Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-07-08
Copyright, 1908, By Joseph Nertn Doyle
. NR. PERCIvAL s. GARDEN
V was very superauous man,
or at least he felt he was, al

send regret at the peril OF serious
brooch In their friendship addtne:
'Bnt RnRw you'll not b y ylpek =
u depf4ye &tA ohveE "a AyGA AZ epd5
lent attraction. Think Of on TIC Yhie
per1ng over fans: That Is the WONDER
full Mr. Garden Such charming, dar.
ing fellowl Abhors dancing; does not
believe In love as it is; considers society
q sublunary purgatory.' Come; you'll
not deprive Florence of such a Jolly
subject for discussionT
Notwithstanding oil this, Garden
went to the reception and occasioqed
little comment, or surprise even, except
among his most intimate friends, who
alone were aware Of his peculiarities, SO
nicely did he disguise them. He was
one of the busiest men in New York.
That fact was patent.
Now he touched the nose Of Cupid or
Psyche Che was not precisely certain
which, with bis glasses, and said he:
'aThere are times when even the fine
| passivity Of a marble group is not the
least desirable state. Had the lamp
of Aladdin should desire instantly to
be transformed into statue or
Some one plucked his sleeve 1t was
hts hostess
you remind me very much" said
Mrs. Oliver, "of statue once saw
Of Achilles, think it was Why this
heroic abstractedness?"
Garden had not yet shaken off his
embarrassment when she put On end
to 1t prettily, sparing him the addition
al confusion Of an explanation.
"Come; let us descend to things more
substantial than dead heroes, n not
less poetical. ] have a pleasant sur
| prise in store for you Let me take
you to an old friend just returned from
overseas"
1 Then, when they were alone, said
Garden to Alice Coates:
II can assure you l am heartily glad
to see you again. Miss Coates"
you may call me Alice, as you did
before went abroad said the petite,
charming girl with whom Mrs. Oliver
had left him, and then mischievousiy
though you may not chuck me under
the chin as you did then, because ) am
quite q young lady now, you see"
Dear me, yes. quite young lady.
J Do you remember our chats when we
! used to poke fun ut the courtly old
danes at your mothers affairsf Ihave
l mover found congenial company since
Z you went abroad and have quite gone
J out of society entirely; become kind
Of commercial anchorita"
l led %1ay,
you never really cared for society. did
\ your
\ mo, indeed, nor did you. Are YOU
ideas unchanged. AliceY'
well, in way. still think, as yor
used to say, the world would be better
off If there were not this terrible trt
fling with precious time. Yet, and
know you will pardon me, am sur
prised to find you single. Is 1t possible
there has been no one charming enough
to break through the-yes, shall say
ft-pessimistic ice of your natureT
mo one indeed. But though vii
not be 80 vain us to say 1t is entirely
{ yet will be bold enough to say to m!
Old confldant 1t has been largely, du
to the fact that have not had the tim
} to devote to loyemaking And yol
know 1t takes great deal Of gaddinl
( about before man may even evidence
, his affection slightly. Don't you thinl
yourself that the conventional wooing 4
q very lamentable sacrifice Of timer
y .If the woman in me concludes, no
but If persevere along strictly com
mon sense lines. perhaps yes"
SLOW charming you arel Jove, yo'
have not changed jot, Alice, sine
your hair has been turned up and yol
2 have donned the harness Of social slav
cry! But. to continue our subject
j honestly think this business Of love an,
marriage might be expedited, for IN
stance, In the commercial way A maj
4 comes into my Office with a proposition
i that Is almost as important to me us
= marriage. for 1t affects my lifes affair
n very radically. l might even say 1t l
y quite as important as marriage, for
u Is sometimes irrevocable. while wit
marriage there is always the divorc
- court should like to give year
Y serious thought to his proposition, bu
II itcannot reasonably be done. He want
I'LL 6u6Wer l1ll S0LIe uuy-iluuAeAllll$
y ~, II possible True, take, say, hal
y an hour or an hour to turn the matte
~ over tn my mind and view It IN ever
) light As a rule IN that length oS tim
e am come at o satisfactory conclusinf
Nov, II could but ind women
n whom might say: Here let us exp
. dite mattersi let US get this prelimindf
= business of lovemaking over with t1,
a mediately and come to the point viii
" out further ado -
B How uniquew interrupted Mis-
q Coates, beaming.
. "Of course it should be some one wit
" whom one is rather well acquainted
. as for instance, you and 70
sMp. Gardeni"
= 'sthere, theres you see. heresy WI
4 crop out even In an old adherent II
j me continue. take out my watch thi
way and say: 1t Is just 10 o'clock nos
3 Alica love you very dearly. VI
4 vpu merry mo tonight, night awgy
] How ciiurmfngiy ridiculousf,
I That's right. So 1t is. perhaps adie
= ulous and shall have 70 turn IN aga1l
on my poor old lonely soul. No idne III
j derstandsi.
1 ~'But. my dear friend. am to believ
= your peculiar theories carry you SER
oflsly SO far as TINT ~