Middletown transcript., 1894-06-23


"Rosy is the scuth.'
"As blue as a turquoise" she inter-
posed.
"Roses are her cheeks and rose her
mouth" he finished triumphantly.
"Gainsay that if you CAMP
"Ob. could easily enough, " retorted
she. sit isn't I at all. It's my pink
gown and this mass of sweet pink stuff
behind me that makes you quote
"Maude" and think me rosy. Really,
Walter. appearances girls, at any
rate-is entirely a matter Of environ
ment and background
"Fiddlesticks!" replied Walter, cour-
teously. II imagine I've seen you
against q good many styles of back
ground, but you generally show up for
about the same. can remember, Ruth,
that you wore blue checked gingham
aprons and made raids on the preserves
and tore your clothes shockingly climb
ing trees. Your mother generally
blamed me for that. by the way. And
you were just the same then as you are
to-day-a round, healthy, pink, sweet,
Iowa.
"Don't be an imbecile, Walier!" in
terrupted the subject Of these fiattering
remarks Grossly.
There it is againl' exclaimed Wal
ter, delightedly. "With just those words
and lust that same adorable frown you
repelled my first advances-the year l
was a sergeant in the High school Cadet
Corps and you had begun to do up your
hair. 1 had carried your books home
from school and stood on your piazza
and asked"-
"No matter what you asked!" inter-
rupted Ruth.
swell, so be it. You refused, | re-
member, and you looked and spoke as
YOU do to-day. AS for me, I was broken
hearted. I thought of enlisting in the
army-I wasn't old enough to-and 1
thought Of wringing your proud heart
by suicide"
(which did you decide upon9" asked
Ruth, with polite interest.
.Ah, Ruth! Don't mock at me. You
wouldn't really have cared more for
ma If I bad committed suicide that
year, would youP'
"a great DEAL" said Ruth, cordially.
"Cruel! Well, I didn't. He that
loves and runs away may live to love
another day. Do you remember the
second year I was in college, when l
was playing half-back on the eleven9
And how was a good deal Of hero
one Thanksgiving vacation? And how,
uhen I had been dining over at your
Mace one evening you stood In the
library-your background wasn't pink
then. Ruth, but you were just as much
ofa-a rose-no, pink azalea-as you
are to-day. Well, and I raid to you
again"-
..Walter, stop your idiotic reminis-
cencesl' Ruth broke in.
"Just as you please, my Lady Brier'
Rose. But what you said to me that
nioht was the same thing, Don't be
an imbecile, Walter It's favorite
sxnressiop Of yours, isn't it2 | was just
irving to show you how years and en-
v;ronments and backgrounds may
change and you always be the same. =
"Well, if you're quite through, 'said
Ruth. standing by and shaking herself
srea Of leaves and petals, "well walk
up to the house"
Ruth was pinker than ever, and her
hort heat a little rapidly as they walk
- nm to the house, but Walter did not
rive her another chance that day to
roouest him not to be an imbeciie'
would he, she wondered half tremu'
,ously. at the dinner party at hi'
mothers that night5
80. Ruth, I'm so glad you've come
uow lovely you are, dearl Walter, silly
hov is acting like baby about this
matter. This little dinner is to intro
duce Miss Mcveagh, you know, to hel
fnture friends and neighbours"
mMiss McVeaghp" repeated Ruth.
ayes" )" rushed on Walters mother
..e,o lived with an aunt up at Hartford
"a good old soul-but 1t seemed oe..e s
,or their engagement to come out here
You'll like her, Ruth, for she's swee
Rutb,s eyes were fastened with
startled look on her hoste's's race