, and not run counter to him any
more than can avoid. We need not
be meeting 80 very often, you know.
And It seems to me the old fellow
would not be any fonder Of anybody
else who might. want to marry his 4
daughter than lie Is Of me. And if
Edna likes me land she says she does)
and ! like Edna land I ray dol, that
seems to mesthe chief part Of the bust