The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-04
AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE.

Having known you 1 should find 9TH
er women wanting"
Don't try TO evade me. You've beer
running about the world long enough
and it's time YOU thought of having q
home. How old are yOu?'
I am as young as you look" said L
Il am -, she said. smiling at me.
I am 50, and smiled too.
Ny Aunt Julia Is a lady to put a man
in good humor. She is young enough to
please by her prettiness, and she IS old
enough to be sensible. True, she has the
fault of al Boston women; she believes
that heaven viii be a doubtful advance
for anyone who was born in the shadow
OF the State house. But she likes me,
50 I overlook sucn idiosyncraciss.
You are the youngest Of your genera
ton, you know" she continues, and
you're quite along IN the world. Now, of
/ course, as long as I'm here you have
a home; but if anything should hap
/ pen"
"Oh, but it WON'T" I put in. you
/ know you're far younger than I, so
what's the good OF talking that way?"
I should feel much better to have
you settled; you VIII never know what
/ life means till you have a wife and a
/ cheerful home of your own.
hats one reason I've never married.
! You can be sure you'n get one. AS our
friend Shaw puts it, lou never can
! tell "
You're a cynic," said my aunt. WIN
I you have some more cofee2"
hank you-no." And then for little
while we both interested ourselves in
the breakfast
Don't you think you ought to?" In
sisted my aunt.
'What2" said L Have more coffee?'
Get married" said she. severely
4 gather from your overture that you
intend presently to ring UP the curtain
on a heroine"
How do you know?" she demanded.
4 We noticed that women usually begin
with generalities when they intend to
end with the specific"
''Wel, then, perhaps I do. She's re-
lated to the Gordons, and she's from the
The west?" and lifted my eye
brows. can any good come out of the
West?"
You did-and this young woman"
What part of the West?' l question
ed.
Aunt Julia spread out her hands "Oh,
Illinois or Iowa or Idaho-it's all the
same isn't it? And what was the place
you came from-Indiana?
4 wonder that you ever put up with
me" I suggested.
Your mother was Massachusetts, wo-
man"
And this-ah-this young lady for
whom I am destined-how did she over
come your prejudices?"
Wei, she's a Yankee, too, on her
fathers side"
"Ah!'
q know your like her, for she's pref
ty and clever, and she knows how to
wear her clothes. Altogether-
Altogether she must be a marvel, since
she pleases my fastioIous aunt"
'Besides-' and then Aunt Julia broke
off and began thoughtfully to butter a
bit Of roll.
Besides I echoed.
''WeI, she has money, or viii have
though, Of course, that's a minor consid-
GRAFTON one should look first for family
and brains"
Still, money enables one to use those
to advantage"
Aunt Julia agreed.
Ind without money brains and family
are only an aggravation. You become
miserable because you know enough to
want the things you can't get; and it
doesn't do you any good to know that
you're somebody if you have to go
around looking like nobody"
Don't be intricate. I'm going to in
troduce you to her. She's been stopping
at her cousins al spring. I've seen a
her for a niece. / want you to htink of
it seriously-fOr my sake"
For your sake I'd be almost willing
to-"
You're not bad looking, you've a little
money, and if you only work you may
make a name for yourself"
1 bowed. please go on. My great
trouble is that I've always had too poor
an opinion of myself; but if you talk
like that 1 shall believe I'm a man Of
ability"
You have far too good an opinion as
It is. You're too particular. You think
that no woman is good enough for you.
don't believe yau ever really cared |
enough for q woman TO even think Of
asking her to marry you"
I dnisehd my coffee Have II your own /
way" answered, fetching something Of |
a sigh.
wen meet her today"
'Whereg 1 exclaimed, leaning for
ward.
I'm going to take you TO Harriet No
huns coming-out party this afternoon. /
She'll be there"
ooh, but see herer' protested. 'this /
Is going it bit fast. I no sooner get /
my foot on my native soil than you in /
troduce me to q young woman. with in /
structions to fall in love with her. You /
haven't even told me her name"
Didn't u" said my aunt, sweetly. I
Its Mallard."
iberately to fold my napkin. Not Betty /
Mallard2"
Il should have hazarded Elizabeth"
I jsmmed my napkin through the ring /
Has she talking eyes, and skin colored !
ike rose petals? Does her hair fluff a 1
good deal, and is her smile like sun I
shine in April? Are her hands ike soft /
ana fine TO look att Is her nose straight. /
BUT a thought tip-tilted? And does ev-
arybody in the world do precisely as she
wants them to- because she can twist (
anybody round her finger ana they're /
glad to be twisted?'
BLESS the boyt" exclaimed Aunt Julia
7 suppose she might answer your de
3cripton. though it is a trihe too full OF
color to be called exact. Do you know
ler?r
ITS Betty"
Il infer that you do know her" and
Aunt Julia pushed back from the table.
yes"
weir she questioned, rising
rose. too. shes the woman you said /
-0u didn't believe had ever happened"
answered, soberiy.
You mean
''That I once asked her to marry me-
.But-but I don't understand. She
Couldn't have
she refused me-"
Aunt 5ula stinened. That was"
Then. that@
Yes that's why I went abrosd-and
.tsyed' / tried to laugh down AZ Aunt
ulia but n afraid che laugh wasn't q
uccess.
we were stauding side b. side st ths
able nov The hrtle lady put out her
.snd quickly and took one RI nine. You
,oor. dear boy. And 20 think you never
cid me whe1 7 ~ Eht have helped
Sometimes ono 3oesnt care 10 tel
hines. ] answered. and I Kissed Auat
uiia's nnrers Next 10 Betty i thlnk
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