ld drink
himself into his grave or else make her miserable by devoting himself
to another woman. Some of the nicest fellows I ever knew have made
their wives thoroughly wretched. When you think that there really
isn't anything very wonderful to look at about--er--Jim, that is,
anything to appeal especially to the romantic side of a girl, I think
it's very greatly to Josie's credit that she should have chosen him.
Many girls might have overlooked his solid attractions and gone in for
a Jim dandy of a chap who wasn't worth his salt."

My wife looked a little blank over this philosophic statement, then she
glanced up at me with a roguish smile and said: "You seem to forget,
dear, that I accepted you."

"True enough," I answered, merrily. "I dare say I wasn't a trifle less
commonplace-looking than son-in-law. Besides we both have spiritual
faces."

"You should give me and Josie credit for being able to see below the
surface," said my darling, fondly. "A soldier or a sailor, or a
splendid-looking creature such as you describe, is delightful at a
party; but gold buttons, or even a very handsome mustache, don't go far
nowadays toward blinding a sensible girl to the fact that she will have
to pass all her days with the man she chooses. You know, dear, that
you and I have never believed that marriage is a lottery. We were sure
of each other beforehand. So are Josie and Jim."

"Thank God that it is so; and may he, darling, grant them such
happiness as he has given us."

"Amen! And, Fred, he--James" (Josephine prefers to call him James; she
thinks Jim undignified) "is not really homely. He isn't an Adonis, of
course, and doesn't impress one especially at first glance, but anyone
who looks at him twice can see that he is very intelligent, and that he
has the appearance of a gentleman."

"Right you are, my dear. Perhaps I was unconsciously comparing him
with the young man whom I met strolling with your other daughter not
many days ago."

"With Winona? When?" she asked with a start.

"About dusk."

"No, no, on what day?"

"Let me see. It must have been a week ago yesterday."

"Who was he? Why didn't you tell me before?"

"He was tall, handsome, and impressive-looking," I replied, with quiet
deliberation.

"What _do_ you mean, Fred? How slow you are. Do go on."

"As to telling you before, I thought it best to wait until you had one
of your girls off your mind. As to being slow, I have told you all