Judge — March 20, 1915 — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

[e H RISCILLA, who had married with expectation, realized on the investment of her youth and beauty, and still possessed these attributes as capital. Highly educated, she had found herself without means and with expensive ha a period when, as she had calculated, she should be able to enjoy life to the utmost. Priscilla had meant to postpone matrimony until she had ana- lyzed possibilities without it, and resolved not to fall in love until she could measure the distance to the solid ground of unemotional life below. She meant to be sure where she should alight, for ac- cording to her philosophy—which was the philosophy of many of her young women companions, who discussed this subject above all others—love is an ephemerality, and one who is reasonably healthy is in a fair way to live quite a period after a honeymoon. Priscilla’s father, rated as rich, lost all in a single speculation. “Daughter,’” said he to her when he realized his pecuniary condition, ‘you don't even know how to cook. You have been reared in luxury. Old Flint has asked permission to pay his ad- dresses to you. Nobo’'y knows how much money he has, but it’s plenty if you can make an ante-nuptial agreement. I know it's a shame to talk like this, but he’s seventy-eight, and confesses i “And looks older! Why, daddy, I'll marry him to-morrow, if necessary —provided, of cout the ante-nuptial agreement can be arranged. I know I ought to tell you I’m vexed at your loss of money, but you've always been indulgent."" Life is a gamble, daughter. I didn’t expect to lose." “Tknow! And life being a gamble, I'll marry Old Flint."’ Feminine nature is full of mystery. Some of Priscilla’s women friends actually envied her as she left the church with Old Flint leaning on her arm. And how they envied her after Old Flint had passed! He didn’t long survive his senile triumph. Directly after marriage Priscilla had engaged the handsomest chauffeur she could discover. She was in luck, for aside from his good looks Adolf was a gifted conversationalist and could drive a car beautifully. He was no tonic to her husband, but jealous as the old man was, Adolf was plainly a servant. Priscilla ordered him about superciliously. She never even smiled upon him when he performed prodigies with her cars to meet her whims. But after her period of mourning—in which her modiste and her mil- liner were the chief elements—she began to note that Adolf was her slave. While his devotion pleased her, she was still exacting. Thus it went on until Priscilla, usually without nerves, became nervous. She never minced matter: “I fancy you are in love with me,"* she said one day, rightly interpreting a glance. “*Why not?"’ was Adolf’s reply. “Or is it with my money?” Why, I'd marry you if you hadn't a dollar.’’ “If | were willing, perhaps. But I'm not in love with you. If I were to be so foolish, I should only gain a tolerable husband from one viewpoint, make a very poor match from another viewpoint, and lose a capital chauffeur."" “Oh, not I'd be happy to drive your cars just the same."” “And claim them as your own."* “I'd be satisfied with you."” **But what would people say?”’ What did people say when you married Old Flint?”’ “You are impertinent!"" Priscilla winced. “*T don’t mean to be. They had stopped opposite the Public Library. “Can you give me any good reason why I should keep in my service a chauffeur who makes love to me?"’ **How long before you want the car again?" Priscilla looked at him, and wonder was mixed with vexation. “I’m stopping here but a moment."* “Well, some day—unless you discharge me—I'll give you a thousand reasons why I should make love to you."* “Indeed? And where will you discover them, pray?"’ “If I wanted to give them the authority of history, I should find more than a thousand in human chronicles over there.’’ Adolf dicated the Public Library. ‘*But if I should rely upon my own impulse and sight of you, I think I could give a thousand offhand."’ Months have passed, Adolf is still driving Priscilla’s car. comicbooks:com