The evening world., 1893-10-13
HER PHOTOGRAPH.
III Singular Coincidence Which Led to a
Marriage Proposal.

One would imagine that. having concen-
trated my enderer emotions on a bit OF
pasteboard, l could move about the
world with some security. And so l did
until yesterday.
l went up the river to spend the day
with some people / knew who are stay
ing at NARROW. Florrie Sinclair was with
them. There were some rather nice
girls among the party, but / make 1t a
rule never to go on the river with a girl
l like. There Is something about the
river which induces condolences, and /
prefer not to be over-conident. So i
got Florrie Sinclair to take me in her
Canadian canoe. thinking that as l
rather disliked her l should be moder-
ately safe, especially II l could get an
occasional glance at my talisman. All
the way up to Hurley I smoked a good
deal and talked not much. What little l
did say was about lunch.
1t was not till about 4 o'clock that the
real danger began. Up to then the party
had kept together. But at about 4 Flor
RE Sinclair began padding around
among the backwaters. / could not OBJ
ject, for she was padding her own ca
noe. After n bit the nose Of the canoe
dug Itself gently into a bank. We swung
round with the stream and lay hidden
from the rest Of the world under a tree.
1t was so quiet that the water rats
came up to look at us. and the fish be-
gan jumping under our very gunwale.
For a long time we scarcely spoke, but
the magic Of the summer evening was
sliding into my soul. for the influence
Of the river Is quite irresistible.
BY 6 o'clock Florrie Sinclair was hold
ing my hand and telling me my fortune.
She found out that l was in love with
some one who returned my affection,
which at the time struck me as absurd.
Then I told her fortune. l said there
was one young man very much in owe
with her. which seemed at the time
more than likely to be true. Then we
both lay back. and she told me In conf-
dence several things which had hap
pened to her, and which she had never
told any one else, and l told her sew
eral things that had not happened to me.
The sun was getting low and shot a
broad CLEAN of gold down the backwater.
just catching her hair and lighting 1t
into an aureole round her head. IT
- nv NAV VI WI "b' nv iil6 ht
have been a very pretty girl. And then
/ began to think how pleasant it woull
be II l were with a girl I really liked.
If only l were alone with my girl! l
took her carefully out of my pocket =
in my handkerchief-and took a look at
her. What a guileless face! And yet
how noble. How commonplace Florrie
Sinclair seemed beside her.
Whose photo is that?" said Florrie
Sinclair.
She had detected me.
l concluded it was better to tell the
truth. l could then talk sentiment freely
and without prejudice. for Florrie Sin
clair would know 1t was all meant for
a third party.
"That," I answered. sis the guiding
star of my existence. the girl ! love
l have never old her so. She probably
wouldn't care to hcar 1t. But her face
is always present with me. and l shall
never love another"
Let me look" said she.
l handed 1t across to her. She looked
at 1t for a moment and smiled gently.
II don't think it's much like me now
she said. 1T was taken some years
ago, Just before l went on the stage.
at some amateur theatricals. will
give you a better one Tomorrow. And
and / dom think any girl ever had a
better proposal. Teddy."-Pall Mall Bud
! get.