The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-01-04

HAS anything happened, Mar
gie?' she whispered.
Your mother seems to think
at least something is about to
happen" l answered, "and really
| do not feel enough interest in
1t to make an effort to shunt off
the fireworks"
PLEASE go down, Margie," said
Mother Waverly, tearfully.
Yes. dear, for my sake"
whispered Mollie.
Il don't think anything l can
DO will help matters, dear; indeed
l am not sure that Dick will not
consider anything l could say as
interfering in what is none of my
business. But I'll go because yoai
ask me-"
AS l reached the dining room
door l heard a great sound of
laughter and a mans voice I did
not recognize shout:
Go ON, Dick, give him some
more advice, he needs it,
l waited moment, FOR I was
not sure there were any women
among the men that seemed to
be laughing and drinking behind
the door.
WELL" came Dicks voice in
the careful drawl with the slight
hesitation that l knew meant only
one thing-that he had been
drinking too much-"if you
should ask me, I'll tell you that
Jim and Pat are the lucky ones
in this DEAL
"Oh, come, Dick" said jim,
come on away, you don't know
just what you are saying.
well, you need not tell me
to shut up IL / DON'T was the
ugly answer. Every married
man here knows that when he has
once tied himself up hard and
fast there is no way out. I've
got the sweetest and prettiest wife
in the world. / expect IL | was
not married to her I'd be implor-
ing her to marry me, but all the
same marriage ia damnable
state, and I'm sorry to see such
good fellow as Chad here get
mixed up in it, even with as clev-
er a girl as my own sister Yes,
that's the trouble, she is too clev-
err" he continued, after a little
hesitation and that clearing of
the throat which was one of his
characteristics when intoxicated.
Let me just give you a little ad-
vice-a little advice, If you feel
you must marry-marry a fool"
WHY" shouted someone,
while the others said: Get him
away from here before the wom-
en- hear him and come in"
We'll, you see, gentlemen" he
answered with that gravity and
precision that | knew SO we'll and
dreaded, "a fool woman may
make fool mistakes and get you
into some foolish troubles, but it
takes a clever woman to get onto
your foolishishness and make
trouble for you that you can't
fix up-now, Margie-"
l thought it was time to enter
and SO l opened the door and
said:
God rest you, merry gentle
men, and then l stopped, for IL
"dismay' was ever plastered on
the flushed faces of a score or
two of men in evening dress it
was on those about the table.
Talking of angles" began
Dick ponderously.
This angel is going to talk"
/ said gaily-
Gentlemen, the bride ap-
proaches, but before she comes
expect you to drink the health
of the old wife,
Dear old Jim caught my rea-
son immediately-he knew that
was the only way l could keep
Dick from talking-and raised his
cup and voice-"Mrs. Margie
Waverly-our friend Dicks clev-
err wife, whose only foolish act
was when she married him."
Amid a general laugh the toast
was drunk and the men dispersed
quickly and left Dick and ! alone.
You are too deucedly clever"
he murmured, almost to himself.
| took his arm, saying nothing,
but pulled him toward the door
way, where Mollie and Chad were
just passing through to their mot
or amid a shower of good wishes
and rice.