The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-03
* OUR DAILY SHORT. STORY -:-

ing; every afternoon just before din- ner she insists upon coming into the workroom for five minutes. She says that 1t is duty she owes me. I have endeavored to reason her out Of 1t. but she is a most obstinate young creature. Since our last conversation | I have thought much of marriage for her. and it has occurred to me that | ie would not be bad idea if she should | marry my secretary. who, as I think II have told you. is well-behaved young man. Her coming to the work room every afternoon shows that she is not uninterested in him, and he appears to listen kindly to her chatter. Faithfully yours. John Marchand.
 My Dear Harriet: I am really not the Methuselah you would make me out. cannot, of course. pretend to | understand so unusual a young crea- ture as Pauline Downs. but in doing my best to encourage a union with my secretary I am not aware that l am playing with fire, as you suggest. Maurice Gerry is well born. has excel- lent prospects, and is neat and meth
 odical young man. Such an absurd thing happened the other morning. l relate 1t to you to show what kind heart the child has. and also what extremely queer ideas she holds in re- gard to the scheme of life. had gone down to breakfast rather late. leaving MT. Gerry at work upstairs. Elizabeth was engaged in some household duty, so Pauline poured my coffee.
 Just as we had finished breakfast a servant announced abruptly that the childs canary was acting strangely. Pauline rushed up to her room, and in an incredibly short time was down again. She was holding the dead bird in her hand, and was weeping vio- lently. It was most extraordinary! She stood there sobifg so long that I had to remind her that the bird was dead. and that she had better give it to one of the servants to dispose of. It quite took my breath away when she turned on me and called me "a hard hearted, stupid. musty, silly, heathenIsh scientist" These were her exact words. I remember them dis tinctly. because the adjectives repre- sented such Heterogeneous collection. Then. before I could protest, she thrust the dead canary into my hand and commanded me to hold 1t until she returned. I felt exceedingly foolish, I can assure you.
 When she came back she was carry ing a small wooden box. She placed the bird in this and insisted that I should go out into the garden with her and bury it. I was especially busy that day, and every minute was valuable. but the child has the most remarkable eyes-it is impossible to resist them when they plead. We marched out into the garden, I carry
 ing d fire shovel and Pauline the box with the bird, and buried 1t under weeping willow. If anybody had ob- served us, should have felt much dis tressed.
 I am glad you enjoyed the book, As soon as my first article appears in the Scientific I will let you have it. Be lieve, please, that I value your inter- est and your appreciation very highly. Faithfully yours, John Marchand.
 My Dear Harriet: when I decided that Maurice Gerry would be a suit able husband for Pauline Downs, I did so in complete ignorance of the neces- sities of so delicately constituted an organism as the young female. I am suffering all the more keenly, because Pauline seems to have fallen in with my plan, though she is really ignorant of it.
 owe it to Joseph Downs to see that his daughters happiness is se- cured, but I doubt very much whether Maurice Gerry is the individual to whom 1t can be safely intrusted He has begun to reveal frivolous side to his character that l did not believe he possessed. e..
 Last night she told q that she met Maurice Gerry at -1ance. and that he had asked her or her hand. and had insinuated 1t she had given him every reason to believe that she was in love with him
 am slow to anger. but l confess I was in a terrible rage at the young coxcomb who is not fit to touch the