Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1890-11-25
THE PROPOSAL

Il was late on n September afternoon
The day hal bsrn damp and dolsful. and
now at so the foz was trying 10 envelol
everything with ~. usual obstinate den
siiy.
Amid the .irram u hurryins. josilins
humanity which swep, down the s,rand
Was q man who>c face might have nj
tracied attention N there hal been any
one In iha, motley crowd no, wholly en-
gro--i In .clhsh interests Il was Z
hne. dark facr. 5eauiiful In IT, way. bat
markell By lines and shadows-the face
Of man who was dyh,ing a-ains, th'
world anil who was losing the battle
and ye, man who.c nature hal no; bc,r
imbi,tsr-j by sorlii struggles, . mat
who had suffered and grown strong
Such q one was Paul Ferris. oniy b,
would have ts,cn very much surprised q
have heari " saij.
lie plolicl along. his ,hrraibarc coat
bution~i up O. thu chin. hcai bcnt. eyes
hIcl on the ground. thinking ~ nothing
more o. les heruic than the approaching
dinner hour. lsupposr. though. tha, even
hero may D. rarlonc,l for being hun
gry n be has got through the day with.
out any luncheon. That was the ca-s
with Paul Ferns. at al events. AMI con
r-quenily be- was making the t--t % h.'
way homewarl. dsyouily hoping that M.
sister had ordered -uincthing substantial
for their evening meal. pr~cntly h.
,urn~l od to the right. and passs'l int
one - tlIo.- short aud comparatively d-
serted street. which run from The Strand
b. the cmhankment Herr b. entered
on. % the rOw - lodging houss- anil
Wa. sou In IL. dinyy sitting room. with
u. dismal hucl caTrt ani upholstery.
A. he came Ia Ialo faoci girl in a black
gown rJ-.s FROM ih. couch where she la.l
bc.n lying anil a'lyancc,l - meet him.
"YOu have coine at last. panl
"Yo.. little one. and glad to -. you
up anil looking - Jolly"
The rehearsal was late. was u no,Y'
"I.ais' should say u wAA Couhn'l
svrn g-t out io get soulc lunch
"Poor boyl That was trag.cai. have
or,lercl dinner for q Go'clock. 80 poss.s.
your soui ~ patience until thsu. In ths
mean iimc have hii 81 news for YOU.
Ferris threw 81 hi. coai AMI con
fron,ei her. Not lai nsws. chiliy'
"So On th- contrary.
Good news, Al. that. something
novel anil refreshing. Lets hsV, u. my
groi girl-prAy. don't keep me In .ns
PENS.
Ilc sca;el himself by the fr.sidc anil
took OF liz siovcs. looking acrosa al b..
sister With n somewhat cynical sinile.
"To begin with. who do you think
called here TIN. aiiesnooag-
"Cr-lii0rsy
"so.-
"Doriory
no
"My SOLICITOR
Wrong aslin-i, was Margaret Stan.
hopc.-
Fem. starred and shaded his face
with hi. hand.
WELL he asked. after pause,
What did she want % your
''Sh. was very kind. Paul; inquired
after YOU. Aud asked Va both a. an in
formal dinner on Thursday evening"
"And you accepic,l'-
"of courc: thought 10 would h. q
treat Surrly you do not objectY'
Il cannot object. Stella. u u would
give You pleasure. ycs. We will 20 II
fate - wills a."
lit was very kind In her. Paul, 10 look
us up Dun't you think sol She has
only bccn In London a week
"Yes. Mis- stanhopc has always bccn
kind and condesccnding. DO you not
,oe. my child. that she would make
prUiosc. ~ usy II IL the fashion nova.
days Ia Ia,TUniIc beggarly musicians"
"Paul.- Indignantly. lit is not like
you b. L. such a bear. What makes YOU
srsak ~, You know II IL not true. How
could slle pa,rvnize usl Why. We knew
her when she wore short dresses and
played with doll babies. There Is no one
In the world 20 good and beautiful ~
Margaret stanhops. and you know H.
And Panl----
"wellY'
IL have sometimes fAncied--
A prolonged pause.
"wsll. out with u. What have you
fancie,i!'
THAT she cars for you more than
otherwise than ~ mere friend. ! mean
There Is an expression In her eyes when
sbc speaks % yOu~-
"Gooi heavens. Stella. you are raw.
ing interrupted Paul. springing mp and
regarding her lercely. II forbid you 10
harbor such thoughts for . moment
Miss Stanhole Is rs far removed from
mo as II she were Of rOyal blood. Evi.
IDENTIFY you DO not rcllize the difference
existing between an heircss and y psnni.
less concert singer. r.
"But Panl." interrupted Stella In hss
turn. lyon must not forget You arc .
gentleman born. ani our families were
friends In the years gonc by"
"a gentieinany' rrTeated Paul. disre-
garling the last clause In her sentence.
"Yea. the son IL 'In obscure curaie. Q
vagsbond by adoption. AMI ani "
wpo dear Lady DlsdAin; Good Gcdi
You drive me inai!'
Stella watched him blankly Tor mo
ment a. he fung about the room. then
she threw herself on the lounge and
burst into hytterical tcsrA Naturally
this brought him 10 his senscs at once,
and be- patted. and rettei. and soothed
and pacifed until ths storm wAs over
Thursday. the Isl of Octobss. dawusd.
bat u brought no prospsct of the Ferries
dining 10 Kensington-
There came instead small note which
rod - follows;
No 10 sAlsssrss esAsss. Osl 1
Nv DsAa M ssAsse~s-ny si~tss = - ~
nsch vosss sofay that vu " hnpossl1s fes -
- diss 90 yow kosss tLs evsains. shs dsu1ru1
- 70 cosvey 70 yos hes rxrvs ssd di.svvnass
nesl vsus sesy sscrsviy'
Marxarvt received it At luncbsoa tims.
end After she had rad 10 twics os thrsos
che turned 10 her huge massi6 who ~
sitting bolt upright be~ids h~s. and thu
addresscd him; "Christophes. -
afraid your scx v hopelessly obtusa
Now. what would you think u = lsttss
like that coming from IN individual
whom you had known In childhood. I'D
played With and sgusbb'sd with bsn'
1ssds e tinnm