The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-09-12
HER IDEAL MAN.

1
Il understand perfectly, Miss Ash
ton. As l am old enough TO be you,
father, you thought that my point OF
view, though moss grown, might b.
interesting. This is an age in which
dignified imE2rtance is allowed
even to the modern antique. As q
modern antique, let me place myself
entirely at your disposal"
"Of course, il you are going to be
horrid-"
Pray don't run away, Miss Ashton
this is 10 be perfectly cakm deliber.
alton between youth and age. Moth.
ing rufffes the surface of debate SC
rapidly as the least hint of impa-
| tience. II you would allow me to
| smoke-thanks, very much. / am now
| all attention."
"Oh. II you are going TO be formal
and polite. Mr.. Spencer, 1t makes ev-
erything so stupid"
LET me apologize a. once for nv
politeness and my stupidity. Now,
suppose l begin this discussion instead
of you"
"iow can You, when you don't even
know?'
I'VE are sitting quite in the shade,
Miss Ashton; except as a defensive
weapon that paraso'-"
"1f you are going to be tiresome, I
shall go in"
"Well, I might just start the sub
ject perhaps, and If you found me
wandering from the point you might
gently"
Cannot you see that I am really
serious, Mr.. Spencer?"
II am sure you are, 80 I will begin
at once. You appeal to my ripe ex-
periencs. am 43. The vicar will con-
firm this, ne christened me. You, 1
think. are Is. I beg your pardon, 10
last June. You are staying here un-
der the care of yonr aunt Your aunt
is highly to be esteemed. You and
both agree that the opinion of the
estimable person is valueless on an
practical questions. You, therefore,
come to me. A younger man would
feel fattered, while I merely gather
that. in your opinisn, am not estima-
ble."
THANK you, yes that is very
comfortable way of putting It,"
"Your encouragement, Miss Ash
ton, is gratifying. Let me see, where
was /? All, yes. being 10, feminine
and perplexed, you wart advice. This
seems to narrow the topics to two
only, say either frock or a love
affair. Nowadays the man milliner is
doubtless a parsonage, but"
''Oh, it isn't a frocls. Mr.. Spencer"
II feel SO immensely relieved,
thought It would have been undenia-
bly, fattering II It had been q frock;
however. Wa win take Il for granted
then, that II Is q love affair. Now
I think, Miss Ashton, that it Is your
turn"
"Oh, well. you see. you can perhaps
hardly-at least, mean"
mo, see have Hst brought you
TO the point OF fuency yet. 80 I will
continue. For the purpose of this
discussion, let us roughly divide love
affairs into two groups-the first in
which both parties are equally con-
vineed. What they are convinced Of
would be q little tedious 20 specify.
Let me, however, refer you to any
third volume of any novel Of the
carly Victorian period. The more re-
cent works are not always orthodox.
The second group comprises those
complications in which only enc sf the
two parties"
Have you ever met Pred Norman,
Mr.. spencer?"
80 It Is Fred Norman, h IL? Dear
me- Met him? Yes, of course have.
His place is only five mikes on"
Yes, I know, he was ct the Ander-
sons garden party-oh, and lots Of
other places"
HE is comely youth, and 4 10 q
pretty property"
'How stupid men arc. You all think
that because a man = young and
good looking"
"About 5000 acres Of the best mead
ON land, believe"
II wish you would not interrupt
me, Mr.. Spencer; you all think that
the whole sex must worship him."
! "Pardon me, I never mentioned
worship, or even limited of love. To
arrive at a sound conclusion from a
such as this, It is necessary
to duly marshal the facts. Kindly
let me resume, Mss Ashton. The
basis of our discussion is now youth,
good looks and the 5000 soreA prin-
cipally meadow land"
"Mr. Spencer. I hate you. won
der whether you were ever In love
yourself"
"Miss Ashton, let me reassure you.
I am man with a past. At four
years of age, made matrimonial over
lures to my nurse; the good woman
still hyes, and my life is shadowed by
this youthful indiscretion. But come,
we are wandering from our moutons
and the pasture land. Our problem
now is one-sided love affair, in
which Fred Norman Is heart broken,
while Won are scathless Had it been