Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-08-18
PROPOSING TO THE WRONG GIRL.

But" I said, after he had finished
his tale of woe, the puzzle to me is
why you proposed to the girl at all.
Il have not proposed he interrupt
ed, gloomily.
And yet you come to me and tell ms
you are engaged; declare if can make
head or tail Of it, l retorted, testify.
Don't go yet, Tom" he pleaded; 4
feel as if | should go mad if | hadn't
some one to talk to; besides, 1 haven't
told you the whole story -and-and-I
want advice badly" he ended, lamely.
So l stayed, and by that act changed
the current of three lives.
1t happened at the ball last night,
Bruce began. Il was late, and | was
idly leaning against the wall, looking
among the dancers fOr-for-well, you
know, Tom, for whom / was looking. 1
had been standing in that attitude
quite ten minutes, when / suddenly
caught sight of a girl at the far end Of
the room: she had her back to me, and
was wearing a shimmering kind Of
white dress. with-with-rOses and
things embroidered on it; but, anyhow,
there was not another frock in the room
like it, and directly l caught sight of it
I hurried after the wearer and came uN
to her just as she was entering the con-
seryatory..
We'll, the conservatory was rather
dark. and, as l was rather excited, hay
ing been determined all the week that
l would screw up my courage and
speak on the ball night. So, before I
knew where l was, l said something 1
don't know what-but something sweet
and then all in a minute she-she-
well, the upshot Of it was, she accepted
me- and I found out. when it was too
late, that had proposed to the wrong
one"
Il see now how the mistake occurred,
but surely it is not irrepTable?
Cannot you see a way ont of it, for
if YOU can't 1 can" I said, sagely.
But how" he interrupted, eagerly.
Easily enough" I said, with philo-
sophie air Just send a note to Miss
Hedley, asking her to meet You, and
then tell her in a manly, straightfor-
ward fashion that-that-ahem, you
have made a mistake, that your young
affections have been bestowed else
where. that you respect admire and es-
TEEN her, but your heart, it is another's,
etc. etc"
would you tell a girl thing like
that, Tom?" he asked, looking steadily
at me.
I'm sure I would" I answered, con-
IDENTIFY. 'I think it's more dishonora-
BILE to marry a woman when you don't
love her than it would be to tell her
fairly that you cannot marry her, be-
cause you don't love her"
Maggie" I asked my sister the fol-
lowing day, whatever possessed you to
lend your new ball dress to Miss He'd
ley? / mean that odd-looking, Whitley
thing that you told Nigel Bruce you
were going to wear.
Maggie colored holly, and I knew
my shot had gone home.
p 90. Tom. she replied. ignoring the
latter part of my remark, Il made Flos-
sic wear It. She said No ever so many
times. but I insisted So, in the end,
she yielded Poor FlOssie!' my sister
continued. "she has not many pleas
ures. and very few pretty dresses, and
YOU know what q horrid time of itoshe
has with her auntie. and so l was de-
tremined she should go to the ball, and
be well dressed, too. Mother was quite
willing-but what makes you ask" she
added.
20. nothing much" replied, care
lessly. for l was determined not to tell
her of Bruce's engagement until-well
until I was assured it was an engage
ment
That same evening I had a line from
Bruce.