The Somerset reporter., 1895-05-23
PARALYZED.

ton of creation, and some one woman
as the aggregated perfection of all wom-
en-my emotions, as | was about to say
when | interrupted myself, are utterly
paralyzed and have been since the 14th
day of last September at II minutes aft
er / O'Clock a. M, eastern time
At that hour and for several hours
previously l was III the act of spending
my summer vacation at a delightfully."-
quiet and retired resort on the Atlantic
coast, where also, among number of
other fortunates, We're Miss Ruth Allen,
Miss Myrtle Morton-such sweet name
that, used to think and Jack Foster,
the bane of my existence and the para
lyzer Of my emotions.
Foster was dashing fellow, while l
was merely Il dashed fellow, and because
of that possibly | was less fortunate i'll
my heart affairs than he was. In any
event, | never loved dear gazelle, as
the poet has it. believe, but some day,
sooner or later, the nervy Foster came
that way and chose her for his mate,
the result of which invariably was that
| lost her.
Several times during the summer
had, for these depredations of his, been
tempted to drown him, for | was fine
sailor and he wasn't though he often
went out with me, because, as he said,
he felt safe i'll my hands, and he had a
large life insurance policy i'll addition.
Then he would laugh at his time tried
and fire tested insurance joke, and all
the girls would laugh also.
Bah The idiots, to laugh at an old
chestnut like that A cocoanut was
equally as funny and much larger.
However, as time moved on Jack gave
me a chance, and, left to my own de
vices, it was not Il great while before |
was paying undivided attention to Miss
Allen and Miss Morton. These two We're
my choice, and one, l felt sure, would
be chosen, but as yet l had not deter
mined which one.
The time for decision came at last
though, for my month was nearly up,
and on that sweet September morn | had
az engagement to 90 walking with Miss
Allen. felt that morning that she was
the one woman of all women for me-
and | asked her To go with me, SO that
might have an opportunity to ask her
far more important question | am
sure that she knew my purpose. for |
had more than once almost told her what
was i'll my heart
Miss Ruth, = said as we strollcd
along the shore returning to the hotel,
may | AK you a question:
Certainly, Mr.. Bryting,' she re
piled as sweetly us girl could reply or
bird could sing
= 1t is not an every day question, l
said as slight preparation to her, but
one of great importance to me -
1T ism Il cOmundrum, is it?' She ask
ed nervously. For hate conundrums "
eyes, it is, " l answered AT least
it is about something | don It want to
give up
There WASH t anything funny in that,
but | laughed at it and She joined i'll it,
giving me to that extent an addition to
my courage.
Well, you don't have to give it up "
she said 'You surely can answer your
OWN conundrum
mot this Gne, fear. -
Goodness; it must b. Il hard one.
Don't a X me I'm sure | can t answer
it, "
g Yes, you can, insisted "You
know" and | became serious, "you
know, Miss Ruth, that for some time
past | have been thinking of you "A great
del, more indeed than | should have
done, for there was so much uncertainty
III 1t all ] have been thinking of this
very moment, and Of you, and of what
| should say TO You and how / should
say it, to win the answer desired above
all things earthly.
We'll, but what is your conuudrum?"
Miss Allen asked
Simply this, VIII you be my Wife?"
| said, dropping on one knee in the sand.
Goodness / can answer that easily
enough Ne cannot marry you.
The uuhesitating way in which she
spoke made me almost hopeless, yet !
persisted.
But youcould learn pleaded there
i'll the slnd-fool that ! was to think
that woman could learn to marry
man! Whoever heard of such thing?
No, she sand. Il could not learn
for-for-for'-
Dont finish the sentence, " said
bitterly as rose from my devotional at
titudc Don ( finish it, pray | know
yon viii say thai You love another, and
that utterly prcciudes yo1r taking les
SONS under my Instructions. OF course, "
/ went on, brutally enough, I'm sure,
lit would have been utterly possible
for you to have prevented me fl )n max
ing the fool of myself | have, and alb
solve you from any connivance in the
matter May | ask as an epilogue to this
comedy that you viii tell me who the
happy man is that | may congratulate
him.
Her eyes bi1sed, and her checks red
dened, and h W pretty She was IT'S she
looked at me as an angry queen might
look upon an offending subject
"Mr. Bryting, she said scornfully,
81 had hoped to spare you pain and had /
thought to ray goodby to you after this /
pleasant holiday by the sea as friends +
say goodby, with sorrow i'll every note, I
but now | shall say goodby with un-
feigned pleasure, and in parting Will