The Marshall republican., 1912-10-04
She Had the
Habit

little table. II don't know whether ]
q explain II to you because 1t Ia
kind of involved"
"Tn have to 20 back to the time
when I was fourteen and Willie had
Just looked upon my horizon. II
thought he was the handsomest boy
the bene6cent powers above had ever
permitted TO glorify the earth. Efie
Snow, who was In love with the boy
who delivered groceries, and I used
to quarrel for hours at a time, each
trying to convince the other Of the
superior attractions Of her beloved.
Il remember pointing out to Efie
the glorious sweep Of willie's raven
hair above his noble brow and the
falcon fire Of his flashing black eye.
81 said Il showed that he was a hero
destined TO do noble deeds and that
she was a horrid thing TO say he was
bomeiy. II was Just because she was
Jealous.
Years later I came across a pic.
ture Of a Sunday school picnic with
Willie In the front row and I took n
good look at him. He was a boy who
was exaggerated ut all points. HE
bristly hair stood straight up like n
shoe brush nd he had pop eyes. He
Just queer looking and II seems &c
me that ] have heard rumors from
some one that he 10 running a livery
stable in his home town.
We'll. when ] was seventeen my
heart belonged to Richard. thought
that OF all the grand men on earth he
was the grandest and used TO sit AZ
my window Mt night when I should
have been getting my beauty sleep and
look nj the moor and dream OF him.
Noble was the adjective I ap
piled to Richard. I meditated upon
his serene brow. his poetic face and
his wonderful profile. I ikened II
TO n cameo and sighed to think that
all the mon in the world could not
be like him and 30 redeem II from
its prosaic ugliness. I said that just
10 look at him one would know he
was filled with splendid aspirations
and was far. far above sordid thoughts
Of gain that made most men selfish
and grasping. I rember mother sigh
Ing at the time and murmuring that
sordid gain was a mighty nice thins
10 have around when the grocery and
milk bills came due.
"T saw Richard not long ago. and
Of all the lank. slipshod. weak faced
no account creatures he In the worst
think he sells woodenware and take
his meals at n ffteen-cent restaurant
There wasn't n single. solitary thin
about him to admire or look up to-
and how l had raved about him once!'
when ! was eighteen l thought thu
sun rose and set In Mr.. Judkins. whit
was q friend OF fathers and a bache
lor. said his face showed that h
had fought with the world and hat
been q victor In his battles and tn
marks Of his struggles only added Il
the strength OF his c~ountenance.
said that after knowing him tn
younger men bored me with thei
greenness and ~inexperlence and tina
II was such q comfort TO be able I
rest ON Mr.. Judkins' superior judl
mont and know whatever he said wa
right.
my family were terribly wrough
up about the matter and father use
regularly to explode when I spoke q
Mr.. Judkins' wisdom and stabilit,
Mother would dissolve into tears m
beg me not 70 ruin my life by MARI!
ing an old man. Well. that's nv
years ago-and today Mr.. Judkin
looks to me like n fat. weatherbeateI
elderly man and II there was q la
compelling me to marry him I'd nevs
obey the law II they put me int
prison for life.
There were several after Mr.. Jul
kins. And every one at the time
considered the best looking man Q
earth. The attractive features ! coul
dig up IN those men would have bee
suficient to make n perpetual beaui
show Of the masculine population
this big town we live In.
".And after we had our falling o.
every time I blinked my eye AZ
took another look l saw their tn
hair and watery eyes. their crooks
noses and awful r
1T never failed.
"Now what is worrying me-" Il
girl In white serge made marks {
the doilies with her spoon, "is whet
Or
you see. Of course. don't met
there 10 anything serious betwe'
Harry and myself, but--weli. am
going to wake up and ind out tn
he 10 homely and commonplace. TO-
That would be awful after was ms
ried and--yet. l might as well Z
you that I'm engaged to him! VIII
do you thinkf"
my dear" said her friend in . to-
Of awe. ~ you can think for . mi
ute that Q man with q suub nose, r
hair. small eyes and . walk IKE
kangaroo such q Harry has ID I
least bit good looking Il - proof III
you arc 70 deeply In 1--we with b
49, -~,spu o~vsp ~orna IN vOa1p nouao