The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-09

second engagement being broken, If you go on doing this sort of thing, trying to please every man who happens to fall in love with you, and then begins to as- sert his authority, you will endure the grinding torments of the tortured. Fancy giving up one's coquetry for the sake of MT. Smith, and one's animation because mayhap MT. Jones doesn't happen to like animated people-yet he fell in love with that very animation. Why. at that rate one would indeed play many parts"
 T think you are quite right" observed Gretchen, to whom experience was now teaching that men love women, knowing their faults yet in spite of them. Tn fact. it's the woman who should train the man she loves to consider her faults admir- able, isn't it?'
 ''The greatest combination of coquetry and religion" Is the way I heard prim, set old bachelor describe the wom- an whose brown eyes had brought him to her feet.
 Such a combination, I imagine, could do almost anything" Gretchen replied seriously.
 , Well, I heard clever woman talking not long ago. I remarked, land she said that her husband imagined he had changed her completely from the woman he had married, and that she just les him go right on thinking so, since it
  talking about gentleness being womans crowning virtue and the housekeepers role being the noblest on earth; and keep just as stealthily on. going to card parties and making big bills and having the loveiiest frocks. all of which he cheer fully approves and never seems to know that his text is not being needed" Your friend Is an exceptional woman," said Gretchen
 Not at all," I replied sShe is very human and knows how to manage men. She says she doesn't in the least approve of all her husband does and says, but she never lets him know, for, as She de- clares, he is a perfect dear and love him with every one of his faults, which, after all, are nothing more nor less than virtues in disguise
 Which precept I shall certainly try to follow if I ever get married" said Gretchen.
 "I have a dear friend,' I continued, 'who one afternoon recently, when we had spent several hours together, both of us plying our needles assiduously over some Christmas work. promptly got up at 5 o'clock and showed everything out of the way and said:
 "'Come with me while I dress for din ner'
 " Oh, don't let's stop so early" I begged
 T must she explained emphatically. John will be here shortly and I never let him see me sewing. don't think it's good for him and If he sees ma bend ing over the needle he will know me just as am-as the hard working mother of my family-and my charm for him will soon be gone. No, there must be some illusions left in married life. and I, for one, do not propose that mine shall be champagne with the sparlSles left out.
 And so she went to her boudoir and put on the prettiest Of fluffy ruffles and made herself just as lovely and fasci hating as she could, and when her hus- band came home ne ir was who turned to me and said:
 Isn't she the prettiest, youngest. freshest looking girl you ever saw to be the mother of those four great oig stal- wart boys of ours?' ' T am glad you told me all these things sighed poor little Gretchen.
 ''They may or may not be good for everybody" I replied. But it's my opin- ion that the very pretty little, fat, fluffy, rosy-cheeked wife who appears indolent and helpless-appears, mind you, I said is the most successful. For, after all, It is not what woman Is, but what she makes the man of her choice think she is, that counts-Colonel Harvey to the contrary. notwithstanding.