The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-04-07
II should have thought you expected
congratulations" She spoke with q

II should have thought you expected
congratulations" She spoke with q
touch of bitterness.
congratulations" he exclaimed,
savagely. Congratulations! Listen!
can come to you in my trouble. can
I not?"
She said nothing.
did tell you how I loved Maude?"
'Yes," she said.
eyes," he went on, II thought had
mentioned it to somebody. Well
| He paused. She waited.
''Well," he said, raising his head
YEARLY. II asked her if she would
marry me-" He paused again. "Was
there anything unreasonable in thata"
he exclaimed, flercely.
"What-what did she say" faltered
Eva.
"Say!" he replied; and then went on.
in a monotonous wall of anguish: "She
said, eta, dear boy, but I'm suited.
Didn't I tell you before?' Just as if
were an errand boy applying for a
| situation!"
II believe you're pleased" he said.
| reproachfully.
"No, I'm not" she said. I'm very
sorry for you"
*'That's the way with sisters-they
always object to people their brothers
choose"
"Yon can choose anybody you like
she said.
He took his programme from his
pocket, and said, redectively, II don't
think I'll make another shot tonight.
though! Let's see who I've got" He
ran his eye down the list and licked
off two or three names. what do you
say to Miss Vanning. But don't think
I know her quite we'll enough to sug-
gest it. There's Enid Stafford, Of
course. think love her very much.
Isn't she charming girl?"
eyes," said Eva.
do you happen to know?" he said,
anxiously, whether she has a nice out
look?''
Eva did not reply; she was still fan
ming herself
Its worse than choosing motor
car" he sighed. why can't one hire
an expert to choose wife? And yet
I must, must"
"Why in such hurry" asked Eva,
Il should take day or two to look
round.''
'But it's so uncomfortable to feel
oneself hanging about loose and liable
to be snapped up at any moment.
den and terrible disaster, fly to drink.
Drink is so vulgar; I fly to matri-
mony."
"And have you had disaster?" she
asked, with sisterly interest, still fan
ming herself.
"Disaster!" he said, dolefully. lis
ten! For three months I had been en-
gagged to the perfectest, beautifulest,
sweetest darling in the whole world
er-you don't mind my confding to
you my personal affairs like this?'
Did she die?" asked Eva, with SYM
pathy. please don't brush my nose
with the feathers?"
mo, she didn't exactly die. She
drew herself erect, with a flashing
eye, looking magnificent-pardon an
unhappy mans "reminiscences, won't
you?-and she said, Go! Out into
blank, dismal, dreary Darkness Now,
why? Because was a murderer? Not
bit of it. Because was unkind to
my aged parents? No. Because l was
already married? Not even that. You
won't believe it, but it was simply and
solely because there was something
gone groggy in my outl-''
Il think I hear the next dance be-
ginning" said Eva, rising.
Eyes? BY the way, just put this
ring on, will you? I shall lose it if I
keep it in my pocket
So she put it on.
'This is our dancer" said BERTHE.
II think So" she replied.
"And all the rest?''
IF you like
Including extras?'
Including the extras. And hope,"
she added, that I've taught you les
son, DEAR"
you've taught me a lesson?" he
said, puzzled. And then, repentantly,
"Ah, o! Yes, of course! I am very
sorry-1 will never do it again.
London Sketch.