The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-04-14

BY MARGARET + sANGsTER
tCourrht. l.5. by Joseph h EoW.es)
Agatha has been engaged 70 Thomas
nearly four Years. Thomas is In re-
cent 81 a eool salary quite sufficient
TO support a little home in comfort and
he is constant ana devoted In his at
tenflous t0 Agatha His calls. four or
i've evenings a week, have become as
much a thing of course as the striking
OF the c,Cch. a little after eight, N
walks Thomas y little after ten. out be
goes Tender good-nights are ex-
changed az the door. Agatha slips away
to bed Thomas stroi.s honeward.
How long is this philandering TO 80
on. mutters Aeatha's father 10 he-
mother. in the privacy OF their chamber
For two years they have been obliged,
aflcr our American fashion. 10 exile
themselves from the liviug-room orpar-
lor. whichever they call it. and spend
their evenings IN the d~ining-room or
their own room upstairs. Agatha and
her lance talking. talking. talking, in
low tones like the ripping OF a brook.
have m~cnopolized that part of the
house tscemstothepare after awhile
that the long engagement is telling
uuiavorabiy on their daughters health
and spirits and they think it time that
affairs reached a crisis that they cui-
minated IN a wedding
Agatha thinks Sc. too. She IS beyond
words annoyed with and weary Of the
situation. The most devoted pair Of en-
gagged lovers. in the cource OF several
years. exhaust their topics OF CONVERSE
tion. They are in danger OF drifting
MO a state Ok morbid and unwnOiesOme
-nrui Were they married. a host OF
COMMON. practical interests would draw
them closer and give them a basis on
which % build their house Of JOY. The
management q the home the cooking
for two. the mending. the making. TIE
idcuuhcation Of the husband and wife
as n family in its front 70 the world
help 10 bind them into that union which
Is strong as life itself.
A long engagement dragging slowly
and interminably on when there IS no
apparent reason for a delayed marriage.
is a very trying experience To- girl. She
lnow that her friends discuss her and
wonder why the wedding is deferred
She attends the weddings Of other
friends She begins 10 be socially. par
don the slang q back number. An m
gagged girl cannot compete in social IN
%ttrccurse with her friends who are still
free Very likely she has been prepar-
ing her store 81 linen. and there are piles
Of sheets and towels over which she
lirgers with that h~ouse-wifely learning
known 20 women when they are plan
ming a new home. knew girl who
waited ~ years. while her tarey lover
continued lis visits. never even family
abiding to marriage. The memory OF
he- girlish yes" was growing remote.
when her young sister announced her
engagement. shyly adding. Edwin
wants to be married in three months. I
don't see how I can be ready you
might be ready II Edwin wanted you 10
marry him tomorrow said the older
woman "You shall have my things.
and the elaborate trousseau. as well as
the beautiful stock Of fine linen was
forced upon the blushing ~bride-to-be.
The first engagement vas broken. as il
should have been long before
Our English cousins allude 70 the
loosely-managed be'rothals that over
here So often dissolve In mist as dang
ling II would seem that dangling"
Is a thing unworthy an honorable man