Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-06-29

worse, the professor noticed it each
time, and in a kindly tone offered
suggestion, which increased Johns
confusion. There was no one in the
class gladder than John when $3.50
came and he and Mary stepped out
into the moonlight to go home. They
picked their way along the sidewalk,
slowly, cautiously, and in silence.
John did not speak for two reasons.
He was oppressed with the thought
that he had been particularly stupid
during the whole evening, and he
was repeating the sentence, MARY,
let us share our mutual woes" so
that when they stood beneath the
light in the little parlor he could put
his arms around her and say it with
out laundering. Mary was silent
with expectation.
! How brief a sentence would have
made them supremely happy!
Johns Observation-Disclosures served to
distract his attention from the icy
walk more than he should have al
lowed, and no less than half q dozen
times Mary's feet slipped, but each
times he foundherSelfborne up by her
sturdy lover. Each slip was accom-
panied with a little shrek, and when
she was again safe her soft laugh was
like music to him.
A group of boys pulling sled
turned the corner ahead and dashed
past them. Mary turned her head to
glance after them. Her foot slipped,
little shrek, and she was down.
But she wasn't alone. In falling she
had managed to knock Johns feet
from under him, and he had fallen
too. Each scrambled to rise quickly.
and their heads came together with a
sound bump.
John was in the throes of mortified
ton upon his awkwardness, when
Mary said naively, as he helped her
to her feet:
ave seem to be sharing our mutual
woes"
He was amazed. The very sentence
he had been saving for under the gas
light. Before he could take advan-
tage of his present opportunity, how.
ever, Mary seemed 10 realize that she
had been immodest, and she talked
necessarily as they walked on as il
determined that he should reap nc
advantage from her remark. John
made several efforts to recall the op.
, portunity, but was batfled every time
Then he determined to wait until
they stood beneath the gaslight, but
, when they reached the parlor the
light seemed to burn more brightly
than before, and his courage depart
ed. Once he made an effort, but the
first word that came from his lip was
"wOes," and the consciousness thai
, he was laundering caused him tC
, blush and pause before trying again
But sweet "What were you going
to say?" completed his embarrass
ment, and he answered, Nothing;
and in despair prepared to go.
A moment later as they stood a
the parlor door exchanging the las
, words, and as Johns hand was or
!, the knob, Mary turned her blue eye
to him and said with laugh:
"You will be sure to get home
; without falling, for you will have NJ
, one to drag you down."
l Johns face crimsoned. He wa
about to protest that she had no
r dragged him down when he though
of his lost opportunity after they haC
fallen. He had feeling that tn,
sentence he had been trying to sa!
< all the evening would be SINGULAR!
e inopportune now, but he was deter
mined not to lose another chance
t Despite that feeling and IN sheer DIES
peration he gasped:
: "Mary, let us woes our mutua
shares always?"
D Mary looked puzzled. For a mo
: ment she didn't grasp the purport 0
s the misquoted sentence. When i
: dawned upon her flood of crimson
e passed over her face, her eyes fell ,an'
t she whispered, Eyes"
e And John, with a newly-acquiret
n courage, put his arm around her an,
!. drew her to his breast. Then Johl
e was at peace and Mary was perfect,
r happy. The question had been aske,
: and answered, and she had fittingl
n blushed, besides waving the priv
t lege of leap year.
. Beauty Without Paint.