Evening journal., 1909-06-26
II ReoIiS7fc
EnTroSpecfixje Tale.

buOWs OOhaiu IOhoJ lhc WIS NOAhiAb i
that evening to propose TO her. He
had not said this In so many words.
but he had been attentive to her for
long while and had said. This even
ing shall call to ask you a very i'm
portant question" There was but one
Of two explanations to the announce
ment--either he intended to propose
marriage or he was fool.
Was he fool? 1t had never before
occurred to her to ask such a question,
but, Miriam was girl who followed
things out to n logical conclusion.
Were her premises correctly laid? she
doubted II they were. Might he not
call, ask a very important question
other than the one she supposed and
yet not be a fool? What would con-
stitute a fool In his case? That he
was honorable she did not doubt
Could an honorable man be attentive
to a girl and make such statement
as he had made, leading her to suppose
that he intended to propose to her. yet
not meaning anything Of the kind,
without being q fooli
After all, what Is a fool?
Meanwhile Donald Forsythe was put
ting his sleeve buttons in cuffs fresh
from the laundry. They had been pol
lshed. not washed. Either the dirt had
been driven in or vanished over, for it
did not appear. The cuffs were as
white as snowhakes.
He. like Miriam, was thinking.
He had been graduated at two uni
vorsities in America and three in Eu-
rope. lie had delivered a lecture be-
fore the ladies' Of the Woman's club, OF
which Miriam Swift was secretary, on
the influence Of Egyptian Inscriptions
on certain Greek roots. His thoughts
were therefore on n plane with hers.
What view would she take Of his an
nouncenent that lie would call to ask
very important question? He was
putting on a sock when the proposition
occurred to him and, seeing q hole in
the heel, was diverted for a moment to
a different train OF thought-an unholy
train. But Forsythe was a man to fin
fish one subject before entering hxedly
on another His brain saw things as
through an inverted telescope, In
groups rather than as parts Of groups.
Would Miriam expect from the con-
ditions under which his announcement
was made that his question would EN-
body proposition Of marriage? Was
1t not possible that a man, even if he
had been attentive to a girl, might
make such an announcement and not
mean that he intended to ask her to be
his wife? He thought of many ques-
tlons that would not in any way refer
to love or marriage Therefore, if
Miriam expected that he would call for
the purpose OF making proposal
would she not be a fool?
His meditations were again diverted
temporarily at the discovery that there
was an ink stain on the bosom Of his
shirt. He was obliged to change the
shirt. after which he resumed his train
Of thought-this while he was putting
bit OF polish on bis boots.
Would the question as to Miriam
should she assume that he intended tC
ask her to be bis wife-be affected by
his intention? That is, If she assumed
It and he did not so intend, would she
be any more of q fool than she woult
be IL he did so intend? He divided tht
supposition into FIVE heads and wa:
disposing Of them consecutvely wher
he didn't hear the clock strike in tho
neighborlng church tower, for there
was neither clock nor tower near-h'
looked at his watch and saw that i
p was twenty-five minutes past 8. III
ed hastily finished his toilet and, boarding
w a trolley car, soon found himself a
Miriam's home
he Miriam as soon as she heard the rini
Gle OF the doorbell snatched a book OF
a.. psychology from the library and, hur
~ riedly seating herself by a table, unde
a light with a rose colored shade, hat
only time to open the book when he
lover entered She could not look NJ
from It, for she had not had time 4
look down at it. She looked at Don
aid. n sweet smile lowering about he
" lips.
= Don't RISE said Donald as sh'
made a move to do so. He seated him
AZ self in a blue damnsk and gold chair
- Miriam, who had a pronounced tast
for contrasting colors, had placed it il
position for him, since he was a blond
Then he opened the conversation.
This new theory from Germany,
INT he said, has upset all our psycholog
he ical platforms"
ell Miriam, who was expecting the al
he important question. had cast down he
sis eyes and seen that the book in her laI
'sl was upside down.
His words. under the circumstances
% were unfortunate Were they satirical
nd He saw color rising in her face an
ne fastened 10 correct the contretemps.
10 Il told you" he said, when say
you last that would call tonight I
be ask a very important question"
en- She bent her head over the book. Sh
"a did not turn the volume right side VI
an Was she distrait or did she hope tha
IL he might not have seen that it was II
=, rertedg
-, Il wish you would tell me-" he cor
a tinued. whether. according TO the doc
he trine OF categorical syllogisms, It ca
be proved that a woman who assume
M that man loves her before he has e,
on plicitly told her so Is a fool"
IS There was a long pause, while MI
te. iam's bosom heaved in sudden swell
m 'mra at wide intervals. Then her answe
came:
st~r~i..- -...r4s... 49,. - =. ~. -.