| Show i JY KENNETT EIS M MELISSA WOULD TANTALIZE A TOO CAUTIOUS MAN What In n the name of goodness do yoU want with a darning egg SS Mo Mo- asked Mrs maternal mater mater- nal nol malde aunt Jane in accents of profound astonishment and what are you doing with my stockiNgs S Mrs smiled a all an she rummage rummaged rum rum- mage maged In her rel relatives relative's Im not sure that Ill I'll tell teU you she an- an Is this a darning needle dearie deane Its a n bodkin Aunt Jane informed her You put my things down and andell tell ell me what you want and Ill I'll try to get Bet it for you Are you intending to darn Youre a n wonder when it comes to making an Intelligent guess said Mrs admiringly Some Sonie might night have ha deduced that I was about to o make an omelet Yes maam ma'am Im I'm going to be a a busy little housewife this his afternoon during Mr sites Fat visit just visit just to please him Im I'm taking laking lots of ot pains with that sensible and headed level gentleman if jf youve you've no no- heed Ive noticed that you have been unusually nice to him said Aunt Jane But wh why should you rou ou of ot nil ll persons try to darn stockings You You cant can't do It anyhow You dont don't know enough to pull basting threads ads I never saw anybody in my life lire as un unutterably unutterably un- un ignorant of any useful thing at ae you are And wh what t makes suppose suppose sup sup- pos pose that the sight of you OU darning stockings will afford Mr site Fat any pleasure I shant shan't really darn explained Mrs I shall merely be bo overwhelmed with blushing confusion when he ho surprises me with the mate mate- rials You see hes he's a cautious person person person per per- son Mr site Fat is He Isn't leaping to any great extent without taking a I good long comprehensive look first There are lots of people like him my dear frh Thy They y look so BO long that they get I assured td her Still ho he might put a wrong construction on some of or the tho things Ive I've said For instance you know that sweet simple little lingerie dress that Mercedes charged mo me me a swept sweet simple little seventh eight dollars dollars dol dol- lars tor Well Vell you know I l' l Yore wore that one night ho he was here beret and I 1 asked hint him if It wasn't doing pretty well to tomake moke make that in a couple of days at a aco acost acost co cost t of less than five dollars for Cor material ma ma- tonal Any tool fool would know better than that commented Aunt Jane Any female fool dearie deane Mrs Mer Mer- I amended Mr said he really preferred a little simple gown like that to the tho more moro elaborate and antI ex expensive creations ns I could see that Id I'd made a hit with him right there Another thing I seriously chided him for his extravagance buying parquet scats seats v when hen we could have seen just justas as well irom from the tho balcony He liked that I could see see- seethe the gleam of or approval approval ap all' ap- ap in his eye On the occasion of It his last visit I entertained him with a n few tew innocent little anecdotes Illustrative of ot my invincible good nature nature na ture and I recited a recipe for tor Yorkshire Yorkshire York York- shire pudding that Id I'd learned out of the cook book before he came I was I extremely solicitous about a cold hed he'd aken too I I I really realty cannot imagine how bow you youcan youcan youcan can len lend l yourself to such deceit MelIssa Melissa Melissa Me Me- lissa declared Aunt Jane Im just playing his game dearie deane said Mrs Hes conducting a careful ful Investigation and Im I'm providing providing pro pro- viding him with things to find out As I said Raid hes he's preparing for a leap that will give him a foothold in my IY affections When he makes it ithell hell he'll simply Imply find hes he's put his foot toot In ill it Mr I 1 shall say You have a seeming fair aspect and an and Insinuating maner and anda a a. good tailor but before I commit myself to anything definite I would like to satisfy myself on the followIng follow follow- following ing points Are you liberal in your 4 1 I F.- F. j ii 0 1 Il 1 r J P 7 f Ati I I Was Extremely Solicitous About a Cold Hed He'd Taken I i land seldom very and they y been anywhere Mr site Fat has so long that crouching for tor a spring bagging at t the knees his trousers are arc But hell he'll Jump Oh h you think he be w will do you ou 1 said Bald Aunt Jan Jane hes he's satisfied him him- Just as soon as Mrs replied that Im I'm all right self Belt confident little nod with a assured of is that I he wants to be All that amiable disposition ion C have an industrious arid and and economical Im I'm unselfish and sensible sen- sen domesticated arid and robust and fairly accomplished and sible little best my and m doing pUshed him lIe knows that age to assure brightest eye and spoil will dim the wellS while a figure elegant the most withers or loses c dinner never nover also and full tull Ic I-Ic knowS Its iff charm would prosper he be it If man that a well viell consent and that I must ask aalt his lies In a we 1 I true hapPiness with the sweet household mentions who never ship bip of a wife has hasa but who pains and tier her oWl aches heart and a soothing II a sympathizing husbands husband'S Ho He doesn't hand band for her It beautiful as 18 long as nind me 10 being vain but he be wants to tobe tobe make malte mo trio I have the more that be mighty sure that I have havo I qualities olId and lasting mentioned we w. aU all want the Well I suppose observed Aunt Jane best est we can get agreed Mrs Merri- Merri True dearie deane haven't bavent all of u U got but we wid v very large ask for a the nerve to for a cent Yet quantitY of Sugar worthless a aman aman more you'll notice the exacting hen hell be man Is the more after a wife and the when lie he goes It Is that lie he gener of very sad ad part askS for It does allY gets what lie he to look Mr l 1 In inI though ough I me JUC good calculating s sand watchful his bia and tell biri I eye and appraising anything dont tell him him II 1 hope yoU true said Aunt strictly th 1 t nasi nas wouldn't for lor worlds W. he her niece i L 1 I I ideas and amid with your money Are you enough of a good sport to put on purple and fine linen and take me to toa toa ton a n change of scene when your feet teet ache for tor slippers Are you enough of ofa ofa ofa a man to bear a scolding good good natured l ly if your wife happens to be tired Are you enough c a gentleman to refrain re reo re- re rain frain from adv adverse criticism of the cuisine Are you wise enough to keep your nose out o of the said cuisine and generous enough to give your wife the best end of it whatever it may be Will you always be devoted and adoring and considerate and helpful help help- r ful l That's what I should ask him Suppose ho he answered that he be was all that inquired Aunt Jane He would be an unmitigated intentional intentional deliberate colossal and wilful liar Har to borrow a phrase Mrs Merri wid wid answered The man never nevor breathed who was all that But Dut auntie aun nun tie what I want i is a man who is willing will will- ing lug to go ahead once in a while and take lake a chance on being right never get one one any other way said Aunt Jano Jane Copyright 1913 by W W. G. G Chapman |
