The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-08-25
WICKED JACK.

should like you better-if | possibly
could like you better, Jack. dear-if--if
You were just little-ever such II
! tiny bit-wicked. "
lifted my eyebrows in mild aston
iahment, | had an idea that was suili.
! ciently wicked. not desperately or vi
clously wicked, you know, but just
about wicked enough.
Would you like mo to poison pussy,
or steal Aunt James knitting, or put
| gunpowder i'll the governors pipe. or
smash tho mater 's-no. pom my word,
! Cts, won't do anything to the dear lit
tie mater"
Don't be so absurd, said She SO.
Nerely t'She" with n big $, if you
| please).
You don't look pretty when you
make faces, CHS -
You said yesterday that / couldn't
help looking pretty"
We had only been engaged three days
! then.
oh. Jack I"
There were explanations here which
de not affect the argument
" didn't mean that sort Of wicked.
ness said she
Isn't kissing wickedy''
"Of course not, when people are en-
gagged. Don't. Jack.
We'll, what's tho particular crime
you admire, Gisy" inquired cheerful
! ly. Il dare say I've committed it in the
course of IA long and evil life. "
" You know don't mean real wicked
ness that is wickedness. I'm quite sure
that you wouldn't eycr-quitc, quite
sure. dear
wasn't 80 sure. but | was clear
enough that / shouldn't tell her Of it.
- | only mean little wickednesses-
Weaknesses really, only er-you
know what 1 mean
You are always strikingly lucid, 4"
| observed politely
You are always teasing me -
Is that wickcdness which is or
which isn't?''
I'm not going to discuss frivolities,
sir. You know what mean"
III hanged if dor
well, l mean-people say--that
man ought not to he--that isl know
what / mean, but ! cant express it,
| And won't be laughed ut, Jack. -
you arc being laughed at, CHS. !"
" But | don't like it. please. "
We'll, you mean that it doesn't seem
manly for man to be too good and
proper. Is that it, Cis?''
or course it il. ="
Upon my word I'm not -
All, t." said she triumphantly, set
ting herself magisterially in corner of
the largo armchair (she doesn't nearly
fill III, what have you done? / shall
expect you to tell me all. "
She almost looked as If she expected
| it, too, which was absurd. SO | deter
mined to make careful selection, but
there was such AN embarras dc richessel
OF course couldn' I tell her of the wick
ednesses which were, aud wickednesses
which weren't found somewhat diff
cult to define
Well'- began hesitatingly
Go on, sir-the truth. "
When was boy
ooh. that doesn' matter / suppose
you've done something wrong since
then.
'Er-I've sometimes had bet on
horse race or u cricket or football
match.
How much-G5?"
Well-er-not more. You see, I'm
not really a betting man. -
If I'd told her Of that coup ON yellow
Dragon. it might have got round to the
governor, you see.
"Oh, well. that isn't very much
What else?"
Sometimes when was at Oxford /
had quite enough to drink ="
ooh, Jack But you didn't ever get
quite--not really--so that you could
not
Drunk? Oh, dear, mol That would
have shown great weakness Of char
acter. -
1t wasn't worth while to mention
that night when the other men put me
in bed the wrong end, with my boots ON
the pillow. | was only overcome with
the smoke and excitement. you know.
There's "a good boy I'm glad. she
said, just touching my hand with hers.
Anyhow I'm almost teetotaler
now. Well. that's nearly all y
Now, Jackp'
Except that l might have said
swear word or so now and then Foot
ball and billiards are very trying you
know -
If she'd heard me talk to that cabby
on boat race day
"Ump'
Isn't that wicked enough"
Wees, but men all do 1t. Even dad
when he dropped the big hammer on his
foot the other day said
What"
Never mind. Perhaps it was Dear
mel"
"Oh, that's how | always swear"
you tell awful-untrutbs
Eyes, that's my form Of wiokedness. "
heaved sigh Of relief that she had
settled the question.
:" But haven't you, Jack-haven' you
ever fiirted? That's what mean.
/ thought so.
Good gracious, yes!'
''Since you knew mef Now. tell me.
/ won't be cross; really won't"
But I've known you ever since you
We're a baby, more or less You were
tiresome youngster, Cts. pom my honor
you were.