Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-06-19
LIKE ALL OF THEM
Harold Found Girl He Adored Dr.
fered Little From the Rest
of Her Sex.

Toned women!"
The exclamation sounded only anus
ing, coming as 1t did from the lips Of
a very modern young man. His friend
on the other side Of the fireplace
laughed.
Il notice you seem rather fond Of
the young women Of today. judging
from your attentions to her. individ-
ually and severally."
That's just It. It's case OF safety
in numbers vain struggle to find
one out OF thousands who isn't inter.
ested in fads or politics or business.
or any one Of q thousand other things.
prefer frivolous woman. A wom-
an has no business being serious about
anything In the world but her home
and her husband and her babies; but
every girl Of my acquaintance has
some particular fad and goes In for 1t
with all her might thought l had
found my ideal In Mary Jenkins. and be-
hold! she Is collie fancier. with
kennels that are famous and hus-
band in the perspective not half as
interesting to her as man with .
good dog that she can add to her
stock. Every other girl is doing set.
Element work, or newspaper work. or
sculpturing, or painting, or writing
stories. or attending suffragette meet
ings. / want wife, and want her
to be just a loving little fool woman,
who will be extravagant II she feels
like it, or silly. or anything she pleases,
just so she loves me, and kisses me
when l come home at night, and fuses
about my slippers and my flannels."
His friend pondered q moment. Il
know just the sort of girl you'll
like Shall arrange an introduce
tion?"
"surest thing you know! What's her
name?"
Peggy Perkins. Like IT."
Sounds promising. II had a
name like that I'd never change 1t.
Do you suppose she would?"
Mrs. Harold Clark might sound bet
ter to her. You're not such an incl
'igible rascal, you know"
Billy's sister, Margaret Wilde, hap
pened to be at home and idle when
her brother called. They spent q
merry hour conspiring, and Billy bore
away with him the promised dinner
invitation which Clark lost no time
In accepting.
II ever any one looked like her name
sounded, it was the vision which
greeted Harold Clark when the eve
ming Of the dinner brought them all
together. Little, dark, vivacious,
merry and utterly charming was his
verdict after five minutes. In ten he
had found her the very kindest,
sweetest and most sympathetic
woman he had ever met. She had an
appealing way of looking into his
eyes while he talked that quite won
him. Here at least was q really old
fashioned girl, whose husband would
be actually lord and mastes, not mere
" the nominal head of the house
hold, Here was the woman who would
always be womanly. She talked Of
teas and receptions and dressmakers
to Margaret; of books and plays with
Billy; and OF art and poetry with Har-
old. Her views we're her own. un-
doubtedly, but she was not opinion
ated. Just sweetly feminine. Only one
thing puzzled Harold. Billy and Mar
garet and Margaret's husband seemed
half convulsed with laughter most OF
the evening, and especially when Har'
old began some TRADE against the
doings Of militant suffragettes, and
went on to score women who persist
ed in entering fields OF endeavor be.
longing to men. Miss Perkins only
smiled, however, and made no COM
ment, and Harold was already toe
much in love to mind.
Weeks went by, and he became a
frequent caller at Miss Perkins home
Here she seemed the stay and comfort
of her invalid mother and certainly
the pet Of her devoted father. Mrs.
Perkins wore daintily made and en-
broidered costumes. my Peggy's
work." she called them. proudly, and
the house was full Of flowers. books
AID kittens, all of them Peggy's. Only
one thing worried Harold. He could
never find Miss Perkins at home In
daytime, and DOW and then her moth
er made vague illusions to dear
Peggy's tasks" but Clark never dared
ask questions.
Finally, one beautiful afternoon In
early spring he met Peggy just outside
the door OF her home. She was dressed
IN a most businesslike costume, and
instead Of the pretty basket her arms
we're full Of papers and documents, and
she looked a bit tired, but she greeted
Clark cordially. and they went into the
house together.
II want you to marry me, Peggy,
darling" he said, as they stood In the
little drawing room odorous with early
violets.
But you won't interfere with my
work when we are married, will you.
dear?" she asked moment later, rails
ing her head from his shoulder.
Visions Of sweetly charitable wife
nlled Harold's brain. Certainly not
nv own. But you haven't told me yet
what your work H."
"Oh, l thought you knew, dear.
never talk about 1t out of business
hours. but am a lawyer, you know
and lust now / have three big cases
on that will have to have all my at
tention until Christmas. Will that