Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-15
DAILY SHORT STORY
HE WAS TOO OLD FOR GIRLS.
tOriginall

lOriginaLl
Were going down TO our country
place on Tuesday" said my friend
Witcherly, ito open up for spring and
summer We're 70 have house party
as soon as we get things put TO rights.
! Come down Saturday and stay as long
as you like. BY the bye. l must find
some boys for the girls"
Him." / remarked TO myself. some
boys for the girls, I'm invited for the
old woman, l suppose"
WitcherIy was forty-five years old l
was thirty-six In other words, l was
at that age when q man begins TO be
considered too old to associate with
young girls and considers himself too
| young to associate with old girls. l
was piqued at Witcherly's words and
made up my mind that l would show
him that some Of the attractiyeness Of
youth still remained to me.
I'm so glad you have come" said
Mrs. Witcherly. Most OF our young
men have disappointed US. You must
help the girls out"
| sighed An this talk about my be-
| ing too old for young ladies was terri
BILE TO me. To cap the climax Alice
Witcherly came 10 me and said: Mr..
Brown, you are TO devote yourself to
| to go around, and, being hostess, you
| know
! "WellE"
She looked embarrassed.
Miss Witcherly." said, Il would be
very happy to act as your cavalier, but
l never, even when young. found il
! possible TO make myself interesting TO
girls You must excuse me. l shall de
vote myself to the older ladies'"
When dinner was announced 1 was
in my room and Oh going hastily down
stairs found that all had gone TO the
dining room except two or three girls
who were without attendants. / of
fered my arm TO Miss Ormsby. and !
could see great pleasure In her eye at
securing an escort, especially one haY-
ing chosen her from among the others
who had been left out. We were seated
almost directly opposite Miss Witcher-
ly, and l threw myself into the task of
making myself as agreeable to my
dinner companion and those in our vi
I was either 10 be set down as an old
man or win a place among the young
ones. | made the effort OF my life. l
perpetrated witticisms, | talked droll-
cry, ! sparkled, l gllstencd, / scintil-
lated Before the third course the
young men We're neglecting their din
ner companions to cape at me. taking
in all / said. The result was that !
soon occupied the attention of the
whole table.
After dinner / passed from old to
young and from young to old, compli-
menting the elderly ladies, presuming
upon my age to say and look what |
liked TO the girls, slapping the boys on
the back. till Witcherly came up to me
and said:
why. Brown, old man, what's com
ing over you? / thought you'd take
back seat with us old buffers, and here
you are the life of the party, young and
old"
"Oh. I'm only an old duffer myself"
replied
Mr.. Brown" said a young girl
standing near, talks old and acts
young"
There's a diagnosis for you" said
Witcherly. laughing. The girl has
fathomed You. Well go In and win the
youngest here If you can"
Wltcherly did not hear my reply, for
ii was spoken inwardly. 1t was this:
The girl I'm aiming to win Is your
own daughter"
devoted myself to every one in the
house except Miss Witcherly, using
especially Miss Ormsby for foil. One
would suppose that Miss Witcherly
would be pleased that had been so eff
hcient in supplying the place Of youn-
ger men. but she did not give any evil
dence Of such pleasure She kept up n
fair show OF life with her guests. but
whenever she approached me she look
ed especially downcast One evening /
was sitting on the piazza alone when
she came to the door opening on to IT
and looked at me wistfully. l made
up my mind that the time to strike had
come
Won't you have cbair?' / asked,
rising
NO; thank you. I'll go get Adele
Ormsby for you. It's my duty, you
know. to satisfy my guests"
so you don't think me capable of
choosing my companions myself?"
"Oh, dear, yes; quite capable You
have selected every woman in the
house 10 pay attention TO except me.
But OF course I'm hostess and don't ex-
pect any attention"
Except from those unacceptable TO
the other young ladies'"
s'TOu are very unkind. l suppose
you viii always remember that against
me-"
Come. let US stroll out into the
grounds
She put her arm through mine. and |
We walked ont under the great trees on |
Il carpet of soft grass fiecked by moon |
light There could be no place more |
conducive 10 making up" a difference. |
and / took advantage OF the surround |
iun,S and the circumstances m rnaEa