New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-22
THE ART OF CONVERSAT ION

Cheedle.
81 had made up my mind to hate you con
fessed.
That was unkind " she murmured
But now that know you =
THAT was inevitable" said Cheede
you have known Joseph many years. MT
Wroughtnight have you mott asked Mrs
Cheedle. lingering the cloth.
Il used to think So ! SAID
She tried to look if she understood me
But my idea of him all wrong said l.
"He ia different altogether from the man
thought he was"
Better or worse?' said she.
| hesitated.
Please don't consider me-" said Cheedle his
face was hagyard with apprehension
But that is just what we are doing said Mrs
Cheedle. laughing Come, MI Wroughnight,
better or worse?
Neither better nor worse" ] replied but
merely more ordinary"
"Ordnaryr gasped Mrs Cheedle.
"Oh, I don't know that object to that dear
said Cheedle sourly
we are what we are" said solemniy
I'VE are not necessarily what our friends think
we are though" he rejoined
mo" | replied you are not the man
thought you we're"
81 am sure YOU are mistaken IN thinking Jo'
seph is ordinary" said Mrs Cheedle very grave
w. mo one Is more keenly alive to lis failings
than am He has many, many faults. know;
but-he il emphatcaliy not ordinary"
Perhaps normal would bo the better word
l ventured
"Oh doesn't that mean something sleepy ana
slow2" she asked dOubfully.
1T means something that isn't anything
much" ! explained
Don't you think we had better taxi aboui
something else?" said Cheedle uneasily
oh no." said Mrs Cheede Il think this is SO
interesting"
1T is very awkward fol me" he protested.
I'VE can pretend you are not here, she SAID
81 can't though" he re1oined
81 know Just what you think about Joseph,
said Mrs Cheedle squeezing his hand under the
table You fancy because he makes Jokes he
never thinks"
81 did not even know ne made jokes" said
And know he thinks he does"
Joseph has a very fine sense Of humor," she
said Indignantly. That was the first thing that
struck about him"
Il thought you always said, dear began
ChecdIe but she interrupted him promptly.
There were other things, of course" she said,
but that the first Shall j tell Mr.
wroughtnght what you said that night
when
Perhaps it might not interest him" said
Cheedle.
"Oh, yes it WILL" said l. but without en-
thusiasm
He said" began Mrs Cheedle "Oh but first
] must tell you what led up to It,"
81 really don't think Wroughtnght will care |
about it, my dear said Cheedle
Here / played supplicant and the story was
related TO me An hour passed IN the telling /
will merely remark that If my time Is to be
wasted prefer to waste it myself
Very very droll" ! SAID when the story /
ended
Nov" cried Mrs Checde. flushed with tr- /
umph. will yJu ever say again that Joseph has /
no sense Of humorY
/ had said no such thing hut replied meeky /,
VI will never again be So foolish"
"Why. IT would make a story said she
"Or mar one" thought
"You write things" she limited
only my own things" SAID J.
81 don't suppose Joseph would object To-
"Why. dear" said Chetdle 1T isn't half good /
enough for Wroughtnieht"
you are 50 modest" she sighed
THAT isn't your fault Mrs Chccdle" said | |
TO console her.
mo. | Do what can" she admitted laughing
'"The weather has been remarkably fine late
ly" said Cheedle Wont you try one of these
old chap? / wonder VINO Will get IN for Rom
leigh"
His speech was feverish and hurried
Talking seems To have joined lctier-writinc in
the vast limbo Of lost arts" observed
THAT is what you always say. DEAR" said