White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-02-24

"Think, Nicely, how stupid it is not
to seize every chance that comes our
way (few enough they are y for hap
piness! Look at all the colorless years
ahead of you, and don't miss this one
ineffable hour such as will never
be offered you once you're married"
"Will your marriage hold you from
any more such hours?"
'That's neither here nor there-my
marriage, Nicely, Is quite another al
fair"
.Meanin' it amt none of my affairs?
Well, but it's the affair of your wife,
anyhow, whether you have any such
grand hours"
"My dear, we won't discuss my pos
sible wife!"
"pd feel awful sorry" said Nicely,
slowly shaking her head, "for your
wife, Mr.. Creighton"
He laughed uneasily. "Judging by
the way I'm pursued by manageable
girls, Nicely, your view of me as
husband can't possibly be the one gen.
orally held by many ladies Of high
degree! You don't know your luck,
my grill"
Eyes, we'll. but them ladies of high
degree run after you to marry you.
You amt astin' me to marry you"
"I'm offering you love such as 1
shall probably never feel for the girl
I marry! Oh, Meelyw He reached
for her hand, but she drew it away.
-"Meely! You'll lose me, you know,
If you keep this up! You can't keep
me dangling forever, you know!" The
words, "keep me dangling" startled
his own ears, so ridiculous was the
idea of girl such as Nicely keeping
him dangling! eff you do lose me,
you'll only have yourself to thank !"
"What would I be losin' in losin'
you?" she asked as one humbly seek
ing information.
you'd be losing happiness, wouldn't
you, my dear?"
"Happiness! Would I keep happi-
ness-and you-by doing what you
want? It's put out that you're going
to marry your cousin-a grand lady
with such title or what. After you've
got her, where would I come in?"
All, thought st. Croix, light dawn
ing on his troubled mind, so 1t was
that that was holding her back !-she
had heard of his ,betrothal and was
Jealous!
II give you my word, Nicely, that
I am not-as yet-engaged."
IT heard you was," she repeated
stubbornly. "What would that cousin
think of you if she knowed-about
meY
"That need not worry .you!"
ooh, needn't It'll"
'tWhy should it? have not seen
this cousin since we were both chill
dren-and 1 am not-defnitely-be-
trothed to her."
''But you're plannfn' to be-"
swell, surely, my dear girl, it will
hurt you far less if l marry some one
don't love-some one don't really
know-a person I've not seen since
she was a homely little bow-legged
kid!"
Bow-legged' exclaimed Nicely
Indignantly.
"Yes, and pigeon-toed and towhead-
ed and freckle-faced! You'll not be
hurt by my marriage" he exclaimed
fervently, "you beautiful thing!"
'Yes, we'll, but how about hurtin'
her! When you even love another
one!"
"She'll be doing the same thing,
probably" he defended himself. IT'S
purely a family arrangement" he an
swered, frowning impatiently at being
| forced into q discussion of his per-
sonal affairs; to his peculiar ideas OF
| fitness it was a Dissertation to even
so much as name his cousin-his fu-
| ture wife, no doubt-to a girl like
Nicely Schwenckton.
"Are you so sure she'll be willin'
to marry you without lovin' you and
without your lovin' herr" Nicely asked
wonderingly.
Nothing could have been more dis
tasteful to aim than answering such
question; dwelling at such length
on this unseemly topic. But If to win
her over he must pay that price, then
pay 1t he would.
LOOK here, Nicely, perhaps owe 1t
to you to explain the situation to you
Lady Sylvia St. Croix will marry me
because her family needs money
their estate, since the war, is gone to
punk and my father will restore It
and supply the income to keep 1t up.
! will marry her because shall enjoy
the prestige in England which the
marriage will give to me-and my chill
dren. So you see how entirely out
side Of my marriage will be my re-