Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-01-31


posed to Julia, but nothing camo Of it.
SO time went pleasantly on, and then
can 1 confess it?-ny lifelong
creed was thrown 20 the winds, my
proud ambition humbl3d in the dust,
and l Z became O willing slave TO the sex
1 had SO long Gcspisel and ignored. Ny
only Thought now was how and in what
words / should bosocch my darling An
mic to become my wife. Time after time
Twas On tho point Of speaking, but julia
always turned up at tho critical mo-
ment.
Ono evening Julia announced thet q
week thence she had gn engagement 20
play at a concert Then burst upon me
a brilliant inspiration. L purchased two
stall tickets for the Lycoum for that
same evening and making plctense that
1 had had them given TO me 1 persuaded
Annie to promise TO accompany 1ne.
This timo Julia would not be able to in
trude, and 1 should know my fate. In
two months timeI should be taking my
summer holiday, which would tt i'll just
nicely for tho honeymoon.
On the oyontful day / hartcucd homo
ward with Il queer Auttering i'll my
heart aud a flower spray for Aunie in
my hat. Julia opened the door, and
hardly permitted me TO enter before she
informed mo hat Annie had been o1t
in tho hot sun and lad been obliged to
20 to bed with n worry bad sick head
ache. My Tutoring heart gave one huge
bound and then seemed to stand still.
However, to disguise my feoliugc, /
said:
II am sorry, and you have to play at
the concerto
mo" rho replied, 'tho concert has
becn postponed"
"Then may l beg tie pleasure Of your
company? 1 did not ask you before be-
cause Of tho concert engagement.
Thanks 1 shall enjoy it immense
""
What a miserable failure that even
ing proved TO bel 1 do not even know
what the play was called. 1 wa think
ing al tho time Of my poor, sick day
ling, and not of the acting or tho wom-
an who sat by my side wearing the
flower spray that was meant for Annie,
Tho words Were still ulspoken when
my holidays arrived, aud tearing my
self away from the two sisters who
stood at the gate end waved their hand
kerchiefs as long - Iremained in sight
it was with no feelings of JOYFUL antici-
patton that / betook mySoL % Hastings
for rest and recreation.
Restl Whore could I find it? Not
on the PARADE or pier amid hundreds
of couples -promonadiug, as 1 had pic
tured Annie and myself doing; not on
the beach, where tho Ethiopian musi-
clans woro otcrnally playing annie
Laurie" Sweet Annie Rooney" and
"Annie, Dear, I'm Called Away" For
a whole week | wandered Gimicssly
hither and thither. Then 1 could stand
it no longer. So I wrote a long letter
commencing Darling" and pouring
out the lmpGssionoG, pent up love that
comes but once in a mans lifetime, l
bes0ught and beseeched her TO take
pity upon mo, OK ny I~ifoless body should
surge in the pillows that beat relent-
lessly On the rocks of Beachy head.
When 1 had finished, l happened to
catch sight Ct q photograph which Ihad
purchased the previous Gay, represent
ing one of the yachts preparing TO start
on her morning trip, with my own fig
ure in a prominent position III the bow.
"Ah," thought 1, 'I'll send that to
Julia"
II it were possible I had now less rest
than before, night or day, while wait
ing for tho answer. Risingi in the morn
ing with haggard looks and burning
brow, the other bOardcrs would remark
that the sea AIR did not seem to agree
with me, while under the mask Of as
sumed indifference thoro ragged within
mo the fercest volcano that ever burned
IN the heart Of man.
At last The reply came, and, bounding
up to tho privacy Of my wv room, with
trembling fingers l tore open the en-
velopo which hid from me-life On
death?
Dearest, l am yOars forever. 1 can.
not say your proposal was unexpected.
for l have felt that you could mean
nothing less ever since that evening
when you so openly expressed your pref
+, erence by taking me to the theater''-
What, whew, wherel 1 looked at tho
signature, Julia. Oh, heavens, | saw
| it all! had placed them in the wrong
envelopes and sent tho letter 10 JUL;
, and the photograph 10 Anniel How
, ragged and fumed and tore my hair, III
til at last, in sheer exhaustion, / sanl
into a chair and e~ndeavored to fnisl
reading tho letter.
"Annie thanks you very much for TIN
photo, and she desires me to tell yoi
that yesterday Alr. Malcolm proposed t.
her and was accepted. We viii hay.
the two weddings ON the Same day
: Won't that be nice, dcar?'
Nice! This was the last straw. Mic
, indeed for mo 10 be married to a WON
{ an 1 did not care for, and at the sam
% time TO SEQ tho N / loved given to an
, other man. 1 cannot remember what
did for the noxt hour OF two beyonr
cursing my foolishuess and swearing
wouldn't marry Julia. Then, when
became calmer, l saw an action TO
breach Of p.oruise looming. / though
Of all my lJrl earned savings Of year
ii Iasur evrr,rN n.vr.. L.. I,~. . rr~Y.~,thatf f,r,