Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-23
TRAPPED.
How Sir. Mcclellan Mustered Up Courage
Enough.

How Sir. Mcclellan Mustered Up Courage
Enough.
"Have YOU ever experienced the feeling,
Mr.. Mcclellan" said the young lady softly,
that some great opportunity was within
your grasp but you had hardly the presence
of mind, the-ths courage, as it were, to
avail yourself of itF'
"Why-er-yes, Miss Quickstep. l have
sometimes bad kind of feeling as If I'd been
sort of sent for and couldn't go, you know"
Miss Amanda sighed dreamily and there
was pause during which the two sat in the
semi darkness OF the Quickstep parlor and
exchanged profound s1ences.
The door opened and Miss Amanda's elderly
female relative looked in
The book you are looking for, auntie,n
said the young lady, with entire self posses
sion and some emphasis, sis probably in the
library"
The elderly female relative withdrew and
Miss Amanda spoke again in the soft, must
cal, persuasive voice of trained applicant
for charity:
"She will not disturb Us again, Mr.. Nc
Pelican"
"She-she wasn't disturbing me any, he
protested
And he sat and looked helplessly at the
glowing Goals in the CRATE, with the feeling
that every breath be drew was n,ortifying
and CHASTITY blunder.
'As you were about to say, Mr.. McPeli-
can," resumed the young lady. there are
times when it seems to all Of US that we must
speak what is in our h in our mindsn
"Yes,n vaguely answered the bewildered
youth, and he tried to remember when he
had started to say anything Of the kind;
s'yes, O. course"
"And while am not sure that ought to
listen to you, MIR. McPelican," she said, with
downcast eyes, when you speak to me in
this-in this personal manner, yeti
The young man could feel his pulse beating
q tattoo on the drums Of his ears, but he sat
like bound boy at corn husking and said
nothing.
SPY the way" exclaimed Miss Amanda
presently, 81 have new book of engravings,
Mr. Mcclellan, that am sure you will en-
Joy seeing. 1t is large book, and you'll
have to move your chair-why, certainly,
you can sit here with me on tho sofa. I
never thought of thatT'
The pictures danced before the eyes OF the
young man in blurred, confused images.
'Isn't this engraving Of the 'Courtship Of
Florence Dombey and Walter Gay perfectly
lovelyl"
"Wh-which is Waltz he gasped.
''There! Look closer Don't you see himf'
"W-who's he courtingF'
you'll have to come closer, Mr.. McPeli-
can. l declare. though" and she looked
archly at the trembling youth, ''pm almost
afraid to let You come any nearer. You look
exactly like Walter in the pictured"
And then the arm of that helpless young
man stole in a timid, apologize, sneaking
way around the waist of the charming
Amanda Quickstep, her head sunk on as
shoulder, and the book Of engravings fell
neglected to the floor.
alfred" she said, an hour later, as she
Joyed with the button of his coat, You bold
boyl How on earth did you ever muster up
the courage to ask me to be your wifel You
know well enough never gave you particle
Of encouragement"
The young man patted her condescend-
ingly on the head and then spoke proudly,
with the voice Of an Ajax defying the light
ming:
when I make up my mind to do any
thing, Amanda, no obstacle on earth can
stop mel"
Innocent young Mr.. McPelican!-Chicag
Tribune.