The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-03-19
A BICYCLE CHASE.

MILO w drfou Was IndkluS d Gall vi q
girl to whom he was fondly attached,
although he had never told her SO.
But this was case where actions speak
louder than words, and-leave girl
alone for finding out if young man
regards her with favor. Every girl is
clairvoyant where affairs of the heart
are concerned.
They were talking about their birth
days and the pleasant custom of giving
presents at such a time.
"Let me see,' said Milo thought
fully, "did you say your birthday came
in September, Miss Nellie?'
81 did not say" remarked Miss Mel
lie demurely.
"Then it was December, wasn't it?
Some lucky fellow will be giving you
diamond, perhaps. p"
"Or souvenir spoon, " laughed Mel
lie "You know they made jewel spoons
for birthday gifts, but all the girls
changed their birthdays to December,
and the young men could not stand the
expense, and they sent petition to the
manufacturers, asking them to discon-
tinue the custom; SO no more spoons are
in the market.
"I-I-I-really wish you would tell
me when your natal day arrives. L
might at least send you bunch OF roses,
in remembrance of all the-the-happy
days we have spent together. Is it this
month, Miss Nellie?'
"You remind me Of the parlor game,
is it this? Is it that? " said Miss
Nellie, and then fearing that the
young man was becoming sentimental
she turned the conversation to other
subjects.
But the next day Milo Warren dropped
casually into the store where Miss Nellie
Newton s best brother was engaged as
bookkeeper and inquired sOlemnly at
the grated window which permitted a
segment of his countenance to appear if
that young man would take lunch with
him.
Certainly, was the brusque reply
from a mouth full Of pens. "I'll meet
thee at Philippi-I mean at Hunger &
Co Sin an hour.
He was there, and at the pleasant
spread of good things provided Milo
Warren propounded this conundrum:
"If you like a girl awfully, but
haven t told her so, and you think she
maybe likes you awfully-no, l don t
mean that-but if that girl has birth
day and you want to make her a pres
ent, and she won t tell you when it is
the birthday, you know-oh, hang it
all, I'm everlastingly mixed up. Can't
you help fellow out?'
Lyman Newton laid aside his knife
and fork and looking Milo in the face,
asked seriously:
"Any insanity in your family, Milo?"
"None that ever heard of outside Of
my own case,' was the depressed an
swer.
Reducing your heroics to a plain
statement, then, you want to give girl
Of your acquaintance a birthday pres
ent?''
Exactly"
''Is she an old woman?'"
"What do you mean?" roared War
rem, turning red. "I'll thank you to
speak with respect of my friends-be-
sides p
ooh, no harm done; don't get riled
so easily. wanted to know if she be-
longed to the past age or the present. !
take it, then, that She s a new woman?' +"
Il understand now. Yes, / believe
she has advanced opinions, but she ism t
one of those dreadful creatures that adj
vocate the wearing of boomers Nellie
is the soul of womanly modesty
and''-
Nellie? Do know this bright par
ticular start"
"Why, of course you dol quite for
got-she's your own sisterl''
"Well, I like thatl And you want
to make her birthday present and
don't know the day. Sorry, old fellow,
but can't help you out. Nellie would
take my head off if told. !"
That ended the lunch, but an unfore-
seen thing happened. Just as Milo War
rem left his company at the corner he
saw an urchin he knew. 1t was the in
Fiction known as Nellie's youngest
brother, aged z, capacity for mischief
seven times seven, precocity unlimited
by any period of time
Milo, with malice prepense, engaged
the dear child in surfeit Of sweets,
and then asked, as if the idea was not
of the least consequence and had just
occurred to him:
when does sister Nellie have birth
day."
The dear child looked at him for a
moment, drew his mouth round under
his ear, elevated both eyebrows and
said in a confiding, infantile voice:
"What'll you give ter known"
Advantageous terms being made, the
boy puckered his mouth for a whistle,
thought better of it and gave the fol
lowing Saturday as his sisters birth
day.
IAN if yer want to make yerself
solid-see, just send her real sumner
of bike
What! A bicycle? Does she ride?''
How kin she? reckon she kin learn,
mister. Yer just send that blke-there
amt nothin Nell wants wuss nor that. /"
With this advice and being sworn to
secrecy, the small terror bowled himself
| Off
1t gave Milo Warren something to do
to purchase that bicycle and have it de-
lvered to Miss Nellie on her birthday
in an anonymous manner He expected
1t back every hour for about a week,
but it did not come, and he felt safe.
The small brother had not betrayed him
after all.
But after little he began to wish he
had for Miss NoJ1;o Lol o.,;lo..kI-