The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-03-19

i
"Tom. old man, I've done it again J!
| The old voice was so tragic, anu 'ne
| ASPECT Of the figure uttering the ABOVE
remark so ludicrously pathetic that
Tom Wendover first stared sympa.ne.-
ically, and then burst into laugh.
You don't mean to say you've pro-
posed to another grip
The other nodded miserably.
II can't help it. Each time, de-
clare l will never be such an ass again,
| but no sooner do l find myself IN
secluded corner with pretty girl tnan
the talk begins to grow confidential
and before | know what 1 am doing,
have proposed"
"And you're sensible in business and
all other matters, too, Dick" interpOsed
Tom sadly.
1T isn't as If 1 were a cold-blooded
firt and meant to do it," Dick went on.
Nothing is further from my 1nten-
lions at the beginning of an evening,
and nobody could be more unhappy five
minutes afterward, but when the pro-
pitious moment arrives, propose ev-
cry time. I've made up my mind it's
a monomania- hereditary"
Hardly hereditary" laughed Tom,
as vision Of the stern and puritanic
countenance of Dicks father rose be-
fore him. "And yet, one can't always
tell" he added refiectively. And the
girls-do any Of them accept you?"
"They haven't so far, thank Heaven ;
but 1 suppose it's just possible that one
Of them might sometime, and then we
would live miserably ever after"
"Monomanias are often cured" OBJ
served Tom.
'Some are incurable," said Dick
gloomily.
Dick, old man, will give you
prescription. No cure, no pay. Fall
In love-"
Him." grunted Dick.
when there is a girl that you don't
have to be trapped into a romantic
nook to make you propose to her-when
there Is girl that you would cross the
ocean just to catch glimpse of, and
could tell her you loved her If she had
dab Of flour on her nose and her hair
done up In curl-papers- then, Dick, and
not until then" he continued dramatic
ally, will you be cured!"
I'm other words, my eyes being out,
you would have ME jump into the bram-
ble-bush a little deeper to get them
In again. That reminds me of the
homeopathic doctrine that like cures
like But it's useless. 1 intend to alb
jure society. I shall spend my spare
time at the club, and my vacations
hunting and fishing"
And thus it happened that the par
lors and the piazzas that had known
Mr.. Richard Elton, knew him no more.
If he happened to meet any of the
ladies Of his set" he bowed politely
and hurried on, as if the cares of the
whole business world rested heavily on
his shoulders.
One evening several weeks after the
above conversation, Dick, having won
several games Of billiards at the club,
sat amiably chatting with his opponent.
who happened to be Tom Wendover.
After the merits of the different games
had been discussed, the talk drifted to
trips and vacations.
II haven't decided where to 20 this
year." said Dick. do you know of
any place where there is a little hunt
ing and fishing?"
That 1 do" exclaimed Tom. "My
w1fe's folks have cottage up in Can
ada. I'm going there myself in a
week, and I'd like it first-rate II you'd
come along with me-"
"Any-society inquired Dick dubi-
ously.
mo, it's quiet as a tomb where our
people live. You can have society.
though plenty of it, If you want
There's hotel about two miles from
u.s."
You know my sentiments about SO
ciety, Tom,' said Dick.
A week later, Tom and Dick landed
the little steamer at the head Of one Of
the Canadian lakes. Toms wife met
tnem at the dock, and they drove over
TWO or three miles to the cottage.
Here Is young man, Kate" said
Iom' on the way, who is stated with
the empty shams of society-who longs
TO return to nature and lead the simple
life"
You have come to the right place,
l think, Mr.. Elton" said Mrs. Wend-
over. And you are very welcome"
Nothing to do but hunt and fish,
lounge and read and eata regular In
dams LIFE" observed Tom