St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-03-23

With all Lady Isabers faults-and
even her dearest friends cannot deny
she has many-there is one of 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 fiirt 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 emphattcah?
land I'll tell you why, my dear Mar
jorie. Unless man is too absolute
and innate a gentleman to think OF
such a 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 so difficult
well, Isabel?"
"Or rather, what I've never found"
she amended, laughing, lis the atore-
mentioned innate and absolute gentle
man."
Are men so horribly conceited?"
She nodded. "Frightfully. I'll tell
you how l found out. l tried it once.
l asked a man to dine here as Yer
non was going out am generally
out myself, you know; but | 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 bird" added
Lady Isabel gaily, "and 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 tried, but
couldn't get 1t away. Pah!" she made
q little grimace at the recollection.
| | laughed. l ought, Of course, to
have been shocked; in fact, l was
shocked; but I laughed involuntar1ly
at the thought of Lady Isabers as
tonished face.
What did you do? 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 I said'-Lady 1sabels
reminiscent tone became helplessly
pIeading-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"
4 j IL.
it? Men can't bear being ridiculed-
and told Vernon about it, toe," she
added
did you really? Wasn't he awful
ly angry?"
Lady Isabel shook her head. mot
a bit, he only said, AS though you
would look at cove like that Hus,
bands are very, very conceited," said
Lady Isabel severely. Il 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 I 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, want your advice.
have got an admfrer-isn't it bore?'
Surely you can get rid of him, lisa
bel?"
She shook her head. tits not as
easv as you think" she answered
despondently. 'You see, my brother
Bob is in his regiment, and dom
want to offend him, because-wel
one never knows what one may want
in this world"
"H'm, that is 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 it is horrid bore.
els he so very extensively assiduou'
in his attentions?" I asked sympa
thetically.
Eyes, he sends me flowers AMI
boxes for the play, and he calls here
and discusses love-so silly of him
; What's the use of discussing love
with a woman who Is married." sht
| added pettishly; especially to AM
one married to Vernon"
/ "Poor Isabel! 1t must be sad to b
: SO attractive!"
"But I'm not attractive at all" sh'
answered--"at least, not as a rule
only Colonel Allison is so peculiar
he simply won't be snubbed-or, a
any rate, ne won't take mild snubs-
I 80 I nnn,t hn really downright rude