The record-union., 1898-07-25
RAGS"

She was sitting on a Welsh wall,
swinging her feet. They were slim,
" Well-shod feet. She spent a fortune on
her shoes-there was also a liberal dis
play Of ankle.
The man beside her was smart, and
well set up. Soldier was writ large all
over him.
The rain had begun, and, though
neither Of them had an umbrella, they
neither of them moved.
1T rains alike upon the just and
upon the unjust" murmured the man.
'Oh, no it doesn't! The hair of the
unjust generally curls naturally; that
of the just becomes limp and hideous.
1 am of the unjust"
You certainly are-always to me-"
Don't preach, jim! Give me a Gig
arctic; it would be comforting"
mo, 1 shan't!" answered the man
with decision, for I'm going to kiss
you'll"
She cuddled her head down on his
shoulder. After a few minutes, he lifted
his face from hers to look at her. Her
eyes We're closed, and she had the look
of a placid kitten basking in the sun
shine.
Are you happy, dear?" he whispered.
Very"
why will you marry that horrible
mann"
Rags opened her eyes, sat up, shook
the raindrops from her hair, and put a
small, cold hand over his mouth.
II have told you, over and over again,
that my mind is made up. He is the
third richest commoner in England,
and will be Master Cutler next year. /"
You'd far better marry me; we
shouldn't be so awfully poor!"
MY good young man., said Rags, in
weary voice, ''he has got more thou
sands than we should have shillings,
and shall have frocks as the sand on
the seaShore."
when you deal in metaphors you get
mixed; the sand on the seashore has
no frocks."
Don't try to be superior, Jim; it
doesn't suit you. You're only a good
looking, stupid, honest 'orficer boy but
I'm fond of you."
When you are Mistress Cutler, may
come and see you?"
Rags turned herself slowly and looked
at him. She narrowed her gray eyes
and shook her head.
II think not. You see, when I have
married that Cutting beast, / shall
spend his money-heaps of his money.
don't like him; I don't respect him;
but I won't make him a laughing-stock,
and a-what's the word? 1t comes in
Shakespeare
It's an ugly word, and you mustn
use it"
II shall use just whatever words
please. You needn't pretend that you
think me an innocent, blush-rose sort
of maiden, for I'm nothing Of the
sort. 1 know this, that if some day
you came to see me, and I was mis-
cradle, as / shall be miserable some
times, and you held out your hand,
should take it, and we should both
race downhill to the devil, just as we
raced down the Cymfre the other even
ing, when we were late for dinner"
Jim was silent for minute, then he
said slowly, "You are the only woman
1 ever heard confess to the smallest
possibility Of going to the devil"
MY dear boy, what's the use of hum
bugging. If it wasn't that 1 am such
a coward I might have gone long ago.
But somehow, just when I think I am
going, the Afterward gets up and
mocks me and I turn meekly back. ]
can't face that Afterward."
But, dearest, might not the After
ward sometimes be kind?"
Never to women. To women it al
ways comes in the garb of a London
street arab 'ya-aing' and making q
long nose. / don't know how it comes
to men, perhaps in the shape of q
pretty sHallejujah 1assie singing, Dilly!
Dilly! Dilly! Dilly! come and be saved: !: