The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-07-06
Copyright, 1903, by Daily Story Pub
fishing Company

Copyright, 1903, by Daily Story Pub
fishing Company.
1t was April. Outside the rain fell in
torrents; inside the Bach Tor Man and
the Bachelor Maid slipped tea. The
wood fire cracked, the bright little
kettles song was a CHEEKY one.
The tea warmed the Bachelor
through and through. He leaned back
oontentedly, looked at the Maid, and
| said:
IF you don't mind, I'd like to go on
drinking your tea all my days"
The Maid put down her cup. Poor
DEAR she said. Your birthday, too.
1.-The teas made new way, and you
are too old for Innovations"
Yes" said the Bachelor, seriously
I'm old. I've said bon voyage to my
youth. It's a serious thing to be old
| and feel constrained to matrimog
it's more serious to go down the hill
alone. Now, 1 want to settle. 1 like
you-I like your tea; so, if you don't
mind"
But l do mind" The Bachelor Maid
was very pretty when her tricksy dim
pies flashed and her white teeth
cleaned. Il like to have you drink my
tea. If we were-if things were diff
ferent-you'd drink some other wom-
ans tea. Why, the way to lose a man
friend is to-is that way. If you don't
| mind, you'll settle elsewhere and still
drink my tea"
April fingered when the Bachelor
| next called-March had crept into her
! arms and frozen her through. The
Maid leaned a iT1S ciII 4
high, indolent and graceful. a great
crimson shaded lamp shing down on
her beauty. The flames leaped behind
sparkling f1re-dogs; the room was
warm and still and fragrant with the
faint breath of violets.
/ I'm going to be married" the Bach
| elor announced.
Good" laughed the Maid. care you
/ very much"
| AT twenty l was-very much.
| wrote rhymes and lost sleep. But IL
comes away from a twenty year old
chap like his milk teeth. Now, at thirty
1t don't come away so easy"
| Neither do teeth" airily. SIS
She"
Very" said the Bachelor. 'Im-
| mensely so for her years. She kncAys
the Bachelor Maid of today is the
spinster of tomorrow; she knows
| that spinster is sort of an orphan
| a miserable old woman who looks out
| from some little corner in a relatives
house at happiness, having none OF
her own-so she's going down the hill
with me-"
Il shall call, being your very old
friend" The Maid couldn't have heer
anyones very old friend "T-when die
she say yes?"
/ The Bachelor hesitated. The Maid
was terribly wise for her twenty-seven
years.
Some girls are too eager" he par
ried. They have yeses all prettiiy
prepared and tucked away just out OF
] sight. One has a suspicion
yes" said the Maid, with scorn
zone has-quite suspicion"
1T isn't true" The Bachelor had de-
parted, and the Maid stood, one foot
on the fender her strong, young eyes
on the Goals. 1T isn't true, but it will
be-some day. Perhaps-no," sternly
as if to an invisible culprit; "youc
be a Gagged bird-you'd be the starting
that wanted to get QUITO get out
And" dimpling, he'll still drink your
! tea"
The first of May found the Bachelor
Maid in the country. She swayed il
a hammock and gazed at an orchard
| that was a white and perfumed mantle
| flung on the hillside's shoulder. Mar
riage was not for her. If she had beer
meant for marriage she wouldn't have