The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1892-03-17
RUNNING A RACE WITH TIME.

/ w as OH hanus
1t was the last night of the old
year The clock on the mantel had
clicked away the deeting hours with
brazen tongue had passed its hands
over its bold, painted face until they
pointed to IL :45.
Painfully upright in his chair sat
he diffident youth whom Miss Pinkie
McGraw had been devoting her time
and talents unselfshly in entertain
ing since $50. With that rare
artistic sense that now and then
crops out, even in the young and in
experienced, she had turned down
the light in order that the contrast
between his red necktie and his
lemon -colored mustache might be a
little less glaring, and the conversa-
ton had ranged from Shakespeare
to jackson Park, with occasional
stoppages caused by temporary
breakdowns in the conversational
machinery.
In fifteen minutes, Miss Pinkie, "
he observed, looking at the clock,
''the year 1891 will have gone into
history
He made an effort to hitch his
chair little nearer, but only
succeeded in moving it little farther
away.
~ am-er-aware Miss Pinkie,"
he proceeded, "that / must have
h 'm-seemed unusually dull this
evening"
"Not at all, MIR. Yagsor-not
at all, !" softly interposed the young
lady.
Mr.. Ysgson paused few mo-
ments, apparently unable to decide
whether she meant 70 .sv4 gen
oral Ienlal of his dullness or merely
to controvert the proposition that he
was or could be duller than usual,
but in the light of her gracious smile
he felt emboldened to go ahead, and
he tried it again.
"The--the year 1891 will always
be memorable one to me, Miss
Pinkie lit was in the year 1891
that-that | first became acquainted
with you"
EYES," she replied, retrospective
ly. "But all years are memorable.
A year is long time, you know"
Again Mr.. Yagson felt oppressed
by momentary uncertainty. Had
the year 1891 seemed longer to her
because he had become mixed up in
it, or--or howq''
"H m-yes7" he said, but don't
you think some years are more-er
memorable than othersl"
"Oh, of course"
Mr.. Yagson felt himself growing
more helpless, out glance at the
clock seemed to nerve him 10 an
other effort.
1t was II :53.
Giving his chair one more well
meant but unsuccessful hitch he
broke out again:
"All this evening, Miss Pinkie,
have been-h nh 'm-tbinking
Jndt-
''Beg pardon2'
81 was going to say that all this
evening | have been wondering
whether"
you've been wondering
whether"
Whether it has ever-h 'm-oc-
Cured to you that | must surely
have some object in"
1t was 11:57.
"Some object" he went on husk-
lily, Sin coming"
81 am not sure | quite understood
that last remark, Mr.. Yagson."
"I-I am not sure I-er-quite
understand it myself" he gasped,
looking hopelessly around the room.
1t was IL so.
"But | am trying to say--h M
to say that have been thinking all
the evening that it must have oc-
CURED to you that IL must surely
have some-some- -obiect--"
"You made a remark to that effect
few minutes ago, Mr.. Yagson."
Eyes. THAT is--I--the fact
is, Miss Pinkie, that / have been
thinking all the evening -"
Once more he stopped and looked
with appealing eyes around the
room.
And while he looked, To- the
clock, in slow and majestic measure,
struck the hour Of 12
Then Miss Pinkie McGraw
promptly rose up.
Swiftly crossing the room, she
took the trembling young man by the
hand and said, with radiant smile
and an unmistakable note of triumph
in her voice:
Theodore, this is leap year
viii you marry me2"
He hid his blushing face on her
shoulder, murmured brokenly;
Eyes !'' and the agony was over
Chicago Tribune.