The Glenwood post., 1923-01-25
The Dangers of
Repetition
By H. IRVING KING
% BY Mcclure Newspaper syndicate. )

w -~SN-N s~SsAA>sp Wanna was eAAA
island Of solid wealth and ancient re-
spectability entirely surrounded by
trade. Jack had steam yacht, played
polo and belonged to all the best
clubs " short there was nothing Of
Which Juck Ashton really stood in
need but wife-and to the supply
ing Of that deficiency he was now
giving much serious thought.
Jack, after several narrow escapes
from capture by designing mammas,
had arrived in safety ut the age of
thirty. Now at thirty II man is
ever going to get married it Is time
he got busy. So thought Jacks
mother and so she intimated to Jack.
Secretly the old lady had picked out
for her son Priscilla Higgins, daugh-
ter OF Jeremiah Higgins, the banker.
Priscilla was twenty-five and had not
remained single for want Of oppor-
tunities to marry. Needless to say,
PRISCILLA was beauty. She was tall
and. stately, had classic features. light
brown hair, wonderful eyes and
fresh, fair complexion. jack an.
Priscilla were just suited to each other
and had known each other from child
hood. That was just it-they had
known each other from childhood
And therefore, while love for Jack
had grown up In Priscilla's heart,
Jack had come to take Priscilla as O
matter of course, to regard her as a
very dear sister.
So, In looking over the rosebud gar.
den of girls for wife, he never once
thought Of culling the fairest flower
in the garden.
Old LADY Ashton became impatient
and one day said to Priscilla: "Pris-
ella, my son Jack is the biggest fool
In New York. He has been in love
with you for years and doesn't know
it. There! You needn't blush So
nnd really believe you are going to
cry. Let's change the subject"
A few days later she said to her
son: Jack. why don't you propose to
Priscilla? You couldn't do better
Don't you see the girl Is In love with
you? AS for you, you BOBBY. you
have been in love with her for years
ana uldnt Know 1t.
"Why, 'materr" exclaimed Jack.
"Of course, l like Priscilla immensely,
but l never thought"
"Of course you never thought" re-
torted the mother. thinking is one
thing nobody ever accused you of.
There, go along with you-rm out of
all patience with you"
Jack left the house In daze. Yes,
1t was as his mother had said, he
had been in love with Priscilla all
along and had not known 1t. He fer
vently hoped that the old lady had
been right in the rest of her state
ment-that part which referred to
Priscilla being in love with him. Now,
Mrs. Ashton had committed one mis-
take. She had repeated herself. In
her talk with Jack she had used the
same phrase about his being In love
without knowing 1t that she had used
In her talk with Priscilla.
And the statement so satisfactorily
covered the situation that it stuck in
Jacks head. So when he sought Pris-
ella to offer up himself and his grand
fathers millions upon the altar of his
love he closed very creditable speech
In the proposal line with, "Oh, Pris-
cilla-I have been IN love with you
for years without knowing IT."
Priscilla. who had listened with
blushing cheeks and eyes dim with
tears Of joy, went through an instan-
taneous freezing process. at strikes
me-" she said with a forced laugh,
that have heard that expression be-
fore. And what else, pray, did your
mother say on this interesting subject?
l suppose she also gave you to under
stand that was not insensible to your
fascinating personality"
The tactless Jack stammered and
blundered and made things worse.
''There, that will do" said Priscilla.
"Never mind the rest. You have done
your duty like II good son. 1t Is quite
refreshing, in these days. when
parental authority Is so little re-
garded, to find son who will i'm
pllcitly carry out his mothers instruc-
disagreeable as the present one. You
can go back to mamma with clear
consctence-and pray calm any fears
she may entertain of my dying for
love of her charming son. am
afraid her natural, but rather partial,
admiration of her ofrspring's superla-
tive qualities has caused her to fall
Into slight error with regard to the
light in which he is viewed by other
and less interested persons. Good
day."
"Oh, that cruel woman" sobbed
Priscilla when she reached her room.
How she has humiliated me She has
discovered my secret and told Jack.
She made him come and propose-he
never would have done so Of his own
free will"
Priscilla and Jack both descended
on Mrs. Ashton-Priscilla with tears
and reproaches; Jack with implora.
tions to set things right. Priscilla was
the first to reach her. After listening
for q while to that young ladys tale