Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-03-07

With all Lady Isabels 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 firt is not en-
tirely due to moral worth, but the
result Of creed. mo man is worth
the risk of being u 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
a man to come in and dine with her
when her husband was out.
Never" she replied emphattcsNy,
land I'll tell you why, my dear Mar
jorie. Unless a man is too absolute
and innate a gentleman to think OF
such u 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~I find so difficult
"Well, Isabel?"
"Or 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 wasn't
engaged that night, and feeling rather
bored at the thought of dining alone,
| wired a mar 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 | tried, but
couldn't get it away. Pah!" she made
a little grimace at the recollection.
laughed. l ought, of course, to
have been shocked; in fact, | was
shocked; but | laughed involuntarily
at the thought of Lady lsabels as
tonished 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 lsabeps
reminiscent tone became helplessly
pleading-"I said, Would you mind
getting up, please, because n OF my
servants might come into the room
and l should be compromised without
having been amused
ooh, Isabel"
Eyes, l did. Clever of me, WASH
it? Men can't bear being ridlculed-
and I told Vernon about it, too" she
added.
did you really? Wasn't he awful
ly angry?"
Lady Isabel shook her head. mo
a bit, he only said, AS though yot
would look at a cove like that Hus
bands are very, very %conceited," sale
Lady Isabel severely. Il believe tina
is partly why so many of them CONF
!, to grief"
Lady Isabel has been in trouble
, one Of those little social entangle
ments that only so skilled a tacticial
could successfully unravel.
Marjorie" she said the other da,
in her usual pleasantly candid way
you know, dear, you are not yer.
young, and you have been about AM
all that, so l am going to confde il
you"
, DO, dear; only please leave gu
the all that"
Don't regret the fact that you ar
, a woman of the world, Marjorie" sh
, said gently. knowledge is wisdom
! and, besides, | want your advice.
! have got an admirer-isn't it a bore?
Surely you can get rid of him, lisa
bel?"
> She shook her head. Its not a
easy as you think" she answere,
despondently. "You see, my brothe
Bob is in his regiment, and l don
want to offend him, because-wel
, one never knows what one may wan
in this world"
Him, that is a little awkward"
admitted. Cant you have tn
measles again?"
. She pouted. Don't be silly-bt
/, sides, as though l should do the sam
!. thing twice; but it is a horrid bore.
, as he so very extensively a~ssiduou
in his a~ttentions?" l asked symps
t~hetically.
Eyes, he sends me flowers an
boxes for the play, and he calls her
and discusses love-so silly of hin
What's the use of discussing low
!, with a woman who is married." sh
! added pettishly; especially to an
: one married to Vernon
Poor Isabel! 1t must be sad to b
' so sttractive!"
. "But I'm not attractive at all" sh
T answered-'at least, not as a rule
only Colonel Allison is so peculia
: he simply won't be snubbed-or, s
any rate, he won't take mild snubs-
: and | can't be really downright rud,