Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-04-19
The Point of View.

81 NYTHING the matter with you,
IN Jim?" And Ruth surveyed her
20 brother keenly.
mo"
| whats the use of fbbing to met"
she demanded with sisterly frankness.
Something's gone wrong, can see
that clearly enough. Any trouble at
the ofnce7"
i NO"
! WELL" impahently. what is 1t,
then? You always tell me things in
the end, so you might as we'll go ahead
and save me the trouble Of dragging 1t
from you
Jim stared moodily out of the win
dow and vouchsafed no reply.
you've not quarreled with Clarice,
have you?"
A swift change In her brothers face
told Ruth that she had touched on the
truth. and she followed up her advan-
tage promptly.
THAT is 1t, 1 know. Now, what
was the fuss about?"
There was no fuss and no quarrel,
my saplent sister. only"
go on, dor
II made trifilng error when sup
posed she cared for me. that was ALL"
Are you crazy, Jim I am sure
that Clarice cares for you. Don't jump
at conclusions"
II didn't jump at any conclusions,
assure you. I asked her to marry ME
and she natly refused"
But why? why? why?" Ruth asked
in honest bewilderment. II know
something of girls and l am positive
that Clarice cares for you"
II had sometimes entertained such
an idea myself, but you see that we
both made slight mistake"
Don't be SO maddening. Jim, dear;
tell me all she said. l am awfully sor.
~ for you. but l cannot help feeling
that there is a mistake somewhere"
mot much chance for It," Jim Ruth
erford said grimly; "She had fifty I'M
answerable arguments against mar
riage. She liked me- she was good
enough to say, but she did not dare try
the trials and tribulations of domestic
life with any man. Servants We're al
leaving on moments notice.
and generally, too. when the mistress
was Ill. She had seen SO many men
act like brutes on such occasions that
she had not the courage to face 1t. l
tried to laugh her out of the mood. l
told her to ask you If l did not behave
like an angel in all crises Of that kind
"You really do" Ruth interposel
warmly.
Jim nodded his thanks and then re
sumed his story with discourag gee
air.
.1t was all no use. for Clarice sale
that she had observed that mems ma
lures changed after marriage. and tina
some who had been models of courtes,
to their mothers and sisters were til,
embodlments Of selflshness and incoa
tiierateness toward their Wives"
"Well, Of all things"
"Oh, there was lots more of 1t, too
and she was in deadly earnest.
never saw her in such mood. hat
a good business, but l was not rich
and would probably expect her to rul
the house and dress herself, too, OF
about five dollars week-Ruth.
say" breaking Off suddenly with pa
thetic appeal in his voice, what d.
you suppose made her talk so?"
II haven't the least idea. I've no
seen Clarice for three or four days. bu
l cannot see how she could have al
tered so radically In such short time
I'm going to see her, though. before
am an hour older and find out tn.
truth"
II don't suppose that there is any
thing to find out. She seemed to know
her own mind" Jim returned gloomily
"Now that is just what she didn
do. 1t is no use for us to argue, Jim
but II / can find grain OF comfor
for you l will. The whole thing i
beyond my comprehension
When Ruth Rutherford ian allitera
tive name which the girl detested) wa
putting on her wraps preparatory to
belligerent call on her friend. she hear,
Clarice's voice In the hall below. Sh,
went down hurrledly to meet her.
Come into the library" she sal,
hastily, knowing perfectly well tina
Jim was in the room just beyond
Now, l want you to give an accoun
Of yourself. What have you been dc
ing to Jim? He Is just about broken
hearted, for he believes all the nor
sense that you were talking to hin
yesterday. What did you mean by il
/. Clarlce? You know that you thin
that Jim is kind and lovable and bril-
liant"
II don't" Clarice flashed indie
nantly, although her voice trembled
little, "he is not brilliant at all. Fl
is the most stupid man that eve
lived"
perhaps you will kindly explain,
Ruth said coldly.
But this Clarice stubbornly refuse
to do. and it was not until Ruth PIT
of her dignity and descended to tel
der coaxing that she drew the trut
out of her friend.
.He-he came around yesterda
morning-and had been suffering II
three days with an liberated tooth.
didn't have wink of sleep during n
Of that time. and l was too great
coward to go to dentist at first. Wei
Jim came then. and Of course M
nerves were all on edge and the worl
loked blue and l was all unstrun
and couldn see anything in i
proper perspective. Everything WI
distorted and out of proportion--o
you understand how l felt"
Perfectly" said Ruth, with symp
thetic comprehension.
you called him brilliant just no,
but 1t seems to me that even ma
might have known better than to ma!
- prnnnsal of marriape at such a tim