River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-06-19
THREE WOMEN
AND A MAN g g
BY C. II. PAGE.

"a HAVE something on my mind
which is perplexing, rather than
unpleasant, but which does preoccupy
me good deal"
IF you were woman" remarked
Mrs. Eden, 81 should say you had just
received a proposal, and didn't know
how to answer it,"
"But being a mere man, I'm in the
far more difficult position of having
a proposal to make"
Mrs. Eden looked at him with her
small and lustrous head on one side.
''Yet of not being able to make up
your mind to whom"
His hostess rose.
"The sun is in your eyes, isn't it?
No, don't stir; / never allow any one
to arrange my blinds by myself; other
people only disarrange them"
She stood with her back to Holt
while she lowered an inch or two the
sillen and lace founced blind.
She returned to the sofa.
'Do you mean to tell me that you
have vague desire to propose to wom-
an in general, or to some indefinite
yet-to-be-met-with she?"
81 ought to have said, 'to which, For
there are two girls"
"Ah, two girls, repeated Mrs. Eden.
"Who are both so charming that I
come to you, as usual, to help me out
of my difficulty"
'Then [ know these highly fortunate
young women, one of whom you intend
thus to distinguish"
go, it's easy to laugh! But you've
so often advised me to get married that
it's only kind to help me to put your
advice into practice. think you know
Margaret Whelan?"
ultimately. Did / not see her for a
whole day in the country last summer?
And approve your taste. She is good
to look att
Holt appeared pleased.
'Yes, is she not handsome? Such
fine figure, and so tall"
chats her one fault. She's almost
too tall. She's taller than you''
Dear lady. You're quite mistaken.
She is three inches at least shorter
than / am. She is certainly not more
than five feet eight"
What are inches?" cried his host
ess. "A woman is us tall as she looks,
and Miss Whelan looks taller than you"
There was silence.
"Then: 81 suppose it's her long
frocks," observed Mrs. Eden in a concil-
iatory voice, but Holt had abandoned
the argument.
f'Do you like her as well as you adj
mire her?" he wanted to know.
Il adore her. Women never do less
than adore each other on so short an
acquaintanceship But 1 should have
got on with her better had 1 not been
so dreadfully afraid of her.
'Why on earth should you be afraid
of her?"
go, she's so clever, so well in
formed"
"She is well informed"
"While I, you know, am such a per-
feet little ignoramus"
81 know nothing of the sort. In
your own way you are immensely clev-
er, too"
But what commonplace way this
is! L can keep house, certainly, and
out of debt. and could make my own
clothes, and cook nay own dinner, if
1t were necessary; but, then, any wom-
an can sew and cook"
Il wish to heaven any woman could!
wish my landlady could!"
''But l can't read Greek, as Miss
Whelan does. She carries a pocket
'Aristophanes' with her up the river
and we could see her now and again
enjoying silent laughter as she read.
It's being uncommonly clever to enioy
Greek jokes, isn't it? But then. of
course, you and she could enjoy them
together"
80, as to my Greek" said Holt, and
with shake of his head he flung his
last memories of it afar. Margaret,
you see, studied at Vassar."
Gould l fail to see it? Vassar is
written all over her in indelible ink.
1t eXudes from her manner, which is