The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1903-10-01
MA are married"
v v YES, l answered,
nnnh 10 fhn aNunnfnsi

vi cOuTte you luluh So sun NY
friend; "but | cannot understand how
one who was such confirmed cynlc
as yourself could be SO easily caught
Pray tell me how II was?"
And so, with my feet on the old desk,
and myself cozily ensconced in one Of
The huge armchairs with which every
lawyers office II or ought TO be
adorned, told my old friend, Harvey
Burt, how found my wife.
"You know, Harvey, that | was, as
you say, confirmed cynlc, sneering
at all womankind, loving to flirt with
them, II is true, but only TO kill time or
for little amusement. When the hot
weather came on, did not care a fig
for Long Branch or Saratoga; had
been TO Newport and the Springs, and,
by the way, they bore you horribly;
and so began TO look about for some
quiet spot where l could have q
months fishing and shooting. The VII.
lage Of N attracted my attention,
and l went at once, rejoiced TO think
that l might have quiet and peace, no
matchmaking mammals, with marr-
ageable daughters, no extra toilets for
a dinner; but a quiet home, where
could do as pleased.
"N--, you know, is on Long Island
Sound, and reioiced In the prospect Of
boating and bathing, without the nui.
sances that infest fashionable water.
ing place. But as the numbering old
stage drove up to the door of the Aker-
man House, the only hotel in the place.
/ saw at a glance that my dream OF
peace was dispelled. Young women!
Bah! Haryey-and such young women.
assure you that was eyed and com.
mented on for at least an hour by three
or four amiable damsels, who were on
the lookout for something new l
went to my room and made ready for
supper, rs they styled 1t, aud had the
honor OF an introduction to several OF
them at the table. One attracted more
than a passing notice, and In the even.
Ing l found myself flirting with Miss
Hall, after the most approved fashion.
Such a girl, Harvey! You never saw
the mate for hertz
WAS she your divinity"
'No, my boy. Don't interrupt me.
No, she was not; but she was the most
self-satished young woman | ever saw
rather good-looking, gifted with
tongue, and a correct knowledge of IFS
use-belieying firmly in whatTbackeray
says Of Becky Sharpe, That any
woman with a knowledge Of herself
and q little common sense, and per.
sistenee, may marry whom she likes.
This was Miss Halls creed. To make
a long story short-we fiirted all the
time, and until we were the talk of the
house. But I began to tire of the game,
and TO wish for something new.
zone night, as rowed Miss Hall 10
the village, We met a party Of three
coming mp with Tim, our porter-two
ladies' and a gentleman-one was an
invalid. Harvey, that face, with its
look OF utter WEAKNESS, haunted me.
There's no use to describe il. 1t
wouldn't bear 1t, but thought II the
sweetest face ever saw. 1t was more
than a week before / saw 1t again,
though l had been dreaming OF il con-
tinually.
"one night, as came in from bath.
on entering the hall, saw pair Of lit.
tie feet, in red slippers. Laugh IL you
viii, you rascal, but those slippers, or
rather, the!r contests, finished me. As
1 advanced l saw the same face-the
invalid was at last able to be down.
stairs-and l was introduced TO Ella
Benton. OF course / dropped Miss
Hal, thereby causing much scandal.
4 had thought to win an easy victory
with the newcomer, but the cool wav
IN which she repealed my attentions
put me at my wits ends, and 1 made n
mental vow to drop flirting. BY what
particular process came to that con.
ciusion 1t would be difficult TO exniain
I tried everything. felt myself falling
In love, and suppose that / showed n
4 proposed on a weeks acquaintance.
and was quickly refused. Nothing
daunted, determined on change OF
base. asked her to consider me her
friend-and only that, for Iife--a true
friend. got that foothold. trusting TO
kindness and little attentions to win,
but all failed.
"a saved her life, Harvey, taking q