Life — April 15, 1897 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

wore an Easter bonnet, With a little moss rose on it, And a lot of gauzy ribbons that fut- tered as she prayed. And my thoughts grew very tender, As I watched her form so slender, In all its Easter splendor so gor- gcously ved. HIS FATHER’S SON. was smoking a pipe and dream- ing. He was capable of nothing else, being in love and only twenty. He was a senior at . handsome, swell, lazy, reckles: and then again he might not. care much, either way. She was the daughter of one of the pro- handsome Her age—well, He might get a diploma, He didn't fessors, gay, fascinating, rather than beautiful. that was not a matter to be discussed. He knew she was older than he. He had never tried to find out how much older. Somehow he didn’t want to. But what ttered it that she was older, if they As for his love, there He As for her loved h other? could be no question about that. could think of nothing else. love, it is true that when he proposed she hadn't exhibited the embarrassment and confusion and sudden ch s of color commonly supposed to be invaria- ble accompaniments of the climax of a well-regulated love affair. In fact, she had acted in a very self-possessed way, and at first had even seemed to something humorous in the situation. see DISENCHANTED. She had said, with earnest unction, ‘That she wore to every function Gowns that s/¢ herself had made ‘to save papa expense, you know.” As to hats, she loved to trim them, Loved to shape them, crown them, brim them— “It was awful waste,” she said, ‘to. throw away your money so.” So I swore in lover's fashion To declare that day my passion, When an object caught my eye that keeps me still ** upon the fence.” Dangling down from that same bonnet, With that self-same moss rose on it, Was a little, round, white ticket— $40.50. If he had been less infatuated he might have paused, but his was a desperate case, with blindness the most prominent symptom. It was only after much pas- sionate picading on his part that she had accepted him. Since that happy event he had spent a good portion of his time smoking and dreaming, and he was gradually growing more and more discontented— her—with his hard luck in being a minor and an undergraduate, and a dependent on his father. not with “Tcan't stand this much longer,” he “What am I good Cure—matrimony. I Atany rate, will, Why shouldn't we be mar- She isn’t getting y younger as the days pass. Of course, I don't care whether she is getting older or not. 1 know her. But the people at home— well, they pretend to love me, andall that. I'll bet if they knew just how I felt they'd —they'd pity me “Tt takes money to get married. It takes money after you're married, too. Dad's got plenty of it. I wonder if I could muttered to himself. for? Nothing. love her, and she loves me. she ried ? He smoked. move his heart? By Jove, I've a notion to write tohim! If he'llset me up I can get married right away. I'll just go around and talk it over with Fanny.” And around to Fanny's he went. “ Fann: he exclaimed, when she appeared, ‘I've gota scheme.” And he put his arms around her and kissed her. “Well, dear, what is it?” she asked, smiling at his impetuosi ‘Fanny, wouldn't it be just blissful if we were married?” “Joe, you didn't go through all this preparation just to say that?” “Well, but wouldn't it?” Why, y “Tsay—you might be more enthusi- astic. Fanny, do you really love me? Why, how could I help it, you dear, impulsive boy ?” “Then let's “What ! you're crazy. “No, I'm not. W But you haven't graduated yet.” Damn—that is, what's graduation ? I'm going into business. Diplomas don't help you make mone} s, of course. get married right away.” she exclaimed. Joe, at's to prevent?”