Middletown transcript., 1911-04-01
By INA BREYooRT ROBERTS

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a matter -of-fact, tone. Of all the
= l wonder if that girl knows
what a poor sort of man he is?
Max's companion made no
reply to this speech, but chanc-
ing to look at her, he saw that
her lips were tightly pressed
together.
l beg your pardon, he said,
ccntritely.
That wasn't nice of me, was it
to try and get you to discuss
the affairs of the people you
work for?
The girls face relaxed, and
she smiled as she answered: Oh,
it does not matter. People who
have money must expect to be
discussed, I suppose.
A silence followed which was
broken only by the faint splash
ing Of the fountain in the hall.
Max was intention his exposures
and his companion, who had re-
turned to her chair, appeared to
be absorbed in a book.
l wish Maisie could see this
house! Max cried suddenly.
The girl looked up quickly.
Who is Maisie? she asked.
Max's face grew red under his
fair skin; he had spoken without
stopping to think. Maisie is
he began in blundering way;
she is the girl I am engaged to,
he ended bravely. The shyness
in his manner, in such contrast
to his former easy assurance,
seemed to amuse and please his
companion.
So you are going TO be married,
too9 she said, smiling at him.
No, I am not going to be
married for a long while yet,
Max answered, ruefully. I only
wish I were. But there's no
such luck.
Doesn't she want to be married
yet?
Yes, but we've got to wait.
WhyH The girls voice was
full of interest.
Too poor, Max answered,
laconically. We must wait till l
get my salary raised and save up
something for rainy day. Can't
live on love, you know.
The girls face grew Wistful.
Sometimes I think l should. like
to try, she said.
Max laughed. 1t wouldn't
work. You can't enjoy life when
you're worrying about money
all the time. But, after all, he
continued to his own affairs, it
does not really cost such a lot to
keep house, and Maisie is first
rate manager. If l only had |
more saved up, we would not be
actually obliged to wait for the
raise. It makes me mad when /
think of all the money l wasted
before l knew Maisie. l tell
you, it takes girl like her to
take the nonsense out of a fellow.
Now, just to show you the kind
Of girl she is, he went on, she is
crazy about diamonds. So I made
up my mind not to propose to
her until | had saved enough to
Guy her a solitaire ring. When
had fifty dollars (you can get a
very fair stone for that nova
days, you know I asked her to
marry me, and after she had said
Yes we went together to get the
ring. And what do you think
that girl did? Picked out plain
moon-stone and fatty refused to
have any diamond. She said
diamonds were a foolish extrava-
gance for people like us, and l
must put the money away toward /
furnishing our fat. Now, what
do you think Of that? Max looked
at his companion as if challeng-
ing her to cite an instance of
greater heroism.
1 thlnk MalSIe is girl worth
having.
Well, she has made a man of
me, declared Max, and III wager
that's more than the girl who
lives here can do with her prince.
In fact, I don't believe she'll
even try. All girls are not like
Max's companion had risen
and was staring into the fire.
place, where the flames Of the
gas log leapt and curled. You
are right, she said; all girls are
not like Maisie. But perhaps
she will try, she added, softly,
and then went away without
waiting to say goodbye.
Max looked after her retreat.
ing figure with a perplexed face.