Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-12-21

leading to the ground. Miss Warlng, IN a
light summer muslin frock, discovered
"mending,n with a large basket OF work
standing on a small wicker table by her
tide A leghorn shade hat hangs on a
oeg behind her. To her enters John Gray,
clad in riding coat, brooches and boots.
Gray with one foot on the steps
leading to the veranda)-Good morning,
Miss Wsring!
Miss Waring without rising or look
ing up from her work)-GOod morning,
Mr.. Gray! Have you been out riding?
Gray (still standing on one foot ON
the steps and Ticking the other boot
with his crop)-Yes; l have just rode
over from Woodlands.
Miss Waring (still very busy with her
work)-Dear me! that's quite ride, is
il not?
Gray-A matter OF ten miles or more.
Miss Waring--And how did you come
to ride in this direction?
Gray (Rallantly)-You live sin this
direction
Miss Waring-True; but live here
always.
Gray-And I ride in it as often as L
dare Miss Waring is very much &C.
supied in threading her needle.) May
sit down?
Miss Warrington course! (Gray
seats himself on steps, | do not be-
Neve that you can guess what l have
been doing this morning.
Gray-Let me see. (GaZes about and
catches sight of the LeghOrn hat) Let
me see-you arose with the lark-that
is the way girls use TO do in old-fash-
toned books, you know, and you impress
me as being distinctly old-fashioned-
Won arose with the lark, then. Miss
Warning shakes her head.) No? Well,
that is immaterial-you didn't arise
with the lark, but after toying playfully
with a light and delicate breakfast
what! ''No" again? Why, this will
never dO!-after a heavy meal you put
on your sunbonnet aud quantities., hung
a big fat basket over your arm, and
sailed forth into the garden to pluck
fowers-the prettiest flower Of them
sll.
Miss Waring ignoring the compli-
ment)-No; nothing half sO-romantic.
Gray-Ny imagination is limited.
Don't make me guess again.
Miss Warng-I went down into the
kitchen and made a pudding, which is
being boiled this very minute.
CRAY do2't believe it.
Miss Waring-I assure you
Gray-You may assure" me for
week and l won't believe it.
Miss Waring-How can I prove it,
then?
Gray-Prove-(then with a happy
thought)-Why, 1.-THE proof Of pud-
ding Is in the eating"
Miss Waring-Does that mean you
expect an invitation to dine?
Gray-Yes.
Miss Waring-Well, I never heard of
such a shameless way Of begging an in
Gray-Does that mean that have got
Miss Waring-Most certainly not.
Mother has gone to New York, and will
not be back until after dinner.
Gray-Does that make any difference?
Miss Waring-Why, Of course, it
makes a difference! We could not dine
here together alone.
Gray-But-
Miss Waring-I will not have any dis
cussion on the subject.
Gray-But why not? Why not dis
cuss the whole subject Of conventional
isms and find out, if possible, why it
should be perfectly proper for me to sit
here and talk with you all alone, or TO
20 of and walk with you all alone in the
woods; and yet it should be so very i'm
proDer for me to dine with you, con-
structively alone, but with your serv-
ants continually in the room.
Miss Waring-No; l will not discuss
Il. The subject would assume entirely
too personal a tone at the present mo-
ment. Some other time, perhaps, but
not now.
Gray-Then I am not to be invited to
dinner?
Miss Warlng-NO!
Gray-What am to do? It's too late
to 20 back to Woodlands.
Miss Waring (smiling)-I might send
you out slice Of pudding.
Gray-Did you really make pud-
ding?
Miss Waring-I really did.
Grav-What nice little housewife
YOU would make Miss Wsring be-
comes intensely occupied in most COM
plicated piece Of darning. Gray sud
denly notices the nature Of her work.
Darning, too, by Jovel What treasure
YOU will be TO somebody, Miss Waring.
Miss Wsriug with a slight contrac-
tiop OF the eyebrows Don't you think
the conversation is becoming very per-
sOnal?
Gray-Yes.
Miss Waring-Then don't you think
we had better change the subject?
Gray-Ou the contrary, find the sub
ject most interesting.
Miss Waring-You are incorrigible.
Gray-Then why try to correct me?
Why not let me tell you what l think
Of you?
Miss Waring (resignedly)-Ii it gives
you any pleasure.
Gray-Why not let me tell you that
Think you true, honest, and as l said
before, old-fashioned? That / believe
YOU to be careful, industrious, and
good manager?-in short, everything
that the cOpybOOks say woman should
be? And, Notwithstanding that you
possess all those virtues which are or
dinarily stigmatized as unattractive,
that l find you charming? Why not let
me tell you that-that-I love you?
Miss Waring-Mr. Gray! (she drops
her work into her lap and gaZes at him,
half frightened, half pleased and wholly
astonished.)
Gray (who is looking at the toe of
his boot, which be ficks with his crop,
while be adds deliberately)-Yes, that
Il love you.
Miss Waring-(Looking more aston
ished and slightly amused) -Are you
quite sure about il?
Gray Gnnocently)-Quite sure--(then