The Portland daily press., 1895-08-12
A SKATING ROMANCE.

y
nation of the moment without regarding
consequences. During his fourth evening S
skating at Niagara he came his cropper.
1t was then getting late. Many of the
skaters had left the ice Dennis and the
learning lady were in corner apart by
themselves. They were standing still, en-
gagged in conversation, when her feet shot
suddenly forward, as the feet of learners
have a way Of doing. Dennis was just in
time to catch her in his arms before she
could strike the ice with the back of her
head.
Who that has thus held lady novice
overbalanced backward does not know the
difficulty of restoring her to the perpen-
dicular? With each effort to raise her her
feet will slip away, and back she sinks,
head resting on his shoulder. That was
what happened now. The young lady lay
in Dennis arms, her head resting on his
shoulder She was certainly good look
ing. Her eyes were very lustrous. Her
complexion was clear and good. She had
pink little mouth A sudden impulse
overlook the Irishman. The absence of
near spectators aided and abetted it. He
whispered something in that coral ear.
Then-I am ashamed to write it-he-
well, yes, he did! he kissed the pink lit
tie mouth
She struggled a little to disengage her
self from his arms. But what could she
do? Her feet slipped away again. She
only sank upon him with increased weight.
Dennis whispered something else and re.
peated the offense. L believe he repeated it
more than once before she was restored to
the perpendicular. The young lady, you
ha1Telocc Che aJ1 e.
cept the inevitable. She could not offer
that resistance which her maiden modesty
demanded. Dennis was master of the sit
uation. He used his advantage recklessly.
That is, in fact, how he came his cropper.
Dennis was genuinely astonished when
he discovered that the young lady had
taken him seriously. He explained to the
young lady as delicately as he could that
she was laboring under delusion. For a
long time she would not believe that he
was in earnest. She surmised that he was
perpetrating some lovers jest upon her
But, by and by, when she found that he
really meant it, she turned upon Dennis
in manner that made him quake.
"Do you stand there before me-" she ex-
claimed, with indescribable Indignation,
''and dare to deny that you asked me to-
to marry you"
"My dear girl,'' returned Dennis, look
ing anxiously around to see that no in
quisitive skaters were within earshot, "you
must know that never asked you any
thing of the kind
"Never asked me anything of the kind!'
cried the young lady in an ascending scale
of shrillness which came uncommonly near
the high G. "Are-are you mad, Mr.. De-
royt, or am II" r
''I don't think am," answered Dennis
perhaps rather rudely.
The young lady burst into tears.
"You insult me, sir" she sobbed.
"Wwhat do you take me for? Do you sup.
pose that I should have let you m-m-m-
make love to me and XXX k-kiss me unless
you had first asked me to marry your"
My dear girl" answered Dennis hur-
riedly, for he saw that it was necessary to
soothe her at once if he was to escape a
scene in the public place, "pray compose
yourself. never took you for anything
else but what you are-the dearest little
thing alive. But as for marrying, never
thought of that. Couldn't possibly man.
age it, don't you know. Haven't the
means"
"You might have thought Of that be-
fore you proposed to me-" she retorted in
dignantly.
'But you are mistaken about that, Miss
Linkley, upon my soul you are, protested
Dennis.
81 wasn't Miss Linkley four days ago, -
she interposed, with queer look.
"Ah, well, Florrie, then," he hastened
to correct himself. That look of hers made
him wish himself well out of it. 't.But
you are mistaken really. do like you,
of course, awfully, butt
"You didn't like me four days ago, +"
she interjected, with still more danger
Gus look Dennis felt half afraid that she
might lose her self control and involve
him in the disgrace of a physical tussle be.
| fore all those skaters.
"I-I-mean to say I-I-love you
upon nay soul, do" said Dennis, ready,
at the minute, to say anything that would
| pacify her.
with all your hearth" she inquired,
subjecting his face to searching gaze OF
her dark eyes.
"Yes-ah-with all my heart" assented
| Dennis meekly.
The young lady still continued to scru-
tinize his face closely. Dennis wished that
her large eyes were not quite SO penetrat-
ing.
upon your honorP" she persisted.
Upon my honor" replied the Irish
| man.
She came nearer and clung to his arm
She looked up fonaiy into his face. Dennis
began to feel SIM more uncomfortable
He had suspicion that he. should not find
it SO easy to get out of this foolish little
entanglement.
"Yes he should put the truth to her fail
and straighb.-in writing" Dennis hatet
to speak linpieasans things. But he coult
be as bold as ion-on paper.
Next morning Dennis indited this let
ter. By return be had communication
not from Florsie but from Florrie's pa
the dry goods man in the Kings road
Chelsea:
SIR-I am at a loss to understand the das
tarday letter Which my daughter has this da,
received from you. II you think that shal
permit you to play fast and loose with m.