Two old widows and an old maid, who had existed much longer than was
necessary for the comfort and well being of the community wherein they
dwelt, sat beside a comfortable grate fire furnished by Life Insurance,
drinking tea, eating muffins and discussing Man.
A young married woman was also present but she did not count.
“I met that odious Mr. Blank down town to-day,” said Mrs. Gabb, the
widow who was providing the good cheer, “and do you know he stares
every woman he sees out of countenance.”
“My dear,” said Blabb, the other widow, “Blank is just like all the
men; everyone knows him, but his poor wife.”
“Oh, my gracious goodness,” exclaimed the ancient maid, whose name was
Slabb, “is Mr. Blank such a dreadful man? What did HE do?” And she
hoped that poor Blank had done something dreadful and wicked so that
she could hear about it.
“He hasn’t done anything that I can hear about,” said Gabb, “but that
does not make him any better. The way he looks is enough for me. I know
him; I know him; he is a very fast man.”
“Mr. Blank seems a very nice man to me,” ventured the young married
woman meekly.
“That’s it, my dear,” said Gabb; “of course he seems nice, lots of
them seem nice, but you are young; wait till you are as old as we are
and you will discover that a man is not to be trusted because he SEEMS
nice.”
“Well, I am sure,” said the newly married woman, “I can trust my
Willie. He tells me everything and is the most truthful man I ever
knew.”
The Three Has Beens smiled in unison.
“I thought as you do,” said Blabb. “Mr. Blabb was a very fine man in
many ways, but he certainly could put Annanias and Sapphira in the cool
shade when he found it expedient; and he was an awful man. You see they
always commence by getting up a reputation for veracity, so they can
tell you anything.”
“Although I have never been married, thank the Lord, I must say I have
seen enough of men to know that they are dreadfully untruthful,” said
Slabb, and she shivered in a way to suggest that the very idea of a man
gave her a cold chill, while everyone knew that her single state was no
fault of hers and she would give her eyes to call anything in the shape
of a man MINE.
The young married woman went home thoughtful, the poison working in her
mind. She wept a little and wondered how much truth there was in that
she had heard, and if Willie was really what he seemed.
Blessed are the pure in heart.