The Journal of a Disappointed Man

At supper, a story was told of a man who knocked at the door of his lady's heart four times and at last was admitted. I remarked that the last part of the romance was weak. She disagreed. H---- exclaimed, "Oh! but this man has no sentiment at all!" "So much the worse for him," chimed in the others. "He was 66 years of age," added Mrs.----. "Too old," said P. "What do you think the best age for a man to marry?" H.: "Thirty for a man, twenty-five for a woman." She: "That's right: it still gives me a little time." P.: "What do you think?" (to me). I replied sardonically,-- "A young man may not yet and an old man not at all." "That's right, old wet blanket," chirruped P----. "You know," I continued, delighted to seize the opportunity to assume the role of youthful cynic, "Cupid and Death once met at an Inn and exchanged arrows, since when young men have died and old men have doted." H---- was charming enough to opine that it was impossible to fix a time for love. Love simply came. We warned him to be careful on the boat going out. "Yes, I know," said H---- (who is in love with P----). "My brother had a dose of moonlight on board a boat when he sailed and he's been happy ever since." P.: "How romantic!" H.: "A great passion!" "The only difference," I interjected in a sombre monotone, "between a passion and a caprice is that the caprice lasts a little longer."