The Van Buren press., 1912-05-25

be very devoted TO me. ! may add
that she had a rather remarkable way
OF showing her devotion at times.
What sort Of remarkable way
INQUIRED Winnie, becoming Interested
did she pet you too much?"
Hardly too much" replied the vid'
over reflectively. You see, the poor
girl had a somewhat fiery temper
/ She was terribly jeaous-entirely, oh
quite entirely without cause" he
hastened to add. Nevertheless, she
would not allow me on any considera-
tion TO speak to a woman under forty.
| FIVE"
That must have been great hard
ship" murmured Winnie.
81 could have supported 1t with
equanimity," he sighed But she lat
terly developed various uncomfortable
eccentricities. Among other things
she became a vegetarian, and com
PEELED me to live on herbs, like her
self. She embraced the absurd theory
that two meals a day were enough Tor
human beings to subsist upon. and
from that moment | never knew what
It was not to feel hungry. 1t was this
practice | believe. that eventually car
ried her off"
"She-she was not very youngY
hazarded Winnie
Poor girl-no! She-she mad
been. | believe But she outgrew IT,
She was in her sixty-fourth year when
she expired"
"Sixty-four!" exclaimed Winnie.
"Sixty-three," ne corrected.
"O-oh! calculated Winnie in a
long drawn gasp. And you-you were
only twenty-five when you married
her!"
"When she married me" the widow
er interposed mildly Yes; | couldn't
help that. you know It was three
years ago now, so | became consider
ably older as we went along.
"She was old enough to have been
your grandmother" exclaimed Win
ME Indignantly.
True; but she would never have
consented to act in that relation
towards me-thOugh, Of course, l
should have preferred it, If 1t could
have been arranged"
81 feel" declared Winnie severely,
that we are treating the subject
much too fippanty."
You've not been married" he
sighed; so you don't know"
That's true" conceded Winnie
meditatiyely. q don't know-at least
not yet"
There's no reason why you
shouldn't" put in the widower, with
sudden eagerness.
"Oh, but | am not sure that l want
to-" she objected.
You would then enjoy the advan-
tage Of being in a position to prove
your assertion" he urged.
And, supposing | found-when It
was too late-that | was wrong| she
demurred
you wouldn't" said the widower
with emphasis You would find that
in your case-theory and practice
would entirely coincide. To begin
with. you--are not a vegetarian"
But" protested Winnie, my hus-
band might insist upon making me be-
come one"
Il can answer for him." said the
wdower decisively. "Do you know
Winnie-by the way, you don't mind
my calling you Winnie do you?'
Winnie has always struck me as
being the very prettiest name a girl
could have-Winnie."
81 didn't say you could" she ex-
claimed
81 have a wonderful way Of taking
things for granted" explained the wild
over alrily. But do you know, It
Just occurred TO melville you were
talking and while you were showing
me what a beautiful thing marriage
might be with a sweet girl (who
wasn't yegetarian)-it just occurred
to me that was most frightfully fond
Of YOU"
oh said Winnie, rising There's
the next dance beginning, and /"
"Sit down" said the widower, plac-
ing a OBTAINING hand on her arm
"Neyer mind the next dance, What
do you think ! came here for tonight?
/ didn't come to dance ! came to see
you. have been waiting to see you
for-for months but they told me
you we're engaged. and | kept away"
T--I broke 1t off," she mLrmured
looking down
"Was--was he a vegetarian" asked
the widower anXlously
Winnie raised her eyes to his, and
her cheeks turned suddenly crimson.
mo, but l. i"
The wIdower gave a little trium'
phant laugh
"My darling" he whispered in her
ear, 1--WE can make It up to each other
all the rest Of our lIycs!"
The Hobos Bearing,
A kIndhearted old lady In n West
...- ,.,,, Voa aumnppal tn har