The Washington herald., 1908-03-29
BACHELOR GIRL CHAT
THE GREAT FEMININE BLUFF
THE GREAT FEMININE BLUFF.

Mere Man. before you began to coddle
me. and"
Yes" agreed the Bachelor Girl. Il
mad that lonely feeling. But it's gone,
and .she looked around the room as If in
search Of IT,
Man.
"oh." the Bachelor Girl soaked the
| handkerchief again. thoughtfully. like
a great black bogie, that came the min
ute the lights were out every night and
sat on the foot Of my bed and grinned
at me; like horrid dream. or the Desert
or Sahara, or starvation, or a bad con-
science. or something that jumps at you
in the dark. Did you ever run away from
home. Mr.. Porter. when you We're a very
! little boy2"
! The Mere Man nodded understa adiugly.
And DO you remember how fine you
thought it. just 10 see what the great, big
world was like. and to be able 20 do any
thing you pleased, from picking up tosds
and spiders TO killing worms? And how
perfectly happy you were until il began
TO get dark and you got hungry, and the
toads began 10 croak at YOU, ard the
spiders 20 glare at you, and the worms
toto"
Yes" urged the Mere Man. helpfully
what did the worms dor
"Oh. they didn't seem worta killing"
finished the Bachelor Girl. witt. a weary
gesture. well. that's the way a girl
feels when she finds herself all alone. and
the enthusiasm has worn off her hopes
and the edge is off her excitement. and
she discovers how very big the world IS
and how very little she is. and that strug-
Cling Tor success or living all by your
self is like crossing Broadway at the
crowded hours without q nice. big DO
iceman TO guide you.
And that when you get on the other
side. rejoned the Mere Man, that's all
you have done. and its no better than the
place you left"
And that getting there in life is all
right for man" pursued the Bachelor
Girl. because he's got 10 get there. but
that it's no better than staying there for
a girl"
And that picking up a living is like
picking up toads; II becomes disgusting
as soon as It ceases to be privilege and
becomes "a necessity"
Yes sighed the Bachelor Girl. poking
the cologne-soaked handkerchief in the
Mere Mans eve in her abstraction, I'm
glad it's all over now and that I'm going
10 marry YOU and
And 10 share your troubles"
Don't YOU darer' cried the Mere Man.
rising and walking excitedly to the man
telpiece. I asked YOU to share my in
come and my good luck but you haven't
been invited To-"
Are you going TO stop asking me to
marry YOU" demanded the Bachelor Girl.
the minute there's something TO marry
you for?''
something 10 marry me f0rr'
"Of course" The Bachelor Girl waved
the cologne bottle impatiently "If we
never had anything but good luck and
happiness and success and money and
pleasures. there wouldn't be any excuse
for marriage. You can always find plenty
OF people 10 share those with. but you've
got to have somebody tied TO you 10 share
your troubles and your bad tempers and
your blues and your sorrows with That's
what matrimOny is for-just 20 have
somebody in the boat with YOU when you
go down; just TO have company in mis-
cry; just 10 have love and human COM
Danionship when you haven't got any /
thing else in the world. Being rich to- !
gether isn't any better than being rich 1
alone; but being poor together is whole /
heap more comfortable than being poor
and alone and Stop, Stop You're (
making me spill all this cologne"
Spill IL, Spill it," cried the Mere Man 4
deliriously. as he snatched her in his /
arms. Who cares where the cologne 4
goes. when everythings sweet already |
an"
But what will I do with my studio?" |
cried the Bachelor Girl protestingly.
Wen use il for a-nursery." replied \
the Mere B1aH reCklessly.
And my genius?"
Use il TO invent new kinds OF break
fast foods
And my aTt?"
Use It TO em6ro:der waistcoasts-and |
bibs."
And my pianoy'
Exchange il for cook stove"
And my latch-key?"
Give il 10 me-"
"What?"
For a wedding present"
The Bachelor Girl sighed as she drew !
the key from her pocket and held it UP |
by the little red string.
''Good-by. dear little bluff" she said 1
softly, with her head on the Mere Mans /
shoulder.