Pocahontas star herald., 1911-05-26
THEIR
ARGUMENT


81 think you are particularly silly
to-day, Billy" she declared. 81
wouldn't have agreed to let you ride
into town with me this morning II ]
had known you we're going to talk
such nonsense"
Let me demonstrate with you for
trying to take these corners on the
fy," meekly retaliated Billy. you
have a habit Of confusing your cleo
trio with an aviation machine. How
ever, to come back to the subject at
issue, ! have never before talked quite
80 well or so seriously In my life as
] did just a moment ago. As l have
covered the same ground on numer-
GUS occasions before, perhaps It is
Just as well to let me down at the
next suburban station"
"Oh, no" said Hortense, noncha-
lantly. IT'S really very warm day
to ride in on the train, and besides
you missed the last express while
you waited for me to have the cleo
trio brought around. | hate to take
the run in alone anyway. You know,
Billy, 1t isn't that ! don't care for
you lot-a big lot. ! just cant
think of being engaged to any one
person. There are others who need
my friendship and advice"
81 see" remarked Billy dryly. you
might manage little arrangement
whereby you could be engaged to Tom
on Wednesdays, to Jim on Fridays
and to me on Sundays"
Don't be fiippant," commanded
Hortense, turning a corner at an an
gle that caused Billy's hair to stand
on end.
"You see," she went on, pensively,
IL really feel that | owe something
to those who are dependent upon me
for my advice and inspiration. Tom
has just got into corporation law and
he says that ! have helped untangle
some of the knottiest cases he has
had. Not directly, of course, but just
by my interest and encouragement.
II / were to become engaged to you,
Billy, could no longer help Tom and
keep a record of his failures and sue
cesses. When he wins a case. ! use
red pencil to make record with,
and when he loses a case ! use a
black one"
How interesting" commented Bill
ly. From what I've seen and heard
infer that your red pencil had not
been worn down very much"
81 hate Jealous men," remarked /
Hortense. Besides, it isn't just Tom.
There is Kenneth. TOO. He is up
here doing engineering work and
every time he loses his temper and
tries TO run the manager he tele-
phones me and think up a nice lit
tie sisterly talk to give him when he
comes down. He says he benefits
wonderfully by my calm. even dispo-
sition and cool, logical views. He is
southerner, you know, and they
have such tempers, don't you think
so?"
Il should say they do" agreed Billy.
"In fact, temper takes the place of
brains with some men that | could
mention"
Il have near me now a most strik-
ing example of that sort" retorted
Hortense, showing her dimples.
There's another thing, Billy. II
did become engaged to you ! should
be dreadfully exacting should
want you to give up your clubs, and
! should run away every time you
talked about baseball and prize fights.
You know, | hate all those things
You would have to talk about grand
opera and higher education and
and domestic science and all sorts
of things that you don't know any.
thing about. You would hate me in
a week, wouldn't you, Billy?"
"Ill take chances on that any time,
returned Billy. 81 can buy the libret
tos and read up on grand opera and
have a college degree tucked away
somewhere that | could haul out
Then l can cook and sew on buttons
really remarkably well. In fact, com
ing down to specific comparison Of
tastes and ideas in common, l appear
to be the one man in the world fol-
you. You can see that youreslf"
Were almost in town." said Hor
, tense, hurriedly Would you ge
white poplin or pique to pipe a Law
ender dress?"
why, If were the sweetest littl,
girl in the world-which you are
should turn down this next street anC
go to a certain jewelry shop and le
a certain man have the third finge
of the left hand sized for"
But l have loads of shopping I,
do" demonstrated Hortense with yer,
red cheeks, "and you are late for tn,
Office, and, anyhow, it is all very silly
and know you will be sorry and re
gret il"
You have passed by the street
=, asked you to turn down." remarked
Billy In a quietly restrained voice.
Then, being tactful man, he wa
, silent as Hortense's little hand on tn,
steering bar of the electric slowl,
turned the machine around.
Curious Seismic Phenomenon