The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-23

portaacc is allowed even TO the modern
antique. AS a modern antique, let me
place myself entirely at your disposal -
"Of course, if you are going to be hor-
rid
pray don't run away. Miss Ashton;
this i TO be a. perfectly calm deliberation
between youth and age. Nothing ruffies
the surface OF debate so rapidly as the
least hint of impaticnce. If you would
allow me to smoke-thanks, very much.
I am now all attention.
ooh if you are going to be formal and
polite, MT Spencer, it makes everything
SO stupid
Let me apologize at once for my po-
likeness and my stupi lily. Now, suppose
I begin this discussion instead of you"
How can you, Wnen you don't even
know -
eve are sitting quite in the shade, Miss
Ashton; except as defensive weapon,
that p2rdsol'-
"lf you are COINS to be tiresome,
shall go in"
"Wel. l might just start the subject
PERHAPS, and if you found me wander
Ing rom the point you might gently
Cannot you see that 1 am really seri-
Gus. Mr.. Spencer?"
al am sure you are, so I will begin at
once. You appeal to my ripe experience.
am fOrty-three. The vicar viii confirm
this, he christened me. YOU [ think are
eighteen. l beg your pardon, nineteen
last June You are staying here under
tine care OF your aunt. Your aunt Is
highly to be esteemed You and I both
agree that the opinion Of the estimable
person is vaIueless on all practical ques-
tiOns. You therefore come to me. A
younger man would feel flattered, while
] merely gather that in your opinion I
am not estmable."
THANK you, yes; that is a very COM
Portable way Of putting It,"
''NUur encouragement, Miss Ashton, Is
gratifying. Let me see, where was II
Ahp yes, being nineteen, feminine and
perplcxed, you want advice. This seems
to narrow the topics to two only, say
either a frock or a love affair. Nowadays
the man milllner is doubtless a person
age, but
"Oh, it isn't frock, Mr.. Spencer"
az feel so immensely relieved, though
1t would have been undeniably fattering
If it mad been frock; however, we Will
take it for granted, then that it is love
affair. Now I think, Miss Ashton, that
1t is your turn"
"Oh, well. you see. you can perhaps
hardly-at least l meant
mo, I see L have not brought you to
the point Of huencY yet, so I will con-
tinue. For the purpose of this discus
sion, let us roughly divide love affairs
into two groups-the first in which both
parties are equally convinced. What
they are convinced of would be a little
tedious to specify Let me, however, re-
FER you to any third volume Of any novel
Of the early Victorian period. The more
recent works are not always orthodox.
the second group comprises those COM
plications in which only one Of the two
parties 49,
'Have you ever met Fred Norman, Mr.
Spencer?'
$50 it is Fred Norman, is it? Dear me.
Met him? Yes, of course I have. His
place is only five miles eff"
eyes, l know; he was at the Andersons'
garden party-oh, and lots of other
places"
He is comedy youth. and it is a
pretty property"
"How stupid men are. You all think
that because a man is young and good
loClIing"--
about three thousand acres of the
best meadow land, I believe"
- wish you would not interrupt me,
Mr.. Spencer you all think that the
whole sex must worship him"
Pardon me, I never mentioned wor-
ship, even limited at love. To arrive
at q sound conclusion from q discussion
marshal the facts. Kindly let me re-
sumo. Miss ASHTON. The basis of our
discussion is now youth. good looks and
three thousand acres, principally
meadow land
MI Spencer, hate you. I wonder
whether you were ever in love yourself
Miss Ashton, let me reassure you. !
am o man with a past. At four years OF
age l made matrimonial overtures to my
nurse: the good woman still lives, and
my life is Swallowed by this youthful in
discretion. But come, we are wandering
from our moutons and tine pasture land
Our problem now is a one-sided love af-
fair, in which Fred Norman is heart
broken, while you are scathless Had it
been otherwise, 1 should never have been
consulted, I am sure
Mr. Spencer, how clever of you to-
Let us confine ourselves to facts,
please, Miss Ashton, and do remember
that the property is three thousand acres
IN a ring fence"
ooh, bother the acres! Well, Mr.. Nor
man wants me to let him know by what
train 1 am going back to town on Wed
nesday. Now do you think he would be
mean if L did, should be You see.
no girl in these days likes to be thought
Rbsurdly prudish. does she?"
Let me put it to you In this way,
Miss Ashton. We will agree that you
don particularly care for Fred Norman.
Somewhere, lurking in a quiet corner,
you, no doubt, have a girliSh ideal. Let
me suggest, perhaps, a hero with raven
locks and sweeping mustache, who
bites his neither dip, and PAGES the apart
ment with long, irregular strides"
Please do be serious, MIR. Spencer"
Well now, will really be quite ser1-