The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-10-03
Ho se, 1b e
Shared Him.
[Orignal.l

we were S1tIlDS III the drDOF uuucI
the grapes, which were quite ripe. We
pluclled and ate a number Of huge
punches; then she asked what we
should do next ooh, know" and she
ran into the house and brought out a
book On the left page were a number
Of printed questions; on the right,
blank spaces in which to write the an
swers. It was impossible to determine
whichewere the more stupid, the ques-
lions or the answers that had been
written in it. The book was about
half filed, the writer's having been
both masculine and feminine.
I ran my eye down the column Of
questions, such as What is your ia
vorite color? Your favorite proverb?
Your age" When came to the last
I paused and asked IL the women an
swered that question She said only
one had, but she didn't count; she was
practical creature and earned her
own living. I went on down the list.
els life worth livingY' Think Of that
to be answered by people from sixteen
to twenty-six, as most Of those who
had filed In the answers were. what
is your present thoughtw I paused
again and began to write, "That the
man Who She stopped me.
Don't write anything disagreeable.
I won't have my book spoiled"
I had intended to write, "The man
who got up this book did so for idiots
and to fill his pocket at their expense"
Instead | wrote, 1.-THE man who Is
asked to write in this book should feel
highly cornplimented."
Chats very NICE" she said. II
know how cynical you. are, and
feared you were going to put in some
thing horrid."
Ny second thought was that I had
narrowly escaped making an ass of
myself. $500; fstk
went on down the list and paused
at "What Is your ambition?" These
questions were goading me to ruin.
and again came near making a slip.
I started in to write ITO drink all the
champa gne there Is in the world" but
caught myself when I had written
"To drink" and finished "dew from
your sweet lips" / had no sooner
written this, which had considered
high flown compliment, when I real
tied that it was tantamount to decla-
ration. She was looking over my
shoulder, and to get glimpse Of her
face turned my head. My beard
came In contact with the almost invisi-
BILE down ON her cheek.
"Oh" she exclaimed.
Excuse me-" | said
The glimpse / got satisfied me that
had stepped off the river bottom and
must swim 1 was startled at the dis
covery, had never been before beyond
-my depth and an Indifferent swimmer
at that Still confess had been pad
ding around the girl who was about to
well, to drown me. She says I'm
cynical, and suppose I am, though
am somewhat excusable in this in
stance. for the word drown" carries
cut my smile. struck out wildly.
''That won't do" said. Gin book to
be seen by any and every body. They
might think-I meanwhile it's true
it's-shall scratch it out?"
"Ohr
This was no reply to my question,
but it expressed lot. Others may not
understand what it meant, but ] did.
I was ratified. l made a dash for the
next question and read aloud, do you
consider marriage failure"
I wanted to write as I felt. II wish
knew which it will be for me If /
settle this matter now" but Of course
I couldn't write that, so temporized.
and man who temporizes with the
girl he courts is lost-that is, if mar
riage is failure. / wrote, ut depends
upon whether one gets a good wife,
It's wonder she didn't laugh when
she saw what 1 had written, but she
didn't. This was a serious business.
"Don't you think that a one sided
view to take Of 1t ?" she said In soft
voice.
upon my word!'' exclaimed. I was
getting more and more ratified every
moment "I'll fix it," and wrote on
"but in this CASE I stopped again.
"What case?" she asked in the same
soft tone. ~
''Why, the case we were talking
weren't we talking about case? So
we weren't. How stupidv' IaoE
"Ohy' Isl
What convenient word and how a
girl can use it! I've since tried it my
self, but without the slightest effect.
Think Of man using it and with
out the softness Of voice, the surprise
in the eyes, the injured look about the
mouth. One might as we'll expect
woman to produce an effect by the use
of swear word. And yet this girl was
sharing me with it. ss
"You seem to think began and
paused. Yes, she thought, and she had
right to think, but what I was about
to say wouldn't help matters. She
didn't say "Oh!' I wished she would,
or anything to start me afresh. turn
ed to the book for q way ont "Whaf