The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1895-02-16

1T was in ne park tntlL 51ne
had resolved to put his rate 20 .ne
fest. In his waistcoat pocket was a
circlet. of the approved fashion OF the
neriod for an engagement ring, n ne
sought with Miss Rosa q OF tne
least frenuented paths and placed Nun
self ON a bench by her side near Il
fountain and basin.
"I hope you. have had a happy 'lnie
here. Miss Rosa" said Middleton.
30, Observation-Disclosures to you-What
womb we have done without you:.
II wish I might presume to think
YOU could not do without me-may L
dear Miss Rosa?" and he fumbied III
his pocket for the ring, which, !
In paper, had been mingled with otner
odds and ends there. AS he TOOK out
q handful of these he unceremonlously
put on his eve glasses, and as ne sep
arated the little folded square from
the other articles he glanced up at
Miss Rosa, who had grown rather pale.
But, alas, this was not all which the
tell-tale lunettes revealed! His Ores
den shepardess was turned into a
rather coarse featured ordinary young
woman of the common clay. Young!
There were even crows feet about her
eyes.
"Her hair was rather coarse n ex-
hibited evidences of ~concealing that
horror, a Switch" The lips were q
little dry and showed signs OF
'tcracks" The small parcel fell from
M:ddleton's paralyzed fingers into the
pool. His presence of mind had near
~ deserted him, but as Miss Rosa's cry
at the accident he recovered himsel
sufficiently to stammer "O-no conse-
quen e whatever! I was only going to
roll a cigarette-it was only a little
package of paper-and Gas l was say
ing, Miss Rosa, when you were speak
ing so kindly about my little efforts
to amrse' you all-may l hope you
won't n ally miss me so very much
when l leave town for a few days. as
I do to- n.orrow?"
What the girl answered Middleton
did not know. If by the telepathy
which usually enables us to read each
others thoughts, outrunning coming
words or contradicting false ones, n
had anticipated what it was on his
lips to speak, he fervently prayed that
the confusion of his mind since he
had quizzed his companion with his
eyeglasses had prevented the last
underlying thought from passing from
his conscience to hers. This was to
! get away as quickly as possible from
an in.perilled situation; to free him.
self from 4 person for whom his at
traction had turned to a very active
repulsion. Fortunately his honor had
been saved though by a mere iuke.
He breatbed freely for a moment I'M
til the thought of the ardent southern
err crossed his mind. Had his atten-
lions been too marked, his confidence
too apparently apropos, for General
Rosa to tolerate his sudden change of
base? This aspect of the affair flash
ed through his mind as he was at the
door of the boarding house after a
honeward walk, cold and reserved on
the lady's part, preoccupied on the c
valier's. He bowed and left her there,
putting on his glass for n final, con-
elusive. desperate stare, and went to
his club.
In a very few minutes one Of the
servants brought him a portmanteau
and a few clothes from his chambers,
and, mailing a note to Mrs. Simmons
to account for his absence by a plea
Of business which took him away
from the city, in which he forced him
self to send a message of regard and
regret to his "good friends" the
Rosas, he took the night train for Chi
cago, leaving no address.
A card which Middleton found al
his club, upon which General Ross
had permitted himself to pencil some
very strong expressions, and a letter
which was lying at his lodgings
breathing vengeance and almost 8
cartel, proved to him on his return
that his discretion had been the better
part! And his valor hardly returned
until the summer came round and hi
of the engagement of Miss Rosa O.
very engaging resort.
When Middleton finally made his
choice Of q partner for life he had
adopted spectacles, weary of the vic
lent shocks which he was continually
receiving from the alterations be
tween the delightful impressions of hi
| elderly eyes and the shocking revela
tons of his too truthful eyeglasses
Once. shortly before their marriage
the future Mrs. Middleton said: "Do
my love, take off your spectacles ant
let me see your dear eyes just this
once!"
"Not today. please" replied Middle
ton. "By and by, perhaps, when W.
have learned to love each other faith
fully and have grown to be one In
life as in name. If l should lay aside
thes:, now, the glamor might return
and make me discontinued with the
truth, with which I am so content
your sweet face, just as it is
"a creature not too bright or good
For human natures daily food"
Boston Transcript,