The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-02
BUSINESS"

Mr.. Porcival Houghton was standing
near the door in the Paultons' drawing
room.
Houghton was not very popular
mem.er of his set on account of a peril
Gus faculty he had of avoiding all So
cial functions He was to he found at
the Paultons' today-well. if the mat
ter were probed to the bottom, princi-
pally because he was an old friend of
the family and Jack Paulton had re.
minded him he must not send a refusal
at the peril of a serious breach in their
friendship.
Some one plucked his sleeve. 1t was
his hostess.
"You remind me very much" said
Mrs. Paulton, ''of a statue | once saw
of Achilles, | think it was. Why this
heroic abstractednessY'
Houghton had not yet spoken of his
embarrassment when she put an end to
it prettily, sparing him the additional
confusion of an explanation.
Come, let ms descend to things more
substantial than dead heroes, if not less
poetical. have pleasant surprise III
store for you.
''Indeedn
"Yes. Let me fetch you to an old
Miss Alice Coates"
She conducted him to the damsel in
question AID left them together
"Tm heartily glad to see you again,
Miss Coates" said HoughtOn, "a trifie
awkwardly.
"You may call me Alice, as You did
before l went abroad" said the giyl
with whom Mrs. Paulton mad left him,
and then mischievously, Though am
quite grown up now, you see. "
''Dear me, yes; quite grown up. Do
you remember our chats, when we used
to poke fun at the courtly old danes at
your mothers at honest ] have never
found congenial company since you
went abroad, and l have gone out of
society entirely-become kind Of COM
mercial anchorite.
''How fortunate you are, But then
you never really cared for society, did
you?"
"No, indeed, nor did you. Are your
ideas unchanged, Alice?"
"Well, in way. | still think, as you
used to say, the world would be better
off if it did not trifie with precious time.
Yet-and know you will pardon me
l am surprised to find you single. Is it
possible there has been no one charming
enough to break through the pessimistic
ice of your nature?
"No one, indeed. But though | will
not be so vain as to say it is entirely,
yet will be bold enough to say to my
old contidaut it has been largeIs due
to the fact that have not had the time
know, it takes IA great deal of gadding
about before a man may even evidence
his affections slightly.
"Tbat's very true"
"Now. don't you think yourself that
the conventional wooing is very lam
entable sacrifice of timer"
IF the woman in me decides, no;
but if Ipersevere along strictly common
sense lines, perhaps yes. y
How charming you are! Jove! You
have not changed jOt, Alice, since
your hair has been turned up and you
| have donned the harness of social slav-
/ cry. But, to continue our subject,
honestly think this business of love and
/ marriage might be expedited, for ill.,
stance, in the commercial way. A man
comes into my Office with proposition
/ that is almost AS important to me as Il
marriage, for it affects my life's affairs
very radically. He wants an answer
/ that same day-immediately if possible,
True, l take, say, half an hour or al
hour TO turn the matter over i'll my
mind and view it i'll every light. AS u
rule, i'll that length of time / have come
to satisfactory conclusion. Now, If
could find woman to whom | might
say: Here, let us expedite matters. Let
us get this preliminary business Of love-
making over Immediately and come tC
the point without further ado OF
course it should be some one with whom
one is rather well acquainted, as, fol
instance, you and T.
''Mr Houghtonw
There, there; you see heresy will
crop out even in an old adherent. Let
me continue. take out my watch this
way and say: 1T is just 10 O'Clock now
Alice. l love you very dearly. Will you
marry me tomorrow?
"How charmingly ridiculous.
"That's right. So it is, perhaps, II
diculous, and / shall have to turn IL
again on my poor, old lonely soul-n'
one understands -
"But, my dear friend, am to believ'