The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-21
EISie'S Arbitrator.
IBy Henry MartIey.l


Arguing from analogy" 1 answered
Il should think it extremely likely
You can probably guess what he is
going to say she went on.
Il ought to be able to by this time
1 answered. HE will first trust he finds
US WELL and then he viii add that for
this season of the year, the weather.
Your fiippancy on this subject my
mother remarked severely, lis particu-
larly out of place."
Mr.. Woodward is certainly serious
subject" I agreed
He has been speaking to me- she
pursued, about marrying
Mother 1 exclaimed, you're not go
ing to accept him! He's too old for
you"
ELSIE. I shall be much annoyed in. a
minute she returned. you must, OF
course, be aware that for some time
past Mr. Woodward has been paying
you marked attention. and yesterday he
asked my permission to propose TO
you"
Il presume" I answered. you told
him that 1 would always be a grand
daughter to him, but that
Il need hardly say that 1 gave him
my fullest approval she exclaimed
Mr.. Woodward is a man in million"
with a million?" 1 answered. 4
should scarcely have thought as much
as that
of course, this is an opportunity"
she said
"A golden opportunity" / INTERCEPTED.
''Will you be good enough to allow
me to make a remark without interrupt
tions?" she asked Indignantly Possibly
j may be Old-fashioned, but the fact
that Mr. Woodward possesses sufficient
means to enable you to take your pro-
per place in society is scarcely an OBJ
lection to him Apart from cOnSirea-
tions of that kind he is most amia
BILE and accomplished gentleman"
Can a girl be expected to marry so
embarrassing creature as an amlable
and accomplished gentleman L sighed.
please do not try to be so clever,
Elsie, my mother said.
4 mean what 1 say" I answered IF
Mr.. Woodward would only once swear
swear vigorously-Fd like him ever 50
much better
Il know, Elsie,'' my mother added af-
ter a pause, that you have a bad hab-
it of talking nonsense, but that you are
not so foolish as you pretend to be- L
trust you will be wise on this occasion
have expressed my opinion, and 1 can
only leave you to do what you think
best. Remember, l don't want to put
any pressure on you, or expect you 10
sacrifice yourself in any way. That |
should never ask you to do, but l can
not be blind to the advantages which
such a marriage would bring not only
to yourself but to the boys"
With this final and most effective
await Mr. Woodward's coming In spite
of my apparent ht-heartedness 1 was
ill at ease. Mr.. Woodward was, as a
matter of fact not yet middle-aged,
excellent match Life with him would
be a comforta BILE existence, and 1 liked
him we'll. Also, our finances had not
been hourishing since my fathers
death, and Mr.. Woodward was the kind
of man who could procure good berths
for my three brothers. Reason certain
ly urged me to accept Mr. Woodward,
but there was an objection.
1 was more than half enga ged to Jack
Etheridge, and 1 should have liked TO
be wholly engaged He was certainly
not an excellent match. though he as
serted that we should have plenty to
live on. MIR. Woodward had enough for
my family. if not to live on. certainly
to live by and a girl whose means have
been limited naturally shrinks from
marrying on a small income.
When Mr.. Woodward arrived 1 was
still in doubt, and 1 was in the same
state when he left He proposed to me,
as might have been expected, in a nice
grave way but am not sure that any
girl would appreciate nice, grave pro
posal- Certainly [ did not A vision
rose before me of endless vistas of iF
reproachable dinners, surmounted by
his irreDroachable face and garnished
with his irreproacha Bile small talk.
l told him that his proposal had taken
me by surprise, which, fear, was more
diplomatic than true. and asked for
time to consider the matter If he had
only reused himself to plead with any
spirit for an immediate answer l might
have accepted him, but he deferentially
admitted the justice of my request
such important matter
A decent interval having elapsed af-
ter his departure, my mother arrived to
learn the result When l told her that
1 had asked for time she kissed me and
called me a dear, good girl knowing
that, as rule, the girl who hesltates is
won.
1 was not. however, as exemplary as
she supposed, and / was still debating
whether / should behave badly to Jack
nd
servant brought in letter. 1 saw from
the writing that the letter was from
Bessie. Among the many philanthropic
institutions of the present day is Il
scheme by which 1ady~should cores
pond weekly with girl in humble cir
cumstances, the lady sending good adj
vice and acting as guide and CONSIDER.
comforter and friend.
AT the time 1 heard of the society I
was convinced that / was doing little
good in life. and 1 at once recognized
the advantages of the plan.
My correspondent, Bessie, was de-
lightful. She swallowed good advice
with avidity and did not understand
spelling-both of which facts were a
relief to me. Her merits sometimes
filled with self-reproach. When
suspiciously remons trated with her be-
cause her letters smelled of tobacco I
found the cause to be that her Door OLD
father sat with her in the evening, and
she could not find it ia her heart to for
bid him his pipe. Her remarks on men
ana nlngS-partlcularly men-made me
occasionally feel the pupil and not the
teacher They reminded me of my
mothers philosophy after I had enjoyed
myself at a dance
This aggression may appear irrelevant,
but, matter of fact, the arrival of
the letter largely influenced my life
l was struck by the splendor of a, sud-
den thought L felt inadequate to the
task of appearing as advocate, judge,
and jury in deciding the claims of Jack
and Mr.. Woodward, and thought
that by consulting Bessie, might OBJ
tain an unbiased opinion
Here was a girl with a good heart
and love for her parents-a girl I'M
warped by the conventions of society
and the pettinesses of idle life. If there
was any elemental right and wrong in