The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-10-18
TAKING HIS
TIME

Bobby knew he would marry Beth
eventually He had known IL for y
yeai~-eyer since that night Beth un-
expectedly passed through the door.
way where he was lazily leaning, wait.
ing for something interesting to hap
pen f@f
who IL she?" asked Bobby. sud
denly alert
MY cousin Beth" said the hostess.
Introduce me at once" said Bobby.
Il want to ask her to marry me-"
The hostess laughed. She was used
to Bo5by's extrayaganees.
Bobby met Beth later In the even.
ing, Her eyes shone on him mis-
chievously and her mouth curved as II
she expected to laugh at any moment.
Are you going to ask me to marry
you at once" she inquired OF him
sweetly
{ Bobby smiled. Il am glad you over.
heard what | said to your cousin" he
replied Now you are prepared for
the inevitable"
That was a year ago and the in.
evtable, in the shape Of a proposal OF
marriage from Bobby, had not come
He knew he would become engaged to
her eventually, but for the time being
things were very comfortable Just as
they were
He monopolized Beth's evenings
when she stayed at home. He was
her constant escort when she was
out He felt all the satisfaction Of
proprietorship Still he was not bound
He could come and go as he pleased.
He took time for his club. He could
pass an occasional leisurely evening
at home with his pipe
One night, however, he met with re-
verses. lIeth wore a cream lace gown
that night and--was ravishing. They
had been invited to meet an eastern
man who was being introduced to q
good many persons That is to say.
he was introduced until he met the
cream lace gown containing Beth
Then he courteously declined to he In
troduced any further. lie remained
beside the cream lace gown for the
rest Of the evening
You had every appearance Of liking
It,, said Bobby in rage az he was
taking Beth home.
= did like It very much | have
asked him to come to see me"
For some time after that Bobbys
club knew him not Until the eastern
man departed he passed no leisurely
evenings at home with his pipe. In
fact, the eastern man gave Bobby
what is sometimes called a run for
his money
II am glad he's gone.n acknowledged
hobby one evening about week after
the eastern man had departed.
Are your" said Beth softly Then
am glad too
But Bobby did not take warning
from the eastern man. When Beth
said that soft little Then am glad
too" he did not ask her 10 marry kim
and save him further alarms lie onls
relaxed, With great tranquility of soul
and continued to monopolize her even
ings when she stayed at home. to be
her constant escort when she went
out, 10 give the world to understand
that she was his propertyto be very
comfortable, In word, with the idea
| OF eventually asking her to marry him
Bobby took fishing trip For six
weeks he fished He did not write
to Beth very often; It was too hard to
write when one was roughing IT,
Il should have to write her every
day II we were engaged thought
Bobby
He sent her his biggest catch, how.
ever, and felt considerable surprise
and some resentment when she did
not write enthusiastically TO thank
him.
AT eight o'clock the first night after
Bobby's return he rushed up Beth's
front steps. He wanted to see her
very badly He had been gone sin
weeks.
Beth's mother was sitting alone IN
the porch. .'..
How is BETH" eagerly asked Bob.
by. And where is she?"
"She was married last night" said
Beths mother, quietly. "They left on
late train, They are going abroad
| for their honeymoon"
| Married" exclaimed Bobby dully
Married."
| TT was all very sudden Beth met
him the week you left He was er
ceedingiy eager. Think of IT. Mar
ried six weeks after they first saw
each other"
Tears stood In Beth's mothers eyes
She was not thinking Of Bobby Sh,
was wishing that daughters did no
have to grow up and get married,
| Alone in HIS room that Eight Robb,
smoked long and hard. He thought %
many things When he finally SHOOT
the last ashes out of his pipe he safe
one word to himself
Fool" said Bobby.
He was feeling very wretched Chi