The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-08

Philadelphia Item.
l am willing to confess that [ would
have married Gus Waters at a word He
was the sort of a young man girl in
stinctively likes and trusts. Perhaps this
IS not the kind of feeling the story books
cali love, but L fancy it is just as good.
Gus was good-looking, with strongly
marked features, rather tall and well
built and when he chose to be well
dressed made a good appearance. and
never looked Ill, however old his clothes
might be, when about his ordinary work
lie did not depend upon his clothes to
command respect.
he mad calm. confident air, and could
express himself concisely when he needed
TO assert authority. That is what a wo-
man hkes-to have a man able to deal
with men and not be turned aside from
MS purpose or make a mistake He was
good talker, with a fine, coy humor,
not putting himself forward tn be anus
ing, but easily holding his own. Like
most strong men, Gus was hard to pro-
| woke TO quarrel. though in his school
| days he has his allowance of fsticuff en-
/ counters.
Yes, will admit I would have married
Gus had he asked me. though I did not
think ne was in love with me or I with
MN. did not believe ne would fail deem
ly in love with any one.
Perhaps L was too reserved, or feared to
snow decided preference unless it was
shown first, though other girls said l
threw myself at his head, and was great
! ly chagrined when he devoted himself to
Hattie Trude. l had other admirers, and
II was not as handsome as Hattie, mere
beauty is not everything There is no use
denying that Hattie was the prettiest
! girl of our set, and she was pretty with
out having to care for her complexion
or wear becoming clothes. We girls all
Knew she Was intolerably selfish and
wondered that the young men did noAfind
| her out. But beauty hides a great many
defects of character, and if a girl only
| pretends to be kind and sympathetic she
Is supposed to possess all the angelic
qualities
One day Robert Carpenter asked me TO
marry him He proposed in a laundering
roundabout way, so clumsily that [ did
not know a. first what he meant He
made me almost as confused a himself,
and whether l said yes or no I do not
now recollect, but he went away smiling.
so l conclude he thought himself an ac-
cepted lover, and 1 had a ring which I put
away in a box. undecided whether to
Wear it or give it back
l don't think I expected that Gus would
hear of this and come forward as Rob
efts rival. He did not at any rate
When I met him he simply said:
We'll, little girl, 50 you are engaged
to Carpenter He is a good fellow, but
you are young. You should have waited
a little longer"
AN engagement does not mean mar
riage,' l replied, somewhat sharply.
No, but l think it ought. 1t keeps
many young men straight to be engaged,
but they ought to feel confident that the
girls heart is fixed upon them"
Perhaps the girls heart has little to do
with the matter nowadays She has to
consider other things"
''Yes, 1 suppose so. But the heart is
| not to be ignored" q"
This was about all that was said-noth-
ing to suggest that Gus was jealous or
likely to enter the list for my hand Nor
| did expect it, though gossips reported
| the contrary.
Robert was impatient TO be married, but
1 was not. He accused me Of being cold
and of not reciprocating his passion Pos