The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-13


z It's not an aaecdete. mind you: it's a
fact Yes, some ten years ago l loved
a girl named Tanyechka- 1 loved her
with al the fire of my heart. She was no
more than seventeen. a charming child.
beautiful enough TO break a thousand
hearts Her eyes spsrkled Ike the bright
/ stars in heaven. her whole being was
angelic.
Sarah-And you didn't marry herr
Axelrod-I eIJn't-because am man
+ with certain coavlctiors
K ssrnh-What Go you mean?
I Azeirod-You see. have certain con-
victions by which all my actions are guild
I ed, and I must say they are almost al
ways guided right Whenever I was near
4 Tanyechka, my heart melted like ice be-
I fore fire. ! was ready to 90 anything
+ 20 please her I would have stopped at
nothing But no sooner did leave her
house than a sense Of fear stole into my
heart ana wrought havoc there You see.
1 believe that a pretty eirl should marry
& handsome man Tanyechka was as
beautiful as a goddess. and I-I-fShrugs
ms shoulders-1 You can see that for your
self.
Purkin-weH. that settles it: He's
wound up for good. Wen never hear the
end OF ii.
Sarah-A great writer said somewhere
that IL a man is but a little better look
ing than an ape he's handsome enough.
Axelrod-Thank you. Miss Gumbiner:
thank you very much; you are very kind.
sarah-But why were you afrai1 to mar
~ her?
AxeIrod-what feared most was that
people seeing me and Tanyechka walk
arm in arm would pity her. And that
would be more than l could bear 1t
would have killed me
Purkin-Would the fool rather have peo-
pie pity him instead2
Axelrod-TeI. 10 cut the story short. I
decided that must rot propose TO her.
SO I mustered 10 courage, conquered my
story heart. and one beautiful morning
left Russia without bidding Tanyechka
good-by. Later learned that when Tan
yechka was eighteen she married very
wealthy merchant. and when she was
nineteen she elopel with an army officer.
Sarah-An army officer, What dis
grace:
Axelrod-WeH. viii you say that I was
not right in defying my heart ard listen
ing TO reason?
Sarah-Indeed you were,
Axelrod-Now for my second love affair
This was entirely of different nature
Sarah-Win you drink some tea. per
haps. Mr.. Axelrod? It's rather chilly
here.
Axelrod-An right; I'm always ready to
drink tea. But listen.
Purkin-The devil take them both. Has
she forgotten where I am? I'm suTocat-
ing here.
Sarah lights the case stove and puts up
the teapot
Axelrod-My second love affair took
place in New York. several years ago.
The girl and 1 We're engaged to be mar /
ried; everything was ready for the we'd
ding, the han hired: the wedding dress (
was ready. too. Sudenly-you know there /
are people who are always willing TO do /
mischief here ana there-weH. some enc
mics of mine went up 70 the brides par +
ents and teld them that / was eonsump- !
tive. that my days were numbered. just 4
think Of I'll consumptive, Ha. ha hal
Would that all conservatives were as +
strong as I am, Look at these hands.
DO they strike you as the hands Of
eonsumptive? Eh?
Sarah-Oh. no; not at all
AXelrod-I should think they don't. Why
once treated two Russian soldiers TO
such drubbing that they had to stay in
the lazaretta FOR two weeks. iSits down.
Now you know ny history As for my
honesty. I beg to refer you TO the Inter
rational Ribbon Manufacturing Com
pany- J have been their travelling repre-
sentative for over nine years.
OPurkin snaezes.)
Axelrod-What's that? Who sneezed?
Sarah (confused}-IZI don't know. 1t
must have been the eat.
Axelrod-Ah so: the cat And 1 was
frightened. Yes, what was saying? Oh,
yes. / have been their travelling repre-
sentative Tor over nine years. am draw
ing good salary, and l even have pros
pects Of becoming a partner in the near
future. Beside all this. I come ron an
aristocratic family; yon may ask my
country people about me.
SARAH believe you, Mr.. Axelrod; be-
Heve you.
Axelro3-You needn't take my word for
1t; I am in . position to furnish Grst-
class references. You see. ] am q bus
ness man. Ike to deal fairly and square
". a man honest man. ard nos. with a
clear conscience. ! ask you 10 be my
wife
Sarah (with emotion)-Nir. AxeIrod. it's
al so sudden. I haven't thought il over
yet. I-it's - sudden. Give ne q few
DAYS time to decide.
PurlIin Ohrusts out his head; clutches
hiE hair in despsir)-Wh hat is she doing?
she's running the whole anair. Just
think of-so sudden,
AxelIo1-What there 70 decide heree
sly life Is an oren book. I am no gam
bier, / cant play even "Slxty-sIx.' I
don't smoke. / doa't dsink. les. I almost
forgot to teu you'll hope YOU wouldn't
object TO it'll have a great passion fer
n usic. 50 / keep q ph0n1graph in my
com. / cont live without H. I must
hear something from Faust from -De-
nor." Or from '-Yevgeni Cnyectu.' every
lr;sht. otherwise / can all Ssleep
hope you don't % set. co yo27
s-rsF-Oh. no. not ~ ali. vn-. love
o. ers,s' s'st Is g slsSfer. Il csurse.
Is as good as
Axeirod-You see, Miss Gu-nb.rer. I am
IN honest man. my Urn, VIII testify 10 r.
an getting a sood salary uow. bat II
-ou don't Ike 20 Sc ne wo-k for othe-s
sc can so iato business for ourselves.
,s-sss ls-f1a nancy a nv own AID 10