Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1905-06-01

"Vet l suppose We are the ones out
Of all that old set who would have
been picked out as likely to make car
~ marriages" he went on How I'M
Der the sun do you account for it?'
Its one Of Tie things that can only
be accounted for on the theory that we
are both wise beyond our time was
the mock grave answer Then in a
teasing to0a she continued: My, but
you're going 10 haze lovely time!
There are about two dozen little and
big Johns, Marys, Charles and Franks
for You to admire.
=" This is your Uncle Fergus. the
fond parents VIII say. He and used
to go to school together oh, papa, he
must be an awful Old manr That's
what you're going through again and
again. I've been through it until |
wish the word aunt were blotted out
of the language"
On and on they walked. talking with
undiminshed interest As he remark
ed in reply to her suggestion that it
was time she turned toward home.
the more they talked, the more they
had to say
Never had there been the slightest
sentiment between them, though they
had been good friends until circum-
stances had sent Bynn to a distant
land on business enterprise. He re-
called her as the best OF comrades-a
girl with no nonsense about her But
he could not remember that in the
exuberant days OF his youth, when he
had made love in turn ta most of the
girls of their set, he had ever included
her As he watched her now from the
coEner of his eye, losing no whit of her
mature grace. he wondered by what
charm she had been held immune.
Up to the moment of their accidental
meeting if he had thought Of her at
all his mind had only brushed her
identity along with the group of old
friends. all of whom it would be n gen
tie, half sad pleasure TO see again, If
only to fix a standard by which to
measure how far he had gone, for it is
only thus by comparing ourselves with
TIE friends with whom we were once
abreast that we can gauge our progress
or estimate orr failures.
Yet now he had IL curious sensation
of having stumbled upon something
that he had craved something the lack
of which had made him restless and
i'll at ease, and as the conviction over
spread his mind in all its amazing GER
tainty his manner grew distracted.
Then he became alert with sudden
purpose. With something of his old
impetuosity he reasoned that here was
a matter that had been deferred long
enough.
If his instinct told him so much at
that first meeting he was donbly sure
of it at the end of the following month.
He seemed now to himself to have re-
turned home for the express purpose
of seeing Elizabeth. Her society was
like long drafts of cool water from
some boyhood's well. He hadn't
thought much about the water at the
time. One never does He had sup
posed that all water was cool, clear and
refreshing He knew better now.
There was but one such well-but one
Elizabeth.
1T isn't decent for woman of your
age to be husbandless." was his scorn-
full way of beginning the attack.
''Oh, don't know was that lady's
easy rejoinder I'VE spinsters have
our uses. Think how we serve to point
morals. Why, I've no doubt that my
self have been the object lesson that
has saved more than one sweet young
thing from celibacy. l can just mag
Inc a mother saying, You'd better not
be too particular or you'll be an old
maid like Beth Ware""
He grnned into the dark, debonair
face for a moment and then scowled
portentously.
you've had your own way too long,
young LADY, What you need is the sub
DUNG effect of masculine guidance, and
frankly | should like the post
Remember, you let me go away once
before" he went on in an aggrieved
tone, seeing that she was about to pro
test. "Of course you did. If you had
been the right sort of II girl, wouldn't
you have taught me that I loved you
even them
She laughed outright.
Il happen to remember that you
were head over heels in love with Har-
ODDS mamma about that time" she
jeered. Anyway, we're too old for
sentiment. Our spring and summer
are over"
Eyes, they are" he admitted with
gravity. "But this love of ours"-his
tone rang with the mastery of one who
Is sure-"we'll call it Indian summer"
Boston's Crooked Streets.