The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-10

to ask himself, as every man like him had asked who ever loved a woman. how in any fairness he could expect her to accept the little which he could offer in return. To Steve and Fat Joe, to the men of. his gang, his confidence was that of the old, old Steve who ten years before had cooked his head at one of Allison's switch engines and promised gravely, .'I'll hey to be git tin one of them for myself some day" But his heart ached, and when that ache became so leaden that he couldn't endure it any longer in silence he car ried it to the one person in his life who was best calculated to understand. Difidently he broached the subject with Miss Sarah, approaching 1t in a roundabout fashion least likely to de- ceive that bright eyed little lady.
 '<sarry is saving his money against the fata1 day." he laughed one night. sHe has become a rank miser! Joe says he goes for days at q time borrow ing his tobacco, and he won't play anything but penny ante now when he can be coaxed to play at a1l!'' Y Miss Sarah was too kind to look at him directly that evening.
 "The regeneration of Garry is one of Z the things which had made my life most happy she answered. And then, paving the way for what she knew was on his mind: T suppose you will be surprising us yourself one of these days. And no doubt you'll be just as happily positive as Garry is that your choice is the only one in the world"
 They were alone in the big living room. Caleb was still in town gossip ing with Hardwich Elliott. And Steve's bruised smile chtched at Miss Sarah's heart.
 ZIP he overdid his amusement. T have lived too much alone, I'm afraid, ever to prove very attractive to any woman's fancy. Bachelors are not a. ways born: they are, sometimes the habits of loneliness"
 ..Stnr. and nonsensev the good wo- man r1diculed him. "Why-why, if it weren't for suspicion that you might have your eye on some small person or other I'd drop everything and hunt one up for you myself. Why, Stephen, what remark for mo to hear frcm youv'
 Both were silent for . moment.
 Marriage is a mighty expensive proposition" he commented at length profoundly.
 ~Is Garry such }plutocrat any moro ?'
 "That is not fair illustration for us to employ" he countered, and Barbara Allison, was not the only woman who loved his laxily final statenents. "Bott Garry and Miriam have been taught that there are worse things than the hardship of making last years lfmou. sine do for another season."
 Miss Sarah laughed at this dronery She was better antagon.se than most She had practiced on Caleb.
 Cant one girl learn what another has been taught" she wanted to know Stephen, do you mean to sit there and infer that you could continue tc care for girl who could not care fol you just for yourselfr'
 His reply told her how tired he had become in trying to stem the tide o1 doubt alone. It warned her, too, that she had gone too close, for he, veere6 on sharply. Steve persisted in gen eralities, but he wanted to talk.
 T have been wondering if that is not an old fashioned attitude" ht said. Women, they tell us, have broad ened since they usuu6ed many places in the business world once held by men. They are looking mighty keer eyed toward the vote now and share in the legislation of their growing af fairs, or at least 50 they explain. Yol have heard many men say business i. business Maybe you have watched