The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-28

From the Manchester Chronicle.
 She is absolutely perfect" said young Murray Groves.
 "She mostly always is," said Jim. Its quite the commonest type of She.
 Mind you I'm not one to rave" Mur- ray went on. Some lovers do, 1 know but l flatter myself I'm not that kind of man at all"
 "les, you tlatter yourself muttered Jim.
 "Eh? Oh, I only wish you knew her!"
 'I know hundreds of her.
 She's not like other girls"
 Fortunately for them, perhaps"
 Tn the first place, as 1 told you, she is perfect"
 And in addition to that?'
 "Oh, you wouldn't understand. Jim, if she refuses me l Shall die
 Otherwise, I suppose, you have de- cided to remain immortal?''
 Jim, advise me. You're man of the world"
 That is why I shall do nothing of the kind"
 'I wish you would I assure you I'd be only to pleased to take your advicef-"
 If l advised you to do what you want to do. And what would De the use of that? It would be like spurring a bolting horse"
 Look here," exclaimed Murray, des- perately, i've jolly good mind to speak to her point-blank, and be done with t. At the worst she can only condemn me to a lifetime of misery
 And what is a lifetime of misery. when it can easily be compressed into few weeks? Take my case, for instance
 ''You--?' Murray looked slightly in- credulous
 When I was a mere boy-ah. it must be some six months ago now said Jim. solemnly, "I too. was in love. But she told me she would always be my friend and that she hoped l would find some one more worthy" He sighed. Well" he continued, "to cut a long story short, she was better friend to me when she said that she ever expected to be. And as for the some one more worthy-none of them is quite worthy enough''
 'I hate that kind of cheap talk, Jim," said Murray, impatiently.
 ''So do l." replied Jim. But they all say it. It's their way of letting you down lightly"
 Murray gazed at him responsibility. Jim rose and clapped him on the shoulder.
 My dear old chap" he cried 'the world isn't going to stop laughing because girl has curly hair and a boy takes himself se- riously about it. If you marry this girl and equally If you don't-you'n soon be laughing again, yourself. I'm not one of those who would see Love butchered to make an Alley Slopers half holiday, but all the same I'm not going to try to make you believe that you are not more than slightly ridiculous. Here is a girl-good and charming and all that. I've no doubt And here are you-such as you are-pretty ordinary and right You love the girl and want to marry her. We'll tell her so. Take my word for 1t, she is very ready to be told"
 Jim, old man." said Murray, smiling wanly; 'I feel that I can't talk to you any more about this. It's too sacred And you're so unsympathetic. You mean well, but you don't understand. It isn't as if she were one of your frivolous society girls"
 They are quite as much yours as mine," protested Jim
 She is an angel" said Murray, with conviction
 Not yet
 T could die for her.
 ITO become an angel also?'
 T know you think Pm being bit ex- travasant." said Murray But really and sobcrly, I do believe there Is somme- thing-something divine-about this girl"
 "It5s her expression" said Jim gravely.
 How did you guess that?" cried Mur- ray.
 Its either that or the way she sings" Yes Murray responded eagerly. "She does sing, you know-only privately of course"
 Not much, but often" Jim suggested.
 It was the last straw. Murray picked up his hat. ''l believe you are turning into a profound cynic. Jim." he said
 "A cynfc Is never profound" Jim re- torted. All the same, I wish you lots of luck. By the way, what is her name?"
 Her name?" stammered Murray.
 For purposes of references and identi- fication, you know" said Jim, "she must have name, however unworthy" Mur- ray whispered in his ear, and rushed from the rom. Jim stood motionless before the fireplace. 'The same girl he said. with a sigh. Poor old Murray" And he filled his pipe. But she accepted Murray.
 "Of course, she is six months older now" Jim reminded himself. And a woman grows more and more liable to ae- cept something less than perfection as time rolls by. It makes a differencew
 And now you're the happiest man on earth?" he said when Murray imparted the glad tidings.
 "I suppose &C.," said Murray, adding hastily: "Of course I amr He made a pause. Her parents" he went on slow ly. are all in favor of an early mar riage."
 Lucky man.'
 And certainly" said Murray, there is no doubt, as her father says, that the sooner we get 1t over the better
 Sort of cold bath business" thought Jim.
 Murray went on, rather feverishly: Her father is a very sensible man, but rather depressing. He pointed out to me that q bachelor and benedict are not precisely the same thing. So shrewd of him to dis cover that! Then he said that he hoped would make his daughter happy He said 1t as If he were hoping against hope. And then he wanted to pry into my past.
 And, of course" said Jim, you never had such a thing"
 Exactly what I told him." chuckled Murray. with a wink