Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1908-01-04
HO SeI Ibe
Shared Him.


should do next "Oh, know" and she
ran into the house and brought out a
book, On the left page were Il number
of printed questions; on the right,
blank spaces in which to write the an
swers. 1t was impossible to determine
which were the more stupid, the ques-
tons or the answers that had been
written In it. The book was about
half filled, the writer's having been
both masculine and feminine.
l ran my eye down the column of
questions, such as what is your fa.
yorite color? Your fayorite proverb?
Your ageW When | came to the last
| paused and asked if 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. / went on down the list
as life worth living?' Think of that
to be answered by people from sixteen
to twenty-six as most of those who
had filled in the answers were. What
is your present thought" | paused
again and began to write, "That the
man who She stopped me.
Don't write anything disagreeable.
l won't have my book spoiled"
l had intended to write, "The man
who got up this book did so for idiots
and to fill his pocket at their expense"
Instead l wrote, THE man who is
asked to write in this book should feel
highly complimented."
That's very nice" she said. 81
know how cynical you are, and I
feared you were going to put in some
thing horrid"
My second thought was that | had
narrowly escaped making an ass of
myself
| went on down the list and paused
at What is your ambition 2" These
questions were goading me to ruin,
and again | came near making a SIP.
| started in to write ITO drink all the
champagne there is in the world" but
caught myself when l had written
ITO drink and finished dew from
your sweet lips" l had no sooner
written this, which l had considered
a high flown compliment, when 1 real
lied that it was tantamount to decla-
ration. She was looking over my
shoulder, and to get Il glimpse of her
face l turned my head My beard
came III contact with the almost invisi-
bic down on her cheek.
oh" she exclaimed.
Excuse me-" / said.
The glimpse l got satisfied me that
l had stepped off the river bottom and
must swim. l was startled at the dis
covery, had never been before beyond
my depth and an Indifferent swimmer
at that. Still l confess | had been pad
ding around the girl who was about to
well, to drown me. She says I'm
cynical, and l suppose | am, though I
am somewhat eXcusable in this in
stance, for the word drown" carries
out my smile. | struck out wildly.
THAT won't do" said, sin a book to
be seen by any and every body. They
might Think meanwhile it's true
it's-shall l scratch it out?"
"Ohw
This was no reply to my question,
but it expressed a lot Others may not
understand what it meant, but l did
| was ratified l made a dash for the
next question and read aloud, do you
consider marriage Il failure?"
wanted to write as l felt Il wish
| knew which it will be for me If
settle this matter now" but of course
l couldn't write that, so [ temporiZed.
ana man who temporizes with the
girl he courts is lost-that is, if mar
rage is failure. l wrote, ut depends
upon whether one gets a good wife"
It's wonder she didn't laugh when
she saw what l had written, but she
didn't. This was Il serious business.
Don't you think that one sided
view to take of it," she said in soft
voice
Upon my word" l exclaimed. | was
getting more and more ratified every
moment III fix it," and l wrote on
but In this case l 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 stupidw
"Ohw
What a 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,
You seem to think"- l began and
paused Yes. she thought and she had
Il right to think, but what l was about
10 say wouldn't help matters. She
tidn't say "Oh" ! wished she would.
or anything TO start me afresh. turn
ed TO the book for a way out. What
Is your fayorite method OF proposalT