The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-07

e .H i s.
Ermyntrude rose with an air Of
Great dignity: Il don't understand
your manner, T1ary." she said. But
since you harsks me. I'll leave you to
think 1t hover. But you'd better not
try to plye no tricks on me, 'Ilary. for.
the lor is the Tor. Good hafternoon.r
She left the room with extraordi-
snary dignity, but rather spoiled fine
exit by banging the door after her.
Mr.. Hilary Vance sank into creaking
chair, buried his face in his hands, and
groaned, Good heavens, Pollyooly,
what have done?"
III don't know, cir. said Pollyooly
politely. Don't you want to marry
herr"
Marry that little cat? Mol" bel
lowed Mr.. Hilary Vance.
Pollyooly reflected carefully for q
minute or two: then she said with the
air of sage: Then / don't think
you'd better, sir. don't think she'd
make comfortable wife,
Comfortable wife! Shed blight me!
Shed blast every inspiration! That
girl has the nature OF hyena! Il
know tim sure Of it," cried Mr..
Hilary SduCS.
Then you mustn't marry her. sir"
said Pollyooly.
But what am to do?" cried MI.
Vance.
Pollyooly thought again: then she
said: Il should go on with my work.
sir. Then you won't think about It."
Mr. Hilary Vance raved that he
would think about it till his dying
day, that his artistic powers were for
ever destroyed. that he would never be
able to work again. Then he got to
his easel; and in ten minutes, under
the inspiration of Pollyooly's face, he
had forgotten the calamity and was
working steadily. At tea, with the
Lump on his knee, he was inconceiv-
ably bitter on the subject OF the pit
falls which beset the path Of the ar
tist
Soon after tea came Mr.. James.
At the sight of him Mr.. Hilary
Vance sprang to his feet and cried,
How could you let me? You call
yourself my friend; how could you let
me?''
Have you repented already?" said
Mr.. James coolly.
"Repented? knew nothing abou,
it. Last night was blank to me, save
for some glorious visions. Then tina,
girl-my old modef-Ermyntruds
came and told me that had proposed
marriage to her"
Mr.. James laughed hearty, but I'M
sympathetic laugh, and said, "You
were extraordinarily funny last night.
I've never known you more romantic.
And all the while you were making an
egregious fool of yourself, you were
more ineffably solemn than Solomon
In all his glory. Ermyntrude's friends
will be able to swear conscientiously
to the entire seriousness Of your pro-
posal of marriage"
Why didn't you stop met You call
yourself my friend" walled Mr.. Hilary
Vance
Stop you? Why, you were superb!
From the endearments you lavished on
the young lady, | gathered that your
vocabulary is the largest an impas-
stoned lover ever possessed. Stop you?
Check the idealist In his fights?
Never! Besides. you would fill your.
self up with that gas. BY Jove, 1t
did stimulate your imagination"
"Oh, what a fool was, What am
! to do?" groaned Mr.. Hilary Vance.
II | marry this girl. my life Is
blighted."
1T is. And 1t seems that she has
a tremendous case against you. You've
paid her all kinds Of attentions
you've given her flowers-you took her
to music halls. What on earth did you
do that for?"
"Shn'a fvna--a WON darf,,I t,,,n
the soul Of the sums"
But II must have bored you to ex-
tinction."
"Oh. 1t did. But how could l draw
the people of the slums without know
Ing their soul? I'm an artist, James
"a conscientious artist" Z,
And now you'll be conscientious
defendant in breach Of promise
case" said Mr.. James.
Horrible. Horrible! Thank heay.
en- the river is at hand,' cried Mr.. Hill
ary Vance.