Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-04-23
Decline and
Fail

Il don't like that beau of yours, the
one who called last night, Mertie."
said the young woman's grandmother,
who had come on visit. Il don't take
to him at ALI"
"Why, the ideal" exclaimed her
granddaughter in surprise. Mr.. Jar
gers is one of the most popular men
l know! He's asked everywhere and
if he pays any attention to a girl ev
cry one takes her up. Of course he's
older than just a mere boy, but I'm
sure he is well bred and entertaining
and"
"He can be all that" interrupted
her relative, land even then | sha'n't
want to welcome him as a member of
the family! It's because he reminds
me so of Artemus Milkins-I guess
you never heard of him. Artemus
was one of the best-looking young
men in two states and all the girls
were crazy about him. They were al
ways getting into quarrels over Arte.
mus, and they watched one another as
cats watch mice, waiting to see which
way they were going to jump, be-
cause they were so afraid they'd get
beaten out when it came to marrying
him.
"Artemus must have had wonderful
endurance and a constitutional disre-
gard for sleep, for otherwise he never
could have stood up under all the din.
ho1 oth
frivolities to which he was asked.
Once when he had the grip and stay.
ed away from party it was just ruin.
ed, for the girls all went home early.
There wasn't house in town where
the mother wasn't more than willing
to sit up nights finishing her daugh-
ter's new frock if Artemus was going
to take the girl anywhere.
Naturally after a few years the
first crowd of girls gave up and mar
ried lesser lights, but there always
was a new crop of girls for Artemus
to be the idol of, and, tell you, they
burned incense!
''He kept getting handsomer, too.
After a girl has been out ten years
she may be pretty and all that, but
she hasn't the charm of youth that is
so fetching. With a man 1t is differ
ent. A man keeps right on being
good-looking and popular and when
they begin calling him one Of the
bachelors it really adds tone to him.
Fancy its adding tone to girl when
they begin referring to her as one
of the older crowd!
Everybody wondered why Artemus
didn't marry and settle down, but
knew it was because he was having
too good a time. What's the use of ty-
ing yourself down to one slave when
you can just as well have twenty or
more?
We'll for years and years Artemus
was our most popular bachelor. an in
stitution, an aggravation, a sighed-for
prize, an ornament to our parties. His
decline was very gradual and unno
ticeable. l don't think any of us no
ticed it for a long time after Artemus
did. l presume when the tailor added |
five inches to the girth of his new
dress suit waistband it made Artemus |
sit up at last and take notice and |
think.
when man thinks he grows senti. |
mental. Artemus decided it was time |
for him to get married He must |
have enjoyed lining up the girls and |
selecting the favored one, because he |
picked out the youngest and prettiest
of that years debutantes and very
gently and kindly informed her that
she could marry him. You see, we
heard all about these things, because
nobody felt it breach of confidence
to talk about Artemus' doings.
at must have been a shock to Arte-
mus when Inez failed to burst into