Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1915 — Sensible Girl [ARTICLE]

Sensible Girl

“That little girl next door is cer tainly mighty sensible,” remarked Standish, settling himself beside his wife in the porch swing. "Indeed?" replied Mrs. Standish. "Has she been making eyes at you?” "I am free to admit,” replied Standish, “that that would be a proof of intelligence, but not a proof of unusual intelligence. Everybody does that, you know. If you hadn’t made eyes at me in days gone by I presume 1 should still be hopping .from twig to twig as light heartedly and as carefree as a johnny-jumpup.” “Your metaphors are somewhat mixed,’’ replied his wife, “but I think I get your meaning. Let me tell you that if I had not made eyes at you I am sure you would still be as untidy in your appearance, with your tie as crooked and your boots as unshined and your hands and feet as awkward sa they used to be; and, besides, I didn't make eyes at you, and you know it. You didn’t give me any peace in my life; you hunted me from pillar to post, pursued me till I was out of breath, and then, while I was still out of breach and could not answer you, you asked me to marry you, and took silence for consent and married me before I recovered. I married you because I was sorry for you, and because none of the other girls would look at you, and because you needed someone to look aftter you, and if I had my life to live over again I would marry you again!” “Help! There seems to be no escape ! ” "If you go to making eyes at the little girl next door,” said Mrs Standish, “and coming to tell me how sensible she is, you’ll have to show a reason for your interest, or I’ll put a spider in your coffee. Confess!” “All right, here’s where I make a clean breast of the whole affair. I have been watching her for a long time. She takes the same car to town every morning that I take, and she knows two men who take the same car. One of these Is an Apollo. If the seats are all occupied he is happy. He stakes his place In the aisle between the two rear seats, reaches a hand up on either side and gets holf of a strap. Hanging that way, everyone who enters the car is compelled to scrouge past him, and so notice what a beautiful creature he is. When he is so unfortunate as to be able to find a seat he sits In the end nearest the aisle, crosses his knees carelessly so that one foot projects into the aisle, where everybody will fall over it, and so take notice of him, and he sits sidewise so that his beautiful cameo-like profile is turned to all the rest of the car, and preserve that position all the way to town. The other man she knows is a email insignificant shrimp with pale hair.” "Ara you describing yourself?” “No, I would not flatter myself that way. If I were describing myself I woujd be the Apollo and let the other fellow be the shrimp. lam merely an onlooker. The shrimp person effaces himself as nearly as possible. If the car is crowded to the platform he remains in a corner of the platform where he will not be noticed. If all the seats are occupied he goes up to the front of the car where no one will fall over him. “The shrimp and the Apollo for many months have cast kind glances in the direction of the shrinking little blossom next door, and I say she is a sensible girl because this morning she found an empty seat beside the little shrimp of a man, and I caught them both looking at a beautiful diamond ring upon the third finger of her left hand. And I also saw them surreptitiously holding hands for a moment. Also the Apollo person forgot to stick his foot in the aisle this morning, and did not care whether his perfect profile was turned toward the world or not. That little girl had a chance to choose between real worth and an imitation, and she has chosen as you did.” “Thank you. That puts me into the sensible class. But perhaps she cjiose as I did for the reason I did. The good looking fellow didn’t mean business and the shrimp proposed. She took what she could get.” “Well, wasn’t that sensible?” “I think it was, and I hope she, may think so when she has been married as long as we have. You little shrimps aren’t much to look at, but you make pretty good running mates when you get wives who have sense enough not to spoil you.” “Well, no one will ever accuse you of having spoiled your husband. I was going to buy you a new dress, but now I am going to compromise on a fivecent picture show.” “That will be perfectly all right 1 can get the new dress myself. I get all your salary, anyhow.”