Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-09-05
A BICYCLE CHASE.
BY MRS. NJ. L. RAYNF.

MILO warren was making a call on
girl to whom he was fondly attached,
although he had never told her so.
But this was a case where actions
speak louder than words, and-leave a
girl alone for finding out if a young
man regards her with favor. Every
girl is clairvoyant where affairs of the
heart are concerned.
They were talking about their birth
days, and the pleasant custom of giving
presents at such time.
"Let me see," said Milo, thoughtful-
1y, Ibid you say your birthday came in
September, Miss Nellie?"
II didn't say" remarked Miss Nellie,
demurely.
''Then it was December, wasn't it?
Some lucky fellow will be giving you q
diamond, perhaps!"
''Or souvenir SPOON" laughed Mel
lie; ''you know they made jewel-spoons
for birthday gifts, but all the girls
changed their birthdays to December,
and the young men could not stand the
expense, and they sent petition to
the manufacturers, asking them to dis
continue the custom, so no more spoons
are in the market"
"I-I-I-really wish you would tell
me when your natal day arrives. l
might at least send you. bunch of
roses, in remembrance of all the--the
happy days we have spent together.
Is it this month, Miss NellieY'
You remind me of the parlor game:
is it this? Is it that?'" said Miss
Nellie, and then fearing that the
young man was becoming sentimental
she turned the conversation to other
subjects.
But the next day Milo Warren
dropped casually into the store where
Miss Nellie Newton's best brother was
engaged as bookkeeper, and inquired
asolemnly at the grated window, which
permitted segment of his countenance
to appear, if that young man would
take lunch with him.
Certainly" was the brusque reply
from a mouth full of pens; 'rll meet
thee at Philippi-I mean at Hunger g.
Co.'s-in an hour
He was there, and at the pleasant
spread of good things provided Milo
Warren propounded this conundrum:
''1f you like a girl awfully, but
haven't told her so, and you think she
maybe likes you awfully-no, don't
mean that-but if that girl has birth
day, and you want to make her a pres
-ent, and she won't tell you when it is
the birthday, you know-oh, hang it
all, Pm everiostingly mixed up. Can't
Won helm a fellow out?"
Lyman Newton laid aside his knife
and fork, and looking Milo in the face
asked, seriously:
"Any,insanity in your family, Milo?"
'None that ever heard of outside of
my 'own case" was the depressed an
swer.
Reducing your heroics to plain
statement, then, you want to give a
girl of four acquaintance birthday
present" . a
Exactly"
SIS she an Old Woman?"
what do you mean?" roared War
rem, turning red. "Pll thank you to
speak with respect of my freinds-be-
sides L"
"Oh, no harm done; don't get riled so
easily. 1 wanted to know if she be-
longed to the past age or the present
/ take it, then, tina she's New
Woman?"
II understand now. Yes, / believe
she has advanced opinions, but she
isn't one of those dreadful creatures
that advocate the wearing of boomers
Nellie is the soul of womanly modesty,
and"
'Nellie? Do know this bright par
ticular starr"
"Why, of course you dol quite for
,got-she's your own sister!'
SWELL like that! And you want to
make her birthday present and don't
know the day. Sorry, old fellow, but
l can't help you out. Nellie would
take my head off if told"
That ended the lunch, but an unfore-
seen thing happened. Just as Milo
Warren left his company at the corner
he saw an urchin he knew. 1t was the
infection known as Nellie's youngest
brother, age seven, capacity for mis-
chief seven times seven, precocity un-
limited by any period of time.
Milo, with malice prepense, engaged
the dear child in a surfeit of sweets,
and then asked, as if the idea was not
of the least consequence and had just
occurred to him:
when does Sister Nellie have o
birthday" To
The dear child looked at him for a
moment, drew his mouth round under
his ear, elevated both eyebrows, and
said, in coEfding, infantile voice:
"What'll yer give ter know"
Advantageous terms being made, the
boy puckered his mouth for whistle,
thought better of it and gave the fol-
lowing Saturday as his sisters birth
day.
"An' if yer want to make yourself