The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1916-06-21
Perfect Lover
BY ELIZABETH z. HOYT.

molly fOSS was Oue VI SefSu gun
who had grown up together in Easton.
Molly alone had shown no signs OF
losing her heart. She had studied
nursing. And, Of course, she might
have gone on nursing peaceably for
ever had not DR.. Richard Randall
come to town.
Molly apparently did not recipro-
cate Dr. Richard Randall's devotion.
The first to speak to Molly about It
was Carrie Smith, who had been Car
rie Waters. Carries husband had had
an attack Of pneumonia, and Molly
had come to help Carrie out-and Doc
tor Randall was the doctor. One
night she told her friend just what she
thought Of her Indifference to the
young doctor.
Molly, my DEAR" she said, II am
going to speak to you plainly. Let me
tell you It is a great thing to have the
devotion OF a man who is interested
in the same things you are. Think 1t
over, Molly, DEAR"
It was Helen Lake who spoke the
next word to Molly about Doctor Rich
ard. "You ought to be mighty thank:
full, Molly Foss," Helen said, ITO have
q man like Doctor Randall. He is so
exactly the right size for you" Helen
sighed.
A week or two later Molly was call
ing on Betty Arnold Wister, whose
husband, Peter, had brought her much
love and a salary Of s15 a week.
Molly" said Betty, "The slightest
mischance would send us both to the
poorhouse. Doctor Randall is the most
prosperous person in Easton."
Grace Mcpherson overlook Molly
few days later. Molly" she said,
you may think it is none Of my busi-
ness and I am awfully silly, but you
know I've seen quite lot Of Tom
Sears lately, and I like him very much.
But Sundays he just stays at home
and smokes, and when he takes me
home from evening meeting he al
ways waits outside the church door.
I feel so wicked, Molly! DR.. Richard
Randall comes to church every Sun
day. I envy you, Molly"
Gertrude Fiske Ingraham called on
Molly on purpose to deliver her mes.
sage. 81 am going to tell you frankly"
she said, that you don't half appre-
ciate DR.. Richard Randall's family con-
nections. I know q girl who lives in
Rye, where his family came from,
and she said his mother had just read
a paper before the women's club on
the mistake it was for relatives to
come to live with a young couple. ]
VOW I never spoke Of this before, but
what with Mother Ingraham and
Grandmother Ingraham and Cousin
Sophronia and Great-aunt Dorcas all
living with Percy and me and al!
wanting to run the house, from pour
ing the tea to bringing up the baby.
! tell you sometimes It almost breaks
my heart"
Molly's dearest friend, Lou Thomp.
son, who was to be married in June,
came to Molly a few weeks before the
wedding. Molly" she said. Il know
you'll understand why I tell you this,
for I'm doing it not to hurt John, but
for your own sake. I love John, but
he's so forgetful of little things that
sometimes he almost breaks my heart.
He doesn't take off his hat as soon as
he comes into the house-and things
like that, you know. never dreamed
OF speaking of this before. Until
you've had an experience like mine
you won't know that manners can be
more aggravating than anything else
In the world And you ought to know
how important they are. Molly, for
Dr.. Richard Randall has the best
manners l ever saw in any man in all
my life"
Then Molly unburdened herself.
Dear Lou" she said, Richard Ran
dali is too perfect. He is interested
in the right thing, he Is the right size,
he has a good income, he's got the
best kind Of habits, and the best kind
of relatives, and he's eugenic, and
fatherly and generous, and he has the
best disposition in the world. And,
to cap the climax, he has absolutely
flawless manners. Lou, am not per-
feet myself, and I'm not going to mar
ry a man who is If I ever did a
thing that wasn't quite right, or ac-
cepted, you know, Richard would
never say a word, but I would feel
his reproach to the end Of my days.
II could only find one single little
human failing in him I would marry
him, but won't marry perfect man,
and if I were you, Lou Thompson.
I'd be mighty thankful that John does
sometimes forget to take of his hat"
DR.. Richard Randall continued in
his devotion and Molly Foss continued
in her indifference until early last
July. On the Fourth they were in
vited to dinner several miles IRON
Easton. That night as they were driv-
ing home in the soft summer dark
ness, for the seventh time Richard
Randall asked Molly Foss to marry
him, and to his infinite surprise she
said yes without a moments hesita-
ton.
They were married in September
and lived even more happily than
their friends had predicted. Richard
was perfectly satisfied with Molly and
Molly was perfectly satisfied with
Richard: but one day, six months
after the wedding, Richard looked at
his wife very seriously and asked,
"IJo,, moo Il that vnl1 said yeS so