Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-05-24
HOW JOHN PROPOSED.
And They Both Agreed to "Woes
Their Mutual Shares"

'.Dear me, know he is just ready to
say it, and can't see why he doesn't
say it." And pretty Mary Brentwood
puckered up her lips into the sweetest
of all pouts and piled her needle more
rapidly than ever. at does seem to
me very strange" she added. after a
brief pause, .'that great big man
should be so timid about saying he
loved a girl Dear me. it's enough to
aggravate girl into taking advantage
Of"
And Miss Mary blushed rosiIy and
finished the sentence with an hyster-
ical laugh
Mary Branwood was just at this mo-
ment thinking of John Walker, who,
for the past two years, had been her
escort upon every possible occasion.
For long time each had looked upon
the other with expressive eyes. and
though the gossips of that part of
Harlem looked upon the ending of
their courtship as a settled matter,
John had not asked the all-important
question. Mary's womanly intuition
prompted the thought that he had
been trying to voice the love he SO
often displayed, but his natural BASH
fulness seemed an insurmountable bar
rier.
So Miss Mary sat that February aft
ternoon in her chair briskly rocking to
and fro. The afternoon was nearly
gone and the girl was impatiently
waiting for eight o'clock, when the
bashful John would arrive to take
her to the class in vocal music ut the
church. Her heart beat fast as the
moments sped. Her rosy cheeks
flushed more deeply as her mind
dwelt upon the possible form of the
question that she felt must soon be
asked. She knew there would be moth
ing romantic about Johns asking, for
she was sure he would do SD in a
laundering way. The thing that
troubled hsr Ecss was that after he
really Ord muster up sufficient cour-
age, her long knowledge of his pur-
pose would prevent her showing a
proper amount of surprise and en-
barrassment She knew she would
blush. hut she hoped it would be SC
deep blush that John could not fail
to see it.
She started suddenly, and her face
flushed with feelings that there was q
tinge of immodesty and hypocrisy in
her train of thoughts. She felt guilty
of being immodest in thinking of pro
posing herself and of hypocrisy il
hoping she would blush as though sh,
had not expected the question. He
thoughts annoyed her, and failing t.
drive them away as she sat sewing. sh'
laid down her work and busted hersel
clearing up the room.
When the hour hand of the clocl
reached eight the light ring of thu
door-bell told her of Johns arrival
As he entered it could be seen that
though his youthful face was sutfuse,
with bushes, there was an unmistak
able air of manliness about him.
When his brown eyes looked int,
Mary's she felt so strong and confiden
that her half-uttered thoughts durin,
the afternoon of taking advantage O
the season to render little assistanc
came TO her. and n moment later sh
was oppressed with the thought that j
he had asked her then she reall
would not have blushed. Then sh
tried to drive away the thought with
mighty effort as her old feeling of i'm
lnodesty and hypocrisy came to hel
and the crimson flush covered her fac
rs she saw that John was trying to sa
something.
A few minutes later the two wer
carefully walking along the icy side
walk in the direction of the church
They discussed the weather and ever
thing in connection with the singin;
school until they reached the church
and they both joined heartily in tn
exercises. Mary sang exceedingly well
John was equally successful until the
sang the strain: