Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-12-14
Naughts and Crosses.
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00n q began to play first on a
NW serap Of paper which had
utilized to make a diagram of
the neighborhood to show her the rela
+ dve position of our respective homes:
( that 10 to say, Of her home and the
little house which had bought and
Furnished in the somewhat wild hope
that she might one day by becoming
its mistress convert 1t into my home.
On that occasion she had treated the
diagram very fiappantly by guiding my
hand to make nought In the area
which stood for my front garden, and
her mischievous look conveyed to me
that the cipher was meant to represent
the sum of my worldly goods.
Accordingly, I responded with great
Independence by making big cross
the symbol which l believe is popu-
larry supposed to denote kiss-on
either side OF the little square, which,
In my amateur drawing, stood for the
front. door.
She resented this because she said l
ID played out Of turn. She thereupon
ew the correct figure fssss. game that
,sne termed noughts and crosses and
instructed me how to play In accord
ance with rule. The figure was very
simple. merely two perpendicular
strokes crossed by two horizontal ones,
! and there was no skill required, 1t
seemed. One merely put nought or
Cross into one of the little spaces and
did ones level best to get three in a
row, which counted one point. 1t was
. very childish pastlme, and yet after
that day found myself playing 1t
with her at every opportunity; and 1t
had at least the merit, like mediocre
music In drawing room. Of affording
cover for conversation.
II don't think," she said one day, in
an interval which spent sharpening
her pencil, "that I'm exacting; but one
naturally expects something out Of
life, either love or money, and you
can't give me either"
AT least" I said, in low voice, VI
giye you love-"
.'No: that's where you make the
mistake. You think that in loving me
you give me love. But you don't-not
an emotion even! Cross out lovep'
II shall do nothing of the kind. 1
responded. Indignantly.
aAs for money" she pursued, "
don't think, don't really think that
2 Zoo q year or 80 is the height of my
ambition. Put a nought for money"
81 decline" I said, FOR can at least
hook to the future with tolerable GER
tainty.'
..It's no good looking too far ahead
she said; you must remember we've
got to live in the present"
you're right" said, mildly, land
It's not much consolation to me at the
present moment to reflect that youth
certainly be sorry some day that you've
let such chance Slip"
She paused. looked hard at me, and
resumed.
ITO put the matter in a nutshell, you
really have nothing to offer me. Moth
ing. that is to say, except marriage;
and don't think that of itself suffi.
ciently attractive"
Il might suggest" ventured, .that
you are scarcely In position to Judge.
Now II you would allow me to play the
part Of devoted husband to you for at
least a year. at the end Of that time
you might really be able to give an
opinion on the subject
Che lSfrnly hAe haoA n ~ vo,.k
into the middle Of a new diagram and
I responded belligerently with cross
underneath.
As regards the money" l said, "you
can't expect me to make fortune
without ever having an opportunity"
THAT depends" she said, upon
what you call opportunity"
"Well," remarked, II think Miss
Arnold gave me pretty good oppor-
tunity the night Of the dance when 1
sat out with her in the conservatory"
Miss Arnold?' she asked quickly.
"What Miss Arnold? Do you mean
Jessie Arnold? Oh. always said she
{ was most atrocious filrt!''
don't know her christian name
] said. vaguely. az called her 'dar-
ling and I don't suppose it's any Miss
Arnold that you know"
Jessie Arnold" she said solemnly,
would be the last-mind, say the
very last-girl to make a wife for a
poor man."
'Oh! no; the Miss Arnold 1 mean
told me she understood economic
housekeeping thoroughly"
"Jessie's mean" she said earnestly,
land she'll never give you anything
but . cold luncheon. Her way of econ