The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-20
HOV JOHN PROPOSED.

"Dear me, know he is just ready t,
say it, and Ican't see why he doesn'
say it" And pretty Mary Braawooc
puckered up her lips into the sweetes
OF all pouts and piled her needle NOR
rapidly than ever, ut does seem 81
very strange" she added after a brie
pause, that great big man should b.
SO timid about saying he loved a girl
Dear me- it's enough to aggrayate CIR
into taking advantage off,
And Miss Mary blushed rosily ant
finished the sentence with u hysterica
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 q
long time each had looked upon the
other with expressive eyes, and though
the gossips OF that part Of Harlem look
ed upon the ending OF their Cnurtship rs
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 bashiul.
ness seemed an insurmountable barrier.
So Miss Mary sat that February alter
noon in her chair, briskly rocking to aud
fro. The afternoon was nearly gone
and the girl was impRtiently waiting for
s o'clock, when the bashiuI John would
arrive to take her to the class in vocal
music at the church. Her heart beat
faster 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 her,
for she was sure he would do so in a
blunderingway. The thing troubled
her most was that after he really did
muster up sufficient courage, her long
knowledge OF his purpose would prevent
her showing proper amount OF sur
prise and embarrassment. She knew
she would blush, but she hoped II would
DO so deep blush that John could not
fail to see 1t.
She started suddenly, AMI her face
flushed with feeling that there was
tinge ofimmodesty and hypocrisy in her
train OF thoughts. She felt guilty OF be.
ing immodest in thinking OF proposing
herself, and Of hypocrisy in hoping she
would blush us though she had not OK.
pected the question. Her thoughts an.
noyed her, and falling to drive them
away as she sat sewing, she laid down
her work and busted herself cleaning up
the room.
When both hands OF the clock reached
S, the light ring Of the door bell told her
OF John'sarrival. As he entered II could
be seen that, though his youthful face
was sutTused with bushes, there was an
air OF manliness about
him. When his brown eyes looked into
Mary's, she felt so strong and confident
that her half uttered thoughts during the
afternoon Of taking advantage OF the sCa.
son to render little assistance came to
her, and moment later she was Cypress.
ed with the thoughtthat II he had asked
herthen she really would not have blush
ed. Then she tried 10 drive away the
thought with q mighty effort rs her old
feeling immodesty and hypocrisy came
to her, and the crimson flush covered her
face as she saw that John was trying to
say something.
A few minutes later the two were care.
fully walking along the icy sidewalk in
the direction Of the ChuCh. They dis
cussed the weather and everything in
connection with the singing school un-.
til they reached the church, and then
they both joined heartily in tho exer.
Cises. Mary sang exceedingly well.
John was equally successful until they
sang the strain: