Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-11-18
THE WRONG GIRL.

"But," said after he had finished his
tale of VICE. "the puzzle to me is why you
have proposed to the girl at all"
II have not proposed 1t happened at
the ball last night. l was late, and l was
idly leaning against the wall, looking
among the dancers for-for-well, you
know, Tom, for whom l was looking. 1
had been standing in that attitude quite
ten minutes, when suddenly caught sight
of girl at the far end of the roor:. She
had her back to me and was wearing u
shimmering kind of white dress, with
with-roses and things embroidered on 1t;
but anyhow there was not another frook
in the room like it, and directly caught
sight of it hurried after the wearer and
came up to her just as she was entering
the conservatory.
swell, the conservatory was rather dark,
and I was rather excited, having been
determined all the week that Iwould screw
up my courage and speak on the ball
night. So, before knew where was, I
said something. don't know what, but
something sweet and then all in min
ute she-she--well, the upshot of it was,
she accepted me- and found out, when
it was too late, that had proposed to the
wrong one"
II see now how the mistake occurred,
but surely it is not irreparablef
Cannot you see a way out of it, for If
you can't can," added sagely.
''But howP' he interrupted eagerly.
easily enough" said with philo-
sophie air. Just send a note to Miss He'd
ley, asking her to meet you, and then tell
her in q manly, straightforward fashion
that-that-ahem, you have made mis-
take, that your young affections have been
mire and esteem her, but your heart it is
another's, etc"
"Would you tell a girl a thing like that,
Tolnp" he asked, looking steadily at me-
"I'm sure 1 would" answered conf
IDENTIFY. II think it is more dishonorable
to marry a woman when you don't love
her than it would be to tell her fairly that
you cannot marry her because you don't
love her."
maggie" I asked my sister the follow
ing day, whatever possessed you to lend
your new ball dress to Miss Hedley?
mean that odd looking, whitley thing that
you told Nigel Bruce you were going to
wear"
Maggie colored hotly, and I knew my
shot had gone home.
ooh, Tom," she replied, ignoring the
latter part Of my remark, ~ made Flossie
wear it. She said No ever so many times,
but insisted. &c. in the end she yielded.
Poor Flossiep' my sister continued she
has not many pleasures and very few
nd Hpp xxyha
rid time Of it she has with her auntie, and
SO was determined she should go to the
ball and be well dressed too. Mother was
quite willing. But what makes you ask?"
she added.
ooh, nothing much, replied careless
ly, for was determined not to tell her of
Bruce's engagement, until-well, until l
was assured 1t was an engagement.
That same evening had line from
Bruce:
"Be at my cham bers at $3.50 tonight"
So went, and found him in the depths
of despair. must have looked one huge
note of Interrogation, for he began at once:
sit is Of no use, old chap! She-sho
says have discovered her secret, and she
would die Of shame If deserted her now
Moreover, she wrote last night to her ia
ther-and- Can't you see Tom, 1 am
bound hand and foot and cannot with
draw"
"And what happened then?' interrupt
ed
Bruce looked confused. "Then? Oh,
she cried, and'-
II know all about the rest, Exclaimed
scornfully. "Nigel Bruce, you are an ar
rant donkey, End far too good to be wasted
on bold, INSCRIPTIONS, scheming woman !!
You shan't marry her Hold!' said sud-
denly stopping in the midst Of my sentence
GIVE thought of plan to rescue you'll I'll
tell you what it is, old fellow-I'll go in
for the fair lady myself and cut you outl
IF I, a much Weather man than you,
appear as a possible sutton, am much
mistaken in the maiden if she does not
throw you overheard"
Well, the rest is soon told began pay
Ing Miss Hedley marked attention-so
much attention that my mother and sister
showed symptoms of uneasiness.
One day Maggie came to mo looking
rather agitated
els it true, Tom," she asked, "that you
are going to take Flossie to the theater to-
nightS She has just been telling me so. {"
sit Is quite true" replied.
"But, Tom,' she urged edo you think
it is right9 What would Mr. Bruce think
If he knew"
''Look here, Maggie, answered sem
tentiously, "don't you bother your pretty
head about my affairs. am quite capable
Of taking care of myself"
Well, on the night Of the theater sup
pose my attentions showed such marked
inclination to become Intentions" that
the following afternoon Bruce received q
charmingly worded little note giving him
his congo. Directly saw his radiant face
I knew what had happened
"It's all very we'll for you, said "but
. how must get out of itY"
ooh, tell her fairly and squarely that
you respect, admire and esteem her. but
your heart it is anothers, etc."
And then he looked me in the face mean
ingly, and we both burst out laughing.
It was at that period Of my career dis
covered 1t was very easy to give advice, but
very hard to follow. The end of 1t was
that my lawyer settled the matter in an
entirely satisfactory manner to all con-
cerned.
Only to this day Maggie, who was mar
ried to Nigel last Christmas, declares we
were both wrong to carry out such mean
plot. She also says If she had known of it
she would never have consented to become
Mrs. Bruce Forget Me-Not.
Estimating Horses Height.
The Arabs have two methods Of esti-
mating the height to which colt will
grow, the first being to stretch cord from