Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-05
A LITTLE COMEDY
Sometimes II Is Better to Lose Wager Than Win One,
as This Sforu ShotDsH

'welI, my belief Is that they'd all get
married 10 somebody offered them the op-
portunity. think half of them don't get
the chance"
Dick turned his head on the cushion
OF his invalid chair, and looked at Connie
With indolent, half-closed eyes, and a
smile that was too lazy to express any
ching
Connie swung her hammock a trihe fur
ther, but she only laughed softly az she
lay with her pretty hands clasped above
ber curly head.
You don't believe me, then7' Dick said.
why, no; indeed I don't. I know there
are thousand modest ways for woman
to invite offers Of marriage, and when
there is one who never has any, It is
sure to be because she doesn't want
them"
Sure Of thatT" queried Dick.
quite. never had an Offer but will
wager anything that have one before
the year is out. Now, what will you bet,
Anything I see no signs Of that kind
Why. you never had a sweetheart in your
life"
TT doesn't follow that I never will. It
didn't occur to me to get one before I
shall now. II only to prove to you that
a woman can do as she likes"
You don't care for men, Connie;
you're different from the rest"
I'm not so sure of that" said Connie
getting up. II believe, since I think of
II that do like men pretty well. Shall
bring my painting here? That last pic
ture must be finished today"
She was very busy painting, and Dick
was watching her, when Doctor Allen
called to see Aunt Amy When his pro-
fessional visit ended, he came out to them
on the verandah.
See. my hammock is tust the coolest
place you can And" said Connie TRY
Il, doctor"
The doctor hesitated. and was lost, He
dropped into the hammock. and fell to
Watching the pretty girl who sat near
MIN. She chatted and smiled and dim
pied in the prettiest way imaginable. The
doctor admired Dick wondered
Half believe she's right" he thought.
as he saw the doctors admiration in
crease.
Won't you go for drive, Miss Con-
ME? The afternoon is perfect" he said,
after a while.
But aren't you busy?" Connie asked.
He assured her he was not, and she
hurried to put her paints away. Dick
wondered still more. The idea of Con-
ME leaving duty for pleasure was a new
one. At another time the doctor would
have left the house with scarcely a word
from the little artist.
'T think she's right" Dick thought 1T
believe she's right, but I'd have exer-
cised my powers on some one besides a
stupid country doctor. Blessed II she
didn't fasten on to the first man she
saw! Tom Allen fell right into her fiimsy
little trap; he never did know enough to
come In out of the rain" and Dick gave
his hurt foot vicious little kick and
forgot that Tom Allen had always been
his best friend.
Connie enjoyed her drive. and she knew
that the doctor enjoyed 1t also. When
she came home, Dick had been rolled
into the drawing room, and Bessie We'll
Ter was playing softly and singing sweet
old Scotch songs to him. Connie stood
at the door and looked in.
TT takes very little to entertain Dick"
she thought as she went upstairs. And
the idea of Bessie staying when I was
gone and Aunt Amy in her room! I
always knew she was bold under all her
softness!"
Connie forgot that she had hitherto
loved Bessie dearly.
After while Aunt Amy came down,