Show 4 SUITORS I I WID I r I MELISSA COULD PROMPT A BAD ACTOR R. R Mrs 1 1 had boon beep out on the front porch so long that her maternal maiden Aunt Jano Jane grew anxious and throwing a light wrap over her head went out to to remonstrate Her niece was s sitting on the swing lounge bendIng bendIng bending bend- bend Ing forward with her upturned face resting on the palms of her hands Her expression was pensive pensive abstract abstract abstracted ed mournful Excuse Excuse Aunt Jane began and then seeing that Mrs 1 was alone Oh hes he's gone has he Mrs 1 started violently and pressed her hand to her heaving bosom Who speaks she cried In a tragic voice Could it have been been been- Ah No no Oh its it's you is it aunt- aunt urns Yes he Is gone gone gone-gone gone forever Alas that I should say s so He has left his Melissa to tears and solitude Now what avails the splendor of the moon and what the glory of the starlit starlit starlit star star- lit skies r Are re you crazy eja ejaculated Aunt JaneI Jane I suppose some somo people might think I r was replied her niece in her ordinary ordinary ordinary nary matter fact tones Ive rYe just missed a chance to get my picture in inthe inthe inthe I the papers and be described as a fascinating fascinating fascinating fas and wealthy widow Mr Buskins Duskins at the same time escaped being forced into the fierce white light that beats about the shrinking Thespian Ive I've saved him from tram that at least You mean that he proposed and you refused him asked Aunt JaneI Jane I mean that he laid his loyal heart at my lily feet and that I ed his proffered love corrected Mrs In other words I laughed him to scorn and said him nay cruel that I was Hist fist are we alone Allright All Allright Allright right then honeysuckle Bring a pillow pillow pil pil- low over here and sit down and Ill I'll tell you all about it it Well said Aunt Jane as she complied complied complied com com- plied with the request Im glad you didn't accept him I may be old old old-fash fash- fash but I must say that from all I 1 hear about actors and actresses it would have been a very unfortunate thing to say the least You l interest terest me strangely declared declared declared de de- Mrs What have you heard Never mind though dear dear- ie Perhaps It will be better to tot say nothing that would bring the blush of shame to my iny innocent cheek But I auntie if you'd only seen the moonlight moonlight moon moon- light falling in In a mellow flood upon his pleading face ce If you ou could have heard the rich musical tones of his I exquisitely modulated voice as he plighted his vows Stuff and nonsense exclaimed Aunt Jane Its the mans man's business that sort of thing True Mrs l 1 murmured Ive seen seeri him making love to women that I know he detested kissing detested kissing their fingertips with that splendidly chivalric chivalric chival- chival ric air and sinking gracefully on one knee knoo before them also clasping them in a passionate embrace Perhaps If he ho had clasped clasped- But Dut no matter And you needn't look so shocked because he be didn't Yes he certainly knows how to do it He Ho has had lotof lots of or tice Of or course ho he has said Aunt Jane How any woman can bring herself to marry one of or the creatures is beyond me But they d do observed Mrs Merri MerrI- wid Sometimes mes they marry several and sometimes several marry the same creature not all at the same time of course Are you going to tell me what he said eald inquired Aunt Jane somewhat impatiently Every word dearie replied Mrs l You must give me time I know you haven't any sympathy for him though and that makes It a little lit tI tle hard If you could have Been seen the spasm of anguish that passed over his pallid face when he saw that his fond hope was dashed how dashed how sternly he repressed repressed re re- re- re pressed the emotion that shook hJ his manly form and bowed to the Inevitable mevit inevitable able You know there Is something something- well its it's better not to dwell upon It As you say these actors know Just exactly how to produce their effects and then they tell teli me that they are terribly dissipated Of or course they are said Aunt Jane Well what what what- Its remarkable though how they manage to find time Ume to dissipate mused Mrs l What with studying their parts and rehears rehearsing ng and pasting their press notices notices' in their scrap-books scrap and traveling around and eating and sleepIng sleep sleep- Ing you would think they had about enough to occupy them seriously wouldn't you Are you you going to tell me what he said or are you not Aunt Jane repeated repeated re reo re- re the question quite Irritably Oh yes said Mrs If 1 was forgetting Well dearie we were talking ab about ut hay fever rever and he broke off off suddenly and looked at his watch Its about time I was hitting the feathers feathera he observed By the way Melissa Melissa- Sir says I. I How would you like to marry me says he II Not a at all says L Then theres there's no use of me sticking sUcking around says he Not a bit says IYa I. I Ya Ya ha ha says he Gee But Im I'm sleepy Well good night Be good And he departed Aunt Jane rose abruptly and flounced ed Into the house Youre not half as mad as I I was I dearie Mrs l called after he her I Copyright 1912 by W. W G. G Chapman I p dYll l 1 i I i V I I How Would You Like Ikc to Marry Me |