Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

PLEDGING HIS WORD. 117 ‘‘And your news?’’ questioned Dick, seating himself. ‘Oh, yes, my news,’’ returned Arthur; ‘‘it’s about my- self, Dick.’’ ‘‘And I fancy it is not so hard to imagine what it may be,’’ returned Dick. ‘‘You can scarcely contain yourself now.”’ ‘“What do you mean?’’ They stared at each other fora few moments silently, and then Arthur burst out, joyously: ‘*You can never guess if you try a year. I am the happi- est man in the world.”’ ‘‘No news,’’ observed Dick, quietly. ‘You knew it? When? How?’ blankly. ‘‘By your beaming face. A full moon simply was ‘not in it’ with you, as you begged me for this interview,’’ re- sponded Dick, laughing at Arthur’s evident disappoint- ment. ‘You must learn to control your features better if you don’t wish to let everybody into your confidence. So, my boy, you have patched it up, after all, eh? And there are to be champagne and bride cake for those whose ranks you desert forever?”’ ‘“Why the dickens do you talk in such a melancholy strain?’’ rejoined Arthur, resentfully. ‘I’m not going to be buried. ’’ ‘*Because ‘I know whereof I speak.’ Nearly all men who marry drop out. Some of them resign from their clubs the first thing.”’ ‘The weak ones, possibly; I don’t intend to, though, and I’m sure Gertrude wouldn’t ask it; she’s too sensible, and will soon understand what a mars clubis tohim. Why, it’s to him what a woman’s milliner and dressmaker are to her,’’ said Arthur, with feeling. ‘‘Besides, my friends, Gomichbooksnco