Charlevoix county herald., 1907-03-09
Lady LSabePS
Adn7irer
BY Mrs. Neish
Copyright. by Joseph B. BowIes.)

| Snc mas nlduy-IHSIe Is one VI WHICH
she has never been accused, and that
is of flirting seriously.
Her dearest friend, who would,
therefore, be her most candid critic,
might feel inclined to add that the
absence of desire to flirt is not en-
tirely due to moral worth, but the
result of creed mo man is worth
the risk of being cut in the park"
This strictly bold creed has saved her
from even ''the appearance of evil,
and she never encourages any mans
attentions, and is, therefore, the soul
of honor-or caution.
Moreover, next to Lady Isabel"
she prefers Lord Etchingham-her
| husband-to anyone else; but of all
the world she most assuredly prefers
Lady Isabel"
once asked her if she ever asked
man to come in and dine with her
when her husband was out.
Never" she replied emphaticsll7
"and I'll tell you why, my dear Mar
| jorie. Unless a man is too absolute
and innate a gentleman to think of
such thing, he will be sure to as
sumo you're in love with him-at
any rate, he will think you want him
to pretend he is in love with you;
and, what | find 50 difficult"
well, Isabel?"
Cor rather, what I've never found"
she amended, laughing, lis the afore-
mentioned innate and absolute gentle
man."
Are men so horribly conceited?'
She nodded. "Frightfully. I'll tell
you how found out. | tried it once.
| asked a man to dine here as Yer
non was going out am generally
out myself, you know; but l wasn't
engaged that night, and feeling rather
bored at the thought of dining alone,
| wired a man we both know very
well to come in and dine with me
alone. He came like a Bird added
Lady Isabel gaily, land after dinner
had forgotten the 'after-dinner,
you see-he went down on his knees
by my chair and actually held and
kissed my hand, and l tried, but
couldn't get it away. Pah!" she made
little grimace at the recollection.
I laughed. | ought, of course, to
have been shocked; in fact. l was
shocked; but | laughed involuntarily
at the thought of Lady Isabel's as
tonisbed face.
What did you do?" l asked.
Weren't you furious?"
"Of course | was" she replied, "but
I could hardly say Sir, unhand me-
like the lady in the melodrama when
the villain clasps her in his arms,
especially as he wasn't clasping me
in his arms, but was merely kissing
my hand, so l said"-Lady Isabel's
reminiscent tone became helplessly
pleading-T said, Would you mind
getting up, please, because one OF my
servants might come into the room,
and | should be compromised without
having been amused
ooh, Isabel"
Eyes, | did. Clever Of me, wasn't
it? Men can't bear being ridiculed-
and | told Vernon about it, too she
added.
did you really? Wasn't he awful
ly angry?"
Lady Isabel shook her head. mot
bit, he only said, AS though you
would look at a cove like that! Hus-
bands are very, very conceited," said
Lady Isabel severely. 81 believe that
is partly why so many of them come
to grief"
Lady Isabel has been in trouble
one of those little social entangle-
ments that only so skilled a tactician
could successfully unravel.
Marjorie" she said the other day
In her usual pleasantly candid way,
you know, dear. you are not very
young, and you have been about and
all that, so l am going to confide in
you"
DO, dear; only please leave out
the all that "
Don't regret the fact that you are
a woman of the world, Marjorie" she
said gently knowledge is wisdom,
and, besides, l want your advice.
nave got dH duIlllI tI-loll L IL al DOIC!
Surely you can get rid of him, Isa-
bel?"
She shook her head. Its not as
easy as you think" she answered
despondently. You see, my brother
Bob is in his regiment, and | don't
want to offend him, because-well
one never knows what one may want
In this world"
Him, that is a little awkward"
admitted. Cant you have the
measles again."
She pouted. Don't be silly-be-
sides, as though | should do the same
thing twice; but 1t is a horrid bore"
as he so very Extensively assiduous
in his attentions" | asked sympa-
thetically.
yes, he sends me flowers and
boxes for the play, and he calls here