The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-06-24
BELINDA ON MATRIM0NY.
ResOurcefuI Peter Presents a Differ.
ent Point of View,

ent Point of View.
Belinda laid a heavy white enve-
lope on the table, raped upon it with
a slender finger. and looked at Peter
, with her head mournfully sidewise.
IF one might surmise, a wedding
invitation" said Peter.
Belinda nodded over her limeade.
But why. then, the melancholy"
unused Peter. IF one might surmise
again. not a faithless lover?"
Belinda was mildly reproachful.
"Uncharitable mani" said she. would
that make me mournful?"
"Unfeeling woman!" said Peter. "I
very much fear it would. Was there
ever girl
Don't be contentious, Peter" Be-
linda interrupted him. ST hate people
to talk like books. What I want to
know is,"-and she raped again on
the white envelope-"isn't it sufficient
cause for melancholy that all your
best friends insist on getting mar
ried?"
81 disagree with your choice of
words" answered Peter Say envy.
instead of melancholy Which is Sole
lyle forestalled, with wave of the
hand, Belinda's indignant excIana
tion-'a difference in the point of
view"
II might have known you would saw
something foolish" said Belinda, un
Modified.
Indeed, you ought to know what
TO expect by this time" admitted
Peter. But, now. what is your OBJ
lection to matrimony? Oh of course
on impersonal grounds entirely
They are so stupid" said Belinda.
"They?" inquired Peter
Married women" answered Belin-
la.
Il am proud that you exempt my
sex" said Peter.
The natural state of some of your
SEX said Belinda, could not be
affected even by matrimony"
20 try mel" said Peter, with ardor.
Tim sure | should improve"
Belinda dallied charmingly between
smile and "a frown. 'Seven?" said
she, counting on her fingers.
Peter referred to his notebook.
Eight They are getting more fire.
uuent. The last was on the fifth of
April"
q should like another limeade," re-
marked Belinda. Il do wish YOU
would let me talk. A nice husband
you would make! Here I am appeal
ing for sympathy and you won't even
listen to me-"
Peter subsidized pray go on" said
lie. II am all attention"
Eyes, 7 continued Belinda. "ft really
deoresse: me to see the number of en-
terainins girls that are ruined by
matrimorF. If you can once get them
away from home, it is not SO bad, even
though ytu can't keep them off the
subject OF cooks, and domestic econ
omy, and the waywardness of nurse
girls. At least You can carry on a
connected conversation
And even the unpromisng topic of
nurse girls can be enlivened, l fancy,
by Belindas opinions said Peter.
We'll, I do get a chance to air my
views" admitted Belinda honestly
But take them at home and the case
is hopeless. You go around for a quiet
mornings sewing. Quiet! Good gra-
cious! You can't talk for five min
utes together without an interruption.
You fsstart an interesting tale at IL
o'clock and by 2 you haven't gotten
to the point, unless you are satisfied
to go on talking to yourself. The baby
cries upstairs, the children rush in and
out looking for things and monopoliz-
ing the conversation. wild shrieks come
from the hall when they are banished,
and your hostess VINO was once your
devoted chum, has a stony, absent
minded glare in her eye that no pre-
tense can hide from you"
rs it really as bad as that?" asked
Peter, sympathetically.
"Oh, worse :" answered Belinda, shak-
ing the ice in her glass and fitting it
to drink "A hundred times worse.
1t is just the same if you go there
to dinner. An informal family dinner,
you know. Informal? I should say
so. Family? All family. You may
try to talk just to keep up appear
ances, but she never half hears any
thing and five minutes after you have
stopped in the middle of a sentence she
asks what you were saying. She is
busy all the time watching Mary carve
the table cloth into geometrical fig
ures and Johnny develop into an Afri-
can sword swallower, and there is a
strained attention in her manner and
a distract laQk in her eyes that couldn't
fool a baby. You may as we'll dine
from the soup to the salad in gloomy
silence, or in rapt admiration of the
ways of childhood. And, really Pc
ter, what children can think of to do
at the table is quite an interesting
study"
Peter opened the wedding invitation
and read 1T with an air of commisera-
ton. And now Josephine said he.
Yes" said Belinda, Josephine. A
perfect dear of a girl, too"
at is undoubtedly tragic" said Pc
ter. Poor Josephine! And poor Be
lindar"
Belinda sighed.
Il see but one course open to you,"
said Peter
ooh. Peter, Peter said Belinda,
shaking out her skirt as she rose. mot
two from you in the same afternoon"
"But envy is such a gratifying frame
of mind" said Peter. Don't call it
q proposal Call it a mere unselfish
desire to alter your point of view"
"In that case" said Belinda, twin
king, "let US walk out to the park and
talk 1t over"
PEOPLE COMING AND GOING.
Miss Fanny Minis and Miss Rebecca
G. Minis expect to leave next Wednes-
day for Blue Ridge Summit, Pa, where