The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-12-21
sent-mindedlv. TO put it mildlv.

laughs Lulu, and, like a Slmperlng
school miss, blush, which makes me
So angry that a further accession of
color waves up to my forehead. and
the conviction is strong within me that
l resemble nothing more than a full
blown peony.
Reflect on my appetite, and don't
say I'm in love-" / answer
Talking of being in love, YOU should
see our handsome neighbor." said
Lulu. He is young physician, but
well known Perhaps you have heard
of him-Dr. Bernard Burke"
why, he is the doctor we are going
to have if any of us are ilIr' / exclaim
''Is he really nice looking?''
Indeed, he is. / have been trying
to develop some interesting disease
ever since l first saw him." she replies
And, by the way" she continues. "he
generally passes here just about this
time. Come to the window and watch
for him, Nathalie, and l will wager
you'll manage to get up some ailment
within the week. The stakes to be
soda water"
jump up as she speaks, and make
rush for the window. closely followed
by the rest of the girls. As get half
way dNApSS tic IOOln utClS
again fail me; my ankle turns, and
measure my length on the floor The
girls laugh, after the manner of girls.
tumble is TO me generally a source
of infinite mirth, and | cannot blame
them for their merriment. | try to
rise, but sharp twinge of pain in nv
foot causes me to sink back with
grOan. No doubt l turn pale. for the
ari,.1G haaprr,a II, 4
me anXiously. Every moment is agony,
but when | am perfectly still it is not
so bad. What is to be done? We con
suit anxiously.
II shall send for DIR. Burke, " declares
Lulu, seriously. There is a burst of
laughter, and even l smile.
You owe me a debt of gratitude for
this | murmur, rather weakly, to
Lulu.
| am beginning to feel faint and
sick, and after am helped to the sofa
1 lie back with my eyes closed, while
Sue Dalton fans me, and May Bostwick
runs for some salts
Here's the doctor" whispers Sue. at
last in my ear. Under other circum-
stances 1 could pity you more" she
adds
open my eyes languidly and look
up. Shades of my rainy mornings
walk! 1t is my knight of the umbrella,
And shall l be able to walk with
out a crutch this week?" 1 ask,
anxiously.
1t is month since that never-to-be-
forgotten luncheon at Lulu Bradley's
and my foot is still in statu quo, as il
were, although l can get around the
house and am in the parlor, now, with
DIR. Bernard Burke. 1t is the first time
l have seen him alone, and we have
never mentioned our rather unconven-
tional walk.
II am quite sure you will be out by
Saturday. Perhaps you will still need
slight suppOrt-a cane or"-his eyes
twinkle-''an umbrella"
We both laugh.
did you expect me to refuse your
help that dayP Tell me what you
thought of me. But if you think was
brazen, do please gloss it over as much
as you can"
''If l had thought it at all out of the
way for you to accept my offer 1 never
should have ventured to make it, for in
that case | should have had no right,
he replies; and l wonder that l never
thought of that before.
81 should have been both dispusted
and disappointed if you had declined
my slight service" he continues. Il
will tell you just how it was. walked
behind you for about a half-bloclz, de-
batting in my own mind what / should
do. We were both going the same way,
and ! saw there was no shelter YOU
could seek excepting doorway, which
involved tedious waiting, and would
have been an impossibility if you had
an engagement To pass you seemed
impossible, and to walk behind you,
too selfish to be thought of for mo-
ment-
:" If she takes my offer the way
mean it, l thought, Il shall respect
her and admire her good sense. If she
treats it as an impertinence it cannot
hurt me, and it will not prove that my
impulse ought to have been suppressed.
judging by the independent poise of
her head | think she possesses iudg-
ment. and VIII be grateful to me-
II must acknowledge l felt some
trepidation as 1 approached on, and
voted you, in schoolboy vernacular, a
regular trump when, after a search
ing look from a pair of beautiful eyes,
you smiled so sweetly and allowed me
to hold my umbrella over You"
| glanced at the doctor.
WAS it not strange that we should
have met again that very day?" L be-
gin, hastily.
II think it was fate" interrupts Dr.
Burke, audaclously.
And then he goes on and SAYS so
much that I quite lose track of IL al
But we agree wonderfully; and 1 have
a great respect for-fate.-Demorest S
Magazine.