The Yale expositor., 1912-02-22
Middle Aged
:: :: Courtship
By ALEXANDER d. CHASE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1871.

TWO Younger ones. You. my ut5I
nephew. have received my consent
and You. Cecile. have obtained the
same from your aunt. | will take
care OF you. and the baroness will
probably not he lacking In gifts"
Il certainly will do MY part" said
the baroness.
Uncle" said the young man joy
ously. You are one OF natures as well
rs one Of the nations noblemen."
"Aunty," said The girl, 81 shall en-
deavor to hc worthy OF your kind
ness"
The young couple strolled off into
another or the suit OF rooms, leaving
the older ones together.
Mature AZ we'll as history" said the
marquis. repeats itself. Do you re-
member the day we received your ia
TIERS blessing"
Perfectly, and how joyous l was
Then when the trouble between Ms
came was in despair. L did not know
it was a blessing in disguise"
"How do you know it was bless
ing?"
From friends who have married
and been miserable. can count them
OH my fingers. There's Elise" putting
the forefnger of her left hand on the
little finger OF her right, land Annette
and Fanchette"-
Yes, and among my friends L can
annnt many who lrn CnnramQly
happy"
The romance fades
But it gives place to an enduring
affection"
These young people who have just
left us will keep up pretense or de-
ferrlng to each other till the day after
they return from their wedding tour;
then they will begin to quarrel"
But they will gradually grow near
er and dearer to each other. They will
wrangle, but that is because each
knows the other will endure such
wranglings from a mate"
"But there are those whose quarrels
grow more and more violent"
'They are but small proportion of
the whole"
"Ah, marquis, you have been con-
yerted too late. You are not old, but
too old to feel love based on compan-
ionship."
"First love l have passed through.
Unfortunately fate did not permit in
my case the succeeding state. / have
been, as It were, in n condition of sus-
pense."
She cast her eyes TO the floor.
Whose fault was it," she asked.
"Fate's. said fate prevented. did |
tween II boy and girl who love. | was
young. and did not understand you.
Lovers need 10 be tied together to pre-
vent their flying apart. Marriage
does that. once married, they have TO
learn 10 bear with each other. And
when the child comes there is another
reason why they must not fly apart.
Married and with child. disunion is
frightful. They will endure real
wrongs rather than that"
And think OF the absurdity that
caused us TO fly apart!
81 have forgotten what it was"
1--WE were playing tennis"
81 remember"
"a ball sent you you claimed to be
foul"
"Now recollect."
81 accused you Of purposely seeing
wrong"
$50 you did,
"And you told me you were not in
the habit of being accused OF cheat
ing."
"That's right Go on"
81 threw down my racket and, with
my nose in the air. marched off the
court"
"Ah, yes. | have it now, and l said
to myself, Il don't want a wife who
acts like that"
"And from then till now not word
OF love has passed between u.s."
"How stupid"
"We should have been whipped and
ordered to make up like children"
mere WAS SHUT SileuCe DetWeeH
them, broken by the marquis.
Something of more substance than
love drives me to marriage.
Youth having passed, need compan-
ionship. Had I a companion I could
bear great deal from her"
And children"
For their sake l would bear any
thing"
"If you, n man, would bear anything
for the dear little ones, how would it
be with the woman who is much near
er to them than the MANI
1T is not too late
YES: it is too late"
"No. shall we risk it?'
She smiled
"What amuses your
"rhe difference between this court.
ship and our former one"
"And trust our relationship shall
not be broken 10y tennis ball. See
that young rascal i'm there? He Is
stealing his arm around your niece's
waist. lie is imprinting a kiss on her
lips"
you are crushing the flowers in my
rorsage"
"And takinr tho dau From vour