Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 113, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1915 — Choosing [ARTICLE]

Choosing

*1 admit that I am undecided,* said Margaret’s father as he paced twice across the room and cams to a pause with his back to the mantel. “You cannot remain undecided long,* said Margaret’s mother. Margaret tweaked the Angora kitten’s ears and said nothing. “They are both desirable,* continued Margaret’s father. “It seems to me that the problem is to fix upon the one that is the more desirable. It means providing our little girl with a companion for life.” “And they both come to jour office today? That was funny.* “No, it was not funny. It was a coincidence, but it was net funny. Ponderson came in heavily, parted his coat tails carefully and sat on the edge of the chair I offered him, smoothed his thinning hair and after his embarrassment talked carefully and well. He has great deal to offer a wife; he is moderately successful, has a nice home, is a deacon In the church and is of a kindly disposition.* “But he always looks so sad,” said Margaret’s mother. "I know. That is because of his ten-

der heart. He has had heaps of trouble. He worshiped his father and his father died. He loved his mother and she was a bedridden invalid on his hands for years. He very seldom smiles but has a beautiful smile when he does smile.” “What do you yourself think of him?” "I admire and like him immensely. No one can help liking Ponderson. He is young, tovi, just the same age as Harlor, though he appears to be ten years his senior. "It is a hard problem,* he concluded, lamely. "I’m stumped.*“And what did you tell him?” asked Margaret’s mother. "I told him I would talk It over with you. He seemed anxious, but not hopeful, when he left. He must have passed young Harlor in the elevator as he went down.” “Mr. Harlor is different,” “Some! No embarrassment about Harlor. He breezed into my office, seated himself on the corner of my desk and ’put It to me’ as he expressed it. He has money, which was left to him; he has more than the average share of good looks and he knows the pink section of the newspaper from the first to the last column. I do not believe that he said anything about loving Margaret; but he did say that he believed she loved him and would make him mighty happy.” “Yes? How very boyish!* “Yes, almost too boyish.* “But youth will be served.* “Youth will be served. But it may be better for our little girl to marry someone who will serve, rather than one who will be served. Mr. Ponderson would never have driven his auto recklessly while Margaret was a passenger. I believe I wUI tell Ponderson ’Yes.’” “Papa!” It was Margaret herself that spoke for the first time. “What is it, dear?” “You will do nothing of. the kind! Am I not to be consulted? I have some interest in this affair. I have not told you the whole story about that auto smashup. We were bowling along at more than the legal speed, we two on the front seat and the bulldog on the back seat, when all of a sudden Mr. Harlor let go of the wheel with one hand and tried to kiss me! I threw back my head as far as I could an£ he let go of the wheel with the other hand and the next we knew we were both in, the ditch, which was about & foot deep with mud, that must have saved our lives. The dog was underneath the auto flat enough for a rug and the auto had turned turtle and smashed against a telegraph pole at one and the same moment. “We scrambled up and I exclaimed, ‘Now see what you did!’ ‘Yes,’ replied he, with a grin, ‘but I got the kiss.’ •My dress is ruined!’ I sobbed. ‘That’s right,’ he said, ‘but I got the kiss!' ‘And look at poor Hector!’ I cried. ‘Rough on Hec,’ replied he, ‘but he died in a good cause —I got the kiss!' ‘And your car is wrecked!’l told him. ‘Sure but what’s a car or two,’ he replied, ‘I got the kiss!”’ “The idea! I bet Mr. Ponderson never so far forgot himself as to try to steal a kiss. If he wanted a kiss he would ask for it like a gentleman.” “Just the same, he grabbed me and kissed me when I told him about the auto accident” “He did! What did yon say to that?” “I just looked at him! And you should have seen him grove! He said he was sorry that he had kissed me!” “I shall say no more, daughter,” surrendered Margaret’s father. “It will make Ponderson miserable. I am sorry!” “But he is used to being miserable, papa. And I don’t know that having me for a wife will make him any more miserable than —” “Yoq„ don’t mean —” “I do! You two dear sillies thought you were picking out a husband for me when I had him all picked out Mr. Harlor will soon recover. Fll bet he tried to fly* with your stenographer.” “I did not like to say anything to prejudice his case, but be did. What ahull I tell him? That I wil replace his dog?” , “Yes, with another dog, but not with your daughterl*

A ring *with a glass set in it will make any., little girl happy until she meets another little girl with a ring that has two glass sets in it.

Some thieves have no higher ambition than-' the top roost in a chicken