The evening Republican., 1902-05-16
ESI0RlR0R IAN
I IDLE MOMENT. p.
"Aren't YOU going to snoke9"

| "No, not just at present, thanks
l want to have q bit II a talk will
YOU" .
GAN right"
She did not look up, however, bu
put in another stitch.
Hang it all! III have a pipe afte
all, if may" he said. ST does
help a felloxboo put things clearly
~ have had 40 personal experience
Of a pipe, but do sn1eke; shouit
like il better"
"Thanks. I'm sure don't kaow
what you girls do without a pipe
cigarette Ia such poor Substitute. .
| He filled his pipe and, put it ii
his mouth, fumbling for matches as
he did SO.
'Io.f know YOU are a decent sort, ,
he continued, after puff or two.
"Now l want some advice. 70 &c
straight to the point, am thin king
OF getting married, You know how
the mater isalways at NE. She SAYS
] ought to have u wife, and, well she
wants to'see me settled, aud all that
sort OF thing. Why she should be SO
anxious, | don't know. Some fellows
mothers are all the other way It's the
cusss dneSs of things, suppose, lie
Smoked for a few seconds and tlien
conlinled: Anyhow, I've decided
to take the plunge. Now, who do
you think il is? Not that I've aaked
her, but, we'll, | think it's all right.
Three guesseS l. III give YOU"
Miss Pembrdge's niece.'
Good for you But how did YOU
guess"
Il Gidn't gues. | knew"
"keew?"
Yes, BY induction. Isn't that
the word! Put two aud two to.
gether and so made four.
"But you had nothlng to 90 up-
on' Where did you iad your. fig-
lures 10 the first inatancc? never
PAID her any particular attention
that ! know OF, and | have ne ycr
limited Of such thing to you. In
TACT. never thou hit ol 1t until
qu!e lately myself.
"Pcrhaps not. But others N ay
have thought SO, poss bly0 your
mother ami the girl herself. "
well, what do you thlnk?'
SIZE had no pipe at which to puf
thoughtfully before she answered
but she had her needlework, She
considered it and then looked up.
"She will make a suitable wife
for SONS one; it is her meter. She
was born TO be 4 wife.
For some one, but not for me,
That's it, is it: Come, now, why not
for me: Out with it, old girl.
Perhaps l would not be a suitable
husband.
AS you put it that way, no, | don't
think you would-for her,
Ah, ha! am not quite hopeless,
however; it is simply a case Of incom-
patihil'ty. This is Interesting. Why,
do you object to one or both Of us?
| don't object to either of YOU; at
least, not separately. As man and
wife it would be different; but then
yon are not man and wife.
But why should not make her a
suitable husband? You're bound to
explain, now you have gone SO far.
In the first place you don t care for
her, that's quite clear.
llke ilcr about AZ well as any Of
these girls my mother wants me 10
marry. In fact, like her bcJterthan
most of them.
Yes, yes; but that is no rsas on
why YOU should marry her.
And then she, You said
| believe | did say shs might have
thought Of you in the light, well, Of
a possible husband, and I think TO
my words; but it is only because you
are The likclcst maa among her
fricnds at present. She does not are
for you; that is, not in the right way
She has not an interest 10 com mon
with you, and never will have. What
you want In wife is a good comraoe
one who will not be content unless
SHE can share, the rough with you
just as much as the smooth.
don't say Miss Pembridye's
niece would not be good wife 10
many ways. She would see that
you got your me ais punctuaIly, and
would bring up your children pro.
perly, try not 10 look bored when
you 'enthused' over some new
sche me, and would expect you 10
do the same when she told you her
domestic troubles; but as for sym.
pathy.' and she shrugged her
shoulders and spread out ber
hands with an expressive gesture.
"My mother strongly recommends
her. Cut out Tor me, she SAYS"
Quite so. Please don't let my
words have any weight"
There was a silence for time,
"Thanks, old girl, he said, get,
ting up. "I'II think over what YOU
have said, and do nothing rash. /
did mean to settle it before | went
OFT for my month; but now IN give
my feelings trial, and the Girl I
miss most. when l IN off BY myself
well, when l coule back IN do as my
mother wishes, and ask her to be my
wife. Goodbye; III write and tell
you how / get on while I'm away"
"Wasn't IT a comrade you said I
wanted for a wife? You are the first;
will you be the secosd as well? wire
me Yea CT NO What an utter
idiot I've been.''
The girl read 1t over and over
many times with heightened color;
then she wired her answer, Yes