The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-12-24

nation.
Il told Lady Passay he wouldD's be
amenable to bullying" was thG only
response, but she hasn't an} tact.
The other way was far the best, and
much more interesting"
began to feel sorry for the cisen.
gagged girl, and said so. Tact"
added, is a very good word, but it's
apt to be misplaced. And why did
Lady Passay interfere? Was Johnny
friend of her childhood as well?"
Mrs. Berkeley Dexter did not re,
spond directly. ITS not as If he cared
two pins for the girl" she argued, nor
she for him. She tricked him into
the engagement, and thought it would
be a good match. Absurd"
ION your own showing,"I pursued
"the entire matter was most discred
liable, not to say improper!"
Mrs. Dexter made variant effort to
retain her dignity. II beg your par.
don," she said, coldly, ION my part, at
any rate, quite properly improper"
"And, of course, you told Berkeley
all about it?"
She turned on me with a cotnter
question. why don't you get mar.
ried yourself?" she asked, "or, at least
engaged?"
with people like you and Lady Pas
say about?" l calculated, heaven for
bid!"
81 should be very kind to you,'
smiled Mrs. Berkeley Dexter.
THE time for that" said l, fs pant ;
AS spoke, my eye fell and rested on
bowl of roses that stood on an nd
jacent table. l leaned forward. 1T
used to be your favorite flower"
murmured, as l selected a fine Gloire
de Dijon, and laid it beside her hand
How well you remember!" Mrs
Dexter gave the suspicion of sigh.
Remembrance isn't taxed" l told
her, except perhaps with regret, and
sometimes, perhaps, with little sur
prise. We are growing old gradually
but surely"
And We ought to use our experience
for the benefit of our friends, oughtn't
we?" was Mrs. Dexter's sweet rejoind
er. (which was precisely what
thought when l heard that poor
Johnny was so unhappily engaged
Lady Passay said he was most awfully
miserable"
HE doesn't show up very WE'LL"
commented. "Why on earth couldn't
he manage his own affairs and moi
allow couple of women to interfere
You might ask him."
Il don't think SHALL" said Mrs
Dexter.
You're afraid"
I'm not. Only, you see, he doesnr
think did interfere; he thinks he
did it all himself"
HE ought to go back into pima
fores and leading strings-a man
Pooh!"
Great men are not always wise,
retorted Mrs. Dexter. "He would have
been more difficult in pinafores. Dom
you know your sex YETI"
rose to take my leave.
IT'S very sordid," l remarked, as
held out my hand, "but, after all, the
lady is to be congratulated-on hel
escape. She would have beer
wretched."
You don't really think so?"
I'm convinced of it. And what are
you going to do now?"
"I'm not quite sure" hesitated Mrs
Dexter, there are just the usua
things going on, and I'm really rather
popular as hostess, with always &
spare place for an old friend. Why
not consider an early weekend
Berkeley would be delighted"
and Johnny"
"Oh, Johnny" Mrs. Dexter's tone
consigned Johnny to everlasting obliv
ion. Didn't tell you just now how
perfectly good could be if there were
no other women in the world? Well
| could. But when you have lot o.
worry, and go out Of your way to be
kind to childhood's friend, and ther
wake up one day to find you've mere
ly been made cat's-paw of, it's hare
very hard. I've had a letter from
Johnny to say that next week he's
going to marry Lady Passay, an(
they've had the audacity to invite
me to the wedding. Me! And they'll
be awfully disappointed if l don't go
they say. l always said that woman
hadn't any tact!"
The opportunity was irresistible
"Out of the fullness of the heart the
mouth speaketh,' I murmured. "Dit
you want him yourself?"