Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-11-03
THE IMPRESSIONIST AND
THE WIDOWED LADY,

How good Of you to come. after all q
she said. I'm SO glad. When I saw it
was raining-a litue-dt was really
cats and dogsO-I was afraid Won
wouldn't venture out! l suppose YOU
waited to see if it wouldn't clear up."
Il knew you couldn't resist the temp
tation to tease me" was my smiling re-
ply, for l felt this time had the better
of her
Victory for you" she Acknowledged.
pushing toward me my favorite chair
"and we are both in good humor to-day.
aren't WEI"
Il am always in good humor."
ooh! so am T. she answered.
well, then, that's settled" and I
sank into the chair. THE next aues-
ton is how long are we to remain sou
Il don't like to discuss periods of
time with you. notice you have only
series Of adverbs, such as always for
ever and as long as live"
And you dislike them?"
81 don't say that; 1t depends-but
they are a little extreme don't you
think so?"
do you realize that have called on
you every day this week? And isn't
that little extreme. This is the sixth
visit"
Il don't know II you are right in
your calculation or not, but I'll ask my
sister-in-law. She's sure to have kept
count"
But how will she know"
Il don't know how She has strange
and, l believe. occult means of finding
out everything, she has a window in
sight of which my front door naively
is. OF course, she never watches. but
she sits in that window, and naturally
she dosen't shut her eyes Then she
is very neighborly, never misses a day
coming over, and each one Of her ques-
tions is sure to hit the nail on the head.
Verifes her eyes through her ears, as it
were. Don't think L mean she's pry-
ing. because she isn't. She's a dear
soul and a born mother, that's all. and,
not having any children, she has 10
take care of anything that comes her
way. even a widowed sister-in-laW very
near her own age
"If you need any one to take care Of
you, l began.
ooh. dear. nc" she answered. Il am
tired 10 death OF it, | want to take
care Of somebody myself for a little
while"
you think I would be a difficult sub
ject to handle?'
yes" she laughed, 81 am afraid it
would be O. case Of playing with fire
and burning ones fingers
Il wished I did know your real opin-
ion of me- I sighed.
isn't that a very gorgeous wish%'
she suggested.
well, then III put it this way. 1
wish you could know wy opinion OF
you
But do know itp'
Il never told you
Haven't you? On, however other
people have"
"Who?"
let me sec. My slster-in-law, for
one"
Hang ! stopped.
How is it out?" she asked.
Warm
laughed and broke up my anger.
Not so warm as indoors just at this
moment" | said. Then brilliant idea
came to me. and | added: "Ill tell
you what I'm going TO do. I'm going
to ask your sister-in-law to let mo
paint her Portrait
TON Bowles, do you care as much
for me as all that?"
do you think she'll like the idea ~
Like She'll be fiattered TO death
Her personal appearance is her ono
weak point"
"Of course I shall expect you to come
with her and chaperon us during the
sittings.
"Ohw
"And you must give me points to
help me win her over to my side.
Your side of what?"
Mrs. Turnbull, why do you hold me
off 500" AS spoke vowed to myself
now or never"
"'Hold you orr" and she laughed,
nervously, what a remark. ! don't
hold you in any way"
Il can't. | won't jest any more about
It." I said. land if you are the woman
I love you'll listen to me"
"Iu listen to you" she answered,
with a final Pickering OF her teasing
bumor. whether l am the lady you
mention or not"
you know" / continued, paying no
attention to what she had said, "a busy
man does not 90 to see a woman every
day in the week simply to kill time.
Won know a man does not try 10 pro
nose TO a woman on an average or
twice an afternoon for week unless
he means It! You know If a man can
take his eyes from your face that nc
loves you, and you have never seen my
ewes wander. You know, you musI'
that uncertainty even for an alumnuS
half-back is terrible. I've been on tip
toe night and day all week, I've Deeh
embracing the empty air, and KISSING
the unsubstantian mOonshine anu
moonlight My patience is all gone,
hut nv love remains immovable. why
have YOU let me get so far toward ask
inc Won the one leading question IN
Cupids catechism, and then every
time pulled me up short-breathles5
and angry? Why?"
"Tu tell you" she said earnestly IN
terrupting me before | could say ihoIe.
'.Tbe truth is. you have been so nervous
about It, so timid, suggesting every
thing and saying nothing DeauuB
around the bush, and leading up 10 lno
point by easy stages, that by the tiiuo
Won were ready to say the word ! was
So nervous myself aud fdgety, ! was
actually afraid. A sort Of stage lrigIIs
# was. I didn't dare let you SPEAK. II
Won had ever asked me straight OUT L
don't doubt I'd have accepted you iQns
ago" She paused only for breath pu'
I didn't wait. a.