The daily Alaskan., 1914-09-29
APESSLMIST He Was Converted to l Optimism
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By DWIGHT NORWOOD
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Billy Bryce and I were inseparable companions, bosom friends. We were opposites in disposition. and I think such dissimilarity Is one of the most effective of all causes of friendship. Billy was as cheery chap as ever lived. l was inclined to be morOse. Billy said nice things to people which he only half meant, said grufr things to them that didn't mean at all. l didn't need to understand Billy, be- cause he always appeared amiable, but Billy needed to understand ne, for I was constantly saying something dis agreeabIe-why, scarcely know my self; quite likely to cover up a liking for the person to, whom spoke.
 was very dependent upon Billy for cheerfuIuess. and when he wrote me that he was engaged to be married It was a sad blow to me. had had other friends who had married, and the friendship between us was never the same as before their marriage. would go to their homes for Sunday dinner and be heartily welcomed, but it was always plain that the wife and children had supplauted me. I was a second, third or fourth consideration.
 Rilly's letter indicated that he real ized the change his marriage would cause In our intimacy and seemed in- tent on preventing It so far as possible. "l wish" he said. that there shall be the same friendliness between you and Lucia as between you and me. You shall have the freedom of the house at all times, whether aui~at home or ab- sent. You must not expect me to have the slightest jealousy for you. My fiancee agrees with me perfectly in this and, instead of having that Jealousy brides are subject to for bosom friend of her husband, will welcome you to the family circle as one of us."
 This did not reassure me at alL l was supplanted, put down from first to second place. knew Billys op- timiStic disposition and also knew that he could not suspend natural law. l wrote him that if he did not wish the lady he was to marry to freeze me out of the house he had better tell her that If she wished 1t he would never see me again. '"That's just like you," he replied, but you can't move either me or Luie with your pessimism."
 Billy asked me to be best man, but l detest ceremonies and took care to be called away on a matter of business at the time of the wedding. But l sent handsome wedding present was not so brutally frank as to tell Billy 1 had gone away on purpose to get rid of officiating at his wedding, but l told him that doubtless his bride would appreciate my wedding gift far more than she would me.
 After the wedding Billy brought his wife to the city where he and l had always lived. The first time l met his wife l was surprised that he should have married a girl with a disposition so like his own. His wife grasped my hand cordially, looked at me with smile on her pretty lips and twinkle in her bright eye and said:
 Billy says you are awful grumpy, but we'll take that out of you, won't we, Billy?" and she looked at him knowingly.
 My first call was short l suppose I am prone to look out for trouble, but it seemed to me that Mrs. Bryce was trifle too demonstratlve was stricken with fear that instead of being jealous of me, as l had supposed, she might make Billy jealous of me, and that would be ten times worse than if she should freeze me out. went away determined that would not be drawn into any such danger. To be sup planted in first place with my friend was bad enOugh to be placed at en- mity with him would be narrowing. l resolved that would not call on Mia Bryce again for month at least
 But the very next day l was sum moned to the telephone and heard the lady's cheery voice say:
 Is that you, Mir. Quimby7 Come up to dinner this evening. We dine at T. You needn't bother about evening dress if you don't wish to. Don't fail me. Billy has to 80 out, and shall | he all alonaS
 While was trying to frame an eI- cuse 1 heard a click, and that was the end of the one sided dialogue. All that afternoon I was trying to per suade myself that there was no way out of the matter, but the truth is that in my heart didn't wish to lnd way out of 1t, I had no place to spend the evening but my club, and was tired enough of it. wished to bask iD the light of Mrs. Bryce's cheerlness. 4- eLE
 Resolution is of no use where a pret. ty woman is concerned, and I could scarcely wait after business was over for the dinner hour. It came at last and was made welcome by Billy and his wife, Billy regretting that he was obliged to go out during the evening, but he would come home as early as possible. He was ever 80 much oblig. ed to me for the favor done him of keeping Lu from being lonely"
 Just before dinner was served I saw