Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-03-06
A BICYCLE CHASE.

Milo Warren was making a call on q
girl to whom he was fondly attached,
although he had never told her so.
But this was a case where actions speak
louder than words, and-leave a girl
alone for finding ont if q young mar
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. tbo1ght-
fully, "did you say your birthday came
in September, Miss Nellie?"
81 dfd not say" remarked Miss Mel
lie deniurely.
"Then it was December, wasn't 1t?
Some lucky fellow viii be giving you a
diamond, perhaps"
COR q 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 q petition to the
manufacturers, asking them to discon-
tinue the custom; so no moro spoons are
in the market"
"I-I-I-really wish you would tell
me when your natal day arrives. 1
might at least send you n bunch of roses,
in remembrance of all the-the-happy
days we have spent together. Is il 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 tho 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 q
segment of his c-ountenance to appear if
that young man world take lunch with
him.
Certainly" was the brusque reply
from a mouth full OF pens. "I1l meet
thee ut Philippi-I mean at Hunger 81
Co. Sin an hour.
He was there, and at the pleasant
spread of good things provided Milo
Warron %propounded this c%onundrum:
''If you like q 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 a 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 evorlastingly mixed up. Can't
you help a 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 u plain
statement, then, you want to give a girl
Of your acquaintance a birthday pres
entf''
EXACTLY.
'"Is she an old woman?'"
"What do you mcan?' roared War
rem, turning red. I'm thank you TO
speak with respect of my friends-be-
sides ~
"Oh, no harm done; don't get riled
so easily. l wanted to know if she be-
longed to the past age or the present. I
take it, then, that she's new woman?'"
IT understand now. Yes, / believe
she has advanced opinions, but she isn't
n of those dreadful creatures that ad-
vocate the wearing Of bloomcrs. Nollio
is the soul Of womanly modesty
and''-
"Nollie? Do I know this bright par
ticular starr"
"Why, of course You dol quito for
got-she's your own sisterl"
"Well l like that And you want
I make her IA birthday present and
don't know the day. Sorry, old fellow,
but l can't help you out. Nellie would
take my head off if l told.
That ended the lunch, but an unfore-
seen thing happened. Just as Milo War
rem left his company at tho 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, p~recocity unlimited
by any period of time.
Milo, with malice prepense, engaged
tho dear child in q suTfeit Of sweets.
and then asked, rs il the idea was no
Of the least consequence and had JUS
occurred to him:
when does sister Nellie have u birth
day?"
The dear child looked at him for
moment, drew his mouth round unde
his ear, elevated both eyebrows ant
said in a confiding, ~infantile voice:
"Whatn you give ter now?'
Advantageous terms being made, til
boy puckered his mouth for u whistle
thought better Of it and gave the fol
lowing Saturday as his sisters birth
day.
IAN if yer want 10 make yorsel
solid-see, just send her a real stunne
Of a bike.
"Whatl A bicycle? Does she rido?'
How kin she? / reckon she kin learn
mister. Yer jus. send that blke--thcr
amt nothin Nell wants U nor that.