Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-04-04

went to the Covent Garden ball, and
the Journalist, while dancing with
Joan, became so enthusiastic that his
glasses .fell off and were trodden on.
so that he had to be led about for the
remainder of the evening. But still. In
spite of many favorable opportunities,
neither of the men ventured to make
open love to either of the girls, for
the very simple reason that when
they were with one they thought they
preferred the other. On one occasion,
the Sporting Journalist. in the alb.
sence of the Actor, made a desperate
attempt to WOO both Of them at once.
The emotional strain was so exhaust.
ing, however that he found 1t abso.
lutely impossible to keep 1t up for
more than ten minutes. At the end of
that time, he began to glbber, and the
ladies', growing somewhat alarmed,
took a hurried departure.
One night the Actor came home in
state as nearly approaching insanity
as was compatible with keeping up his
smart. self.satisfed appearance. He
had, as usual, seen the girls home, and
would certainly have proposed to one
of them If the other had not been
there. He found the Journalist sitting
on the sofa, holding the marble clock
to his throbbing forehead.
Look here" said the Actor eve
can't go on like this"
Don't speak to me-" groaned the
Journalist.
Heaven knows don't want to-" re
piled his friend.
"Then why do your" said the Jour.
nalist, hastily putting down the clock
as II began to strike twelve.
Because we must settle this bust.
ness one way or the other. Heavens,
man, surely you know which of the
two girls you prefer"
II think prefer Marjorie"
81 think I do, too"
"Then I'd better have Joan"
mo; shouldn't care to see Joan
married to you"
"And want to save her from mar.
rying you" said the Journalist.
why, you don't mean to say that
you consider yourself a better.looliing
man than | ann"
Perhaps not, but I've more brains.
Actors don't have brains. you see. At
the same time, please understand old
man, that all I'm thinking about is
Marjorie's happiness"
Then you want Marjorie?"
"Or Joan's happiness. don't know
, which | want. wish to Heaven
did"
you once told me-" said the Actor
that you loved all women too much
to marry any one of them"
Yes; but now I've narrowed II
down to two" moaned the Journalist
You're still safe"
Eyes, at present; but II you marry
one of them"
81 mean to marry one of them" said
| the Actor.
(which one?'
"Oh, how do know, you fool?"
you needn't get irritable"
Irritable? shouldn't wonder II
went mad" said tho Actor.
Neither should l." agreed the Jour
nalist.
That same night the Actor had {
brilliant idea. He aroused the othe
Sentimentalist from an uneasy slurl
Der and suggested to him that the!
should write Joint proposal and leave
1t to the girls to decide between them
Good" said the Journalist. ant
they got to work at once. The lettel
stated, simply, that they were both II
love with each of the ladies', and beg
ged to offer themselves in marriage t
either Then they posted the note ant
went to bed again.
The next morning was spent in e.;
state of feverish unrest The Acto
cut himself badly while shaving anC
the Journalist tried for quite five min
utes to force his right foot into hi
left boot. Just after lunch. a note IL
Marjorie's handwriting, came by spc
cial messenger. It was as follows:
Dear Friends: Joan and mysel
have just received your fiattering OF
fers of marriage. We both feel deepl,
grieved that we should have to re
turn your many klndnesses with a re
fusal, but neither of us had the leas
idea that either of you had any sucl
Idea. Please forgive this muddled wa!
of putting II, but the whole affair hai
been a muddle. AS n matter of fact
we are both married already. Gu
husbands are away on tour, one IL
South Africa and the other in Austria
la. We did not mention the fact n
the theatre because we thought |
might be against our getting engage
ments. For the same reason, we di,
not wear our wedding rings. Pleas
forgive us, but really we had had n,
idea. Yours always in friendship,
MARJORIE,
JOAN"
.