The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-08-23
The Solution of the Problem,

/ Lady Emily mentioned il to me one
evening in the garden. We were alone
( together; the air was warm and sul;
a holy calm possessed me. Lady Emily
is my sister. I had dined wisely and
well and sat dreamily watching the
smoke curl from my cigar, feeling at
peace with all the world.
Then Emily hurled her thunderbolt
Tommy" she said. Il think IL is
time you got married
I could only gasp feebiy.
'tOr at least engaged she added.
Zone thing leads TO another. Facilis
descensus averni," I murnured. collect
ing my scattered senses.
1T would be so much nicer for me-"
said Emily.
Il have been a kind and indulgent
brother" I pleaded. trying to soften
her.
"oh, you are all right, Tommy. but
when we go on the river, and lave a
a"
Companion" suggested.
"A companion, it would be nicer for
you and for me, If you had IA COM
panion, too"
reflected for a moment Then I said,
sternly:
You mean that you could firt more
easily If I were at the other end of the
boat. with my attentions exclusively en-
gagged"
Exactly" said Emily. with unblush-
! ing candor, and then added, Il shall
ask Fanny Gilmore to stay with US for a
fortnight
| The net was closing round me. My
sister Emily is a specialist in affections
of the heart She delights in throwing
people together
! 1t always appears to me a violent pro-
| cess, and sometimes, I know, they get
hurt. Occasionally she also does a lit
tie business on her own account
But 1 hardly know Miss Elmore," I
pleaded.
She would suit you down to the
ground"
"Or drive me under it." murmured
sadly.
Your married life would be one long.
unbroken spell of perfect happiness"
said Emily, ecstatically.
1 remained cold. She tried again.
81 believe she likes you already,
Tommy"
She is apparently sensible" I said
I'VE have only met twice, though"
I'm very sorry for Fanny" remark
ed Emily. thoughtfully.
$50 am IT, 1 exclaimed with fervor.
''She was in love with a very ice fel-
low, but he had no money"
wife, but not so easy to find means to
keep her." I remarked sententiously.
You would not have to bother about
that. You have got plenty of money,
and though you're plain, there's a nice
way with you"
'All testimonials guarantee genuine.
The originals may be seen at
''She would be very silly If she would
not have you,' said Emily.
Z
'It-is-is nicer" Emily said. thought
fully.
And presently she added:
Poor old Charliev'
l wonder what she meant by that.
We sat for time in silence Then
Emily rose and began to rub my hair
the wrong way.
ST shall be very sorry to lose you,
Tommy" she said.
"Then, I will never leave you-never,"
exclaimed.
But I've set my heart on this, so I
think it viii come OFF"
do you always get everything on
which you set your hearth" inquired.
Usually"
There was once young officer, I
remember. on whom you set
Her hand left my hair, and came vio-
lently in contact with my ear.
You're a horrid wretch" she said
'Tll go in and write to Fanny this very
minute" And she left me to my
thoughts.
L considered the matter until my cigar
was finished, and then threw away the
stump and the idea together.
But Emily wrote to Fanny Elmore.
In due course she arrived, and 1 soon
discovered that she was remarkably
pretty. In a very short time, too I
found the process of being thrown to-
gether" rather pleasant than otherwise
In fact, there was no need for throw
ing on my side; I went quietly. 7 found
myself quite happy when I was with
Fanny, and very unsettled, not to say
miserable, when I was not. 1 mention
ed this to Emily. She Immediately de-
cded on the fashion of her attire as
bridesmaid. Still 7 could not quite make
up my mind TO settle down as a mar
ried man. There are some of us to
whom the idea Of settling down is as
repugnant as that of settling up is to
others. I did not mind the snaffle. but
was frightened Of the curb.
One afternoon. when Fanny's visit was
nearly at an end, I weighed the mat
ter carefully over a cigar in thu garden.
I thought Of the many pleasures I should
have to relinquish; OF my old chums de-
Of the eyes that would look reproach-
fully a. me over the breakfast table. and
the lips that would ask me why I had
been so late the night before. But then
these eyes and lips would belong to Fan
ny and the argument lost its point.
was sitting, deep In thought. when En-
fly passed as she went down TO the river.
Thinking it over, Tommy" she IN
quired.
1.-The worry is ageing me-" I replied
And Emily smiled, and went on her
way
When at last I took up book 70 di-
vert my mind I thought 7 was still IN
decided
But of course I was not really.
That evening Fanny and l sat together
on the bank Of the river. a brilliant
moon IL up the mater. but an overhsng-
ing tree cast a deep shadow over US
q had stated that it was very unwse
70 sit in the moonlighO.
Fer a long time we were both silent:
there was no sound except the faint
rustling Of the PUSHES IN the breeze.
suddenly Fanny rose. saying she was
cold and would Ike 70 ga back to the
house. Ny hand had. almost involunta-
rily, closed over hers.
We stood facing each other in the
shadow of the Ereae tree. Then ! asked
her "a be my wife.
remember that Lady Emily was very
annoyed with her.
Much ~ arrfed Centenarisn Turk
In the village OF Bodra Turk named
Ismail, aged 20 years. Is IN such goof
health that he frequently walks 70 Bar