The St. Johns herald., 1901-03-02
Couldn't Lose Him i;
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THE BOY came at 7:30 p. m. ant
 stayed. I did not want him. knew that the moment might come when his presence would be positively obnoxious. yet I could not get rid oi him. He was well-meaning Gin so far as he could be said to have meaning)r light-haired, long-legged.
 He sat on the sofa, and put himself into 32 distinct attitudes, not one oi which was graceful could not exact ly tell him to go, and anything short od that he disregarded.
 He wore a pink striped waistcoat and blue tie.
 He did not admire me; his idol was in short frocks and fuzzy hair. Other boys worship the seasoned belle, but his taste in enslavers was the only one peculiar thing about him. never cared for the very young attached to me; and the very young despairing for an other is even worse.
 He did not even talk Of Her. wished he had. would have sympathized to the best of my power. Presumably, was too antique in his estimation q was 2O tostake m interest in such things. He taLked of love, to make uI for his silence. on the nearer.sukSect, iistened.g9s ssg sarftd. ahtl took out the fancy work I ltept'for the Boy. and never finishefs .zt--s.. .s.
 He spoke with the superior air of one instructing the ignorant. l was, I am afraid, absent-minded, and he lan- guished after awhile.
 I offered him sweets, and insulted him into a ruby blush.
 After that he stared sadly at me, as if he had come for no other purpose than to feast his eyes for one last time on my atEored features.
 He was very like the immortal Toots.
 At last the conversation got upon its legs, and in a rickety fashion managed to lssep moving.
 The marriage question (not the i'm proper marriage question: seemed to interes. him greatly. He did not ask for my advice. but merely soliloquized at some length. He mentioned the de sirability of early marriages; the Inn possibility of asking girl to share ten shiilings a week; the expense of bring ing up young family; there was the education of the sons and the portion Of the daughters.
 "You would net educate them?" in- quired, smothering an incipient laugh.
 He thought he would let them choose between an education and an income. Besides, they might marry"
 ITO be sure," assented. And there might be grandchildren"
 A puzzled look crossed the Boys face; he had not thought of the grand children.
 70, that would be all right" he said. after a short silence.
 "A man is only responsible for his own family. Directly responsible, of course" Here I threaded needle. But there is no harm in looking at things from all sides"
 However. we had plunged far into futurity, even for the Boy; he took another bypath from the same thor oughfare.
 'I think it very wrong for people to throw obstacles in the way of mar riage," he remarked, solemnly.
 But, on the other side" then said I, ''it would never do to encourage the thing too much; if the couple quar- relsd they would lay the blame of the position on you"
 This was evidently a new idea; he pondered on it some time.
 TA4 Han came in, sat down. md waited.
 People might sometimes interfere uninsntionally," the Boy said, re- hectively.
 "I'hey might" agreed-I hope not grimly.
 The Man looked at the clock and fdgeted.
 ''Is that the right timer" he asked 1.-TWO minutes slow." said the Boy.
 Thanks" said the Man. "I have to catch the s:35 train" My needle would not thread. Then said: 50 soon!" and "When do you return?"
 "I done know" he answered. "It depends"
 Don't get fever at the Rock" said the Boy, paternally. 'I have known such lots of fellows go off like you and they never come back"
 ''I hope this will be an exception, :" I said. co, would no one take the Boy away and bury him?r ..
 "Thank you," said the Man.
 The Boy got up-was he goingP
 He merely looked at a photograph over the mantelpiece and sat down again.
 That is a nice-looking girl" he re- marked. "Some people think appear ance everything. Now, l notice care fully how a girl acts to everybody and learn her all round, then mak' up my mind"
 Docs it take long?" I inquired (with polite interest, I hope; how Ionged to stick my crewel needle intc him).
 dered).
 "To learn her all round?"
 "Not very long. Of course, it de pends-"
 The man who had been staring a the cei.ing began to hun:l savagel,