Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
The Business Way.


Jack wanted to, but Lady Mary
didn't. and that's the way it all came
about. Jack swore she was the very
daintiest, sweetest, loveliest girl on
earth, added great deal more of
loves hyperbole, and-entre nous
even scared into poetry occasionally,
when he read to Christopher Colum-
bus. her pet bull terrier.
But as Christopher wrinkled his
nose decidedly and his tail did not
show the least intimation of a wag,
Jack tore it up-the poetry, mean.
The trouble was Jack wanted to pro-
pose and couldn't. For never did he
bring up the eventful subject but Lady
Mary would go off at tangent, possi-
bly, because Jack was using round
about ways.
AS Jack confided to his chum (who
shall be nameless for various reasons) !:
''Do you know, H., if 1 speak of sun
sets, she will Immediately have wild
desire to discuss ethnology OF irreg-
ular Greek verbs. and if should ever
mention love-not that I ever have,
you know-but if ever should, hang
me if I don't believe she'd ask me
how my liver was.
By which it can readily be seen that
Lady Mary and Jack were on the best
of terms, and the very intimacy seemed
to preclude the possibility of anything
more.
One afternoon was lying on the
river bank industriously fishing, while
Jack sprawled upon the grass alter
nately reading and scribbling. Then
he looked up and observed compla-
Gently: ''Now. fiatter myself that's
lather good. Listen, H.:
"The weary sun has sunk to rest,
And with him fades the dying day.
Come night. come hour love the best,
Fit time loves winning words to say.
81 retty good, eh?"
''Good? Oh, Lord! You want to
change those last two lines. You
should say:
"Alas still lives a love-struck crank,
Who can't say what he wants to say.
Besides, best isn't good gram
mar, if you're comparing day with
night"
''Hang it all, H., Tennyson himself
could not please you. Then long
silence which he at last broke with:
''Say, do you think she would have
me?"
ooh, take run around the block!
How do know? There she comes
now, and 1 give you fair warning if
You two stay here and scare all
my fish away I'll tell about the
poetry"
Divinely tall and most divinely
fair was Lady Mary. She came trip
ping sedately over the tender grass,
the mountain winds kissing delicate
peach blossom into her cheeks. Jack,
with his customary facility, rose to his
feet and the occasion to play the gal
liant. Neither of 'em paid the slight
est attention to me. 1 was supposed
to be dead
Jack, she said, sweetly, 81 want
you to row me up to the store. Will
you?"
OF course Jack acquiesced, and the
two of them got into the boat and
started.
Jack is finished oarsman, at least
he generally finishes it in about ten
minutes. I'knew it was to be inter
esting, so gave up the fishing and
watched them.
Mem. later: They have drifted
down the river, botn behind Lady
Mary's parasol.)
Now. Jack being one of those fell
lows who believe in never losing an
opportunity calmly rowed the boat
cut in the middle of the river and
then, as I predicted, shipped the
oars and opened the conversation.
''How we'll we get along together
in boat" he remarked, gazing senti-
mentally at the cliffs.
! EYES," abstractedly, "but I wish
you'd row up to the store. 1 don't
want to waste the whole afternoon
drifting like this
''No, of course not" waking up
suddenly. Two strokes. Then, 81
wish we could always
''There are lot of new people COM
ing tonight" she broke in. "Mr. Egg
gleston told me so.
''Did he? H'm!' Then with a
brilliant idea, "Are you ever inter
ested in other people?" he asked in
his most beguiling tone.
ooh, yes-now, there's Christopher
Columbus. I'm interested in him. I
wish 1 had him here this very minute.
I'd kiss his dear little nose"
eff I were only christopher Colum-
bus, insinuated Jack.
II wish you were sometimes" she
cried, wickedly. "Then I could shut
you mp occasionally, couldn't II"
Now, what could anybody do with
girl like this? The end of it was that
Lady Mary took the oars and rowed
to the store herself.
Jack came to me disconsolately.
81 wish I was Dead" he said.
told him how annoying it would be to
me to have him lying around dead.
II cosJ &oll,o1 ILL., f.-I