The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-07-17

hope"
certainly not, Miss Susanna" he
sniileo. I've been considering IT. for
20 years." : ~
hen you ought to stop CONSIDERING
IL and pop it," Susanna laughed and
MIR. Culver also.
L hardly think I'll ever do that" he
said' seriously. II wouldn't know how
10 go about it, to make my case half
presentable. I've given myself up. Won
know, as bad job
Some of these new women will l,a
charging down on you some of these
days, teaching yon the newer doctrine
tnat women have the right to saw
whether you have the right to do as
you please with yourself. In other
words, some ole OF them will capture
you in spite of yourself
Not much, they WON'T" asserted
MI. Culver, with a great show of cour-
age. IF there is anything l don't want
to marry it's a woman with foolish no.
lions of that kind"
Susanna's heart went down to her
shoes on the instant. Here was an in
surmountable obstacle in her path. and
with Mr.. Culver holding to such an
opinion, what good would a proposal
be from her, even if she should muster
up courage enough to make it. The
thought made her mute for a minute
and in that minute new scheme came.
one that had been there before, too, but
had gone wool gathering while she was
beating about the brush with the new
woman idea.
Il think myself they are horrid," she
said, with an effort to swallow some
thing that would not go down very cas-
lily. "But there is the leap year priv
nege. All women, new and old, can
claim that. and you mustn't forget that
this is leap year."
Il had forgotten it," he said, NOV
ing his chair into the far corner of the
fireplace, but still not so far away that
he was out of the pleasant influence
of Susanna's nearness. He sat there
for an instant making himself SILVER
with terror, and then he moved back,
possibly little nearer than before.
"Forewarned is forearmed," she said;
"and now that I have told you of the
dangers ahead hope you will profit by
my advice"
''Oh, I'm not afraid he asserted, in
good voice, ''I'n just waiting for that
sort of thing. The custom of tradition,
whatever you may call it, is an old
fashioned enc, and only an old-fash-
Toned woman would think of it, and
that is the kind l want. So none of
them had better try it unless she means
business"
Surely no finer opening could be pre-
sented to young woman in her mood
than this, and Susanna gave herself
shake and took another long breath.
The time had come, and she was not the
woman to lose SO glorious All oppor
tunity.
''Nr. Culver" she began, in firm
voice and with great earnestness, 81
have for a long time been thinking .,,slil;s,
ought e .sS zs2l.isiEIIn ssFs hoy zen gone
ss,EF Pneh nsonsan Es
IS Nc 81 so en- - hndftpo
iQR st hIHe cen suit at ionsoNith her, Ahd
lsl1e 5ss5VfkIIf1g' that I Should present the
matter to you, because 1 know you so
well, and you will understand it better
from Inc than if she should present it
herself"
When she was about to proceed fur
ther with her remarks Mr.. Culver
showed sings of real anxiety and arose
to his feet.
"Miss Susanna" he exclaimed, don't
say another word. Really, cannot
listen to it,
"But I must say it to you," she in
sisted, because, as it seemed to her, that
was the proper way to conduct a sue
cessful courtship, and now that she had
begun it she most decidedly wished it
to be successful
81 tell you l won't hear it. This is
entirely unexpected, and l am sure
nothing in my conduct has ever war
ranted you in broaching this subject
to me-"
Mr.. Culver was very evidently in
earnest, and Susanna almost chuckled
to herself, for this was the very way
young women acted under the circum-
stances in which Mr.. Culver was placed.
All it needed now was little more
coaxing, and Susanna nerved herself
for the final pop.
perhaps you have not thought So"
she said in her softest voice, 'but to me
there has ever been a desire to say to
you what / am now saying. Mr.. Gull
ver-John," and Susanna came very
close to him, Notwithstanding she was
so nervous she hardly knew what to do.
''Hold on, Susanna, hold on" he ex-
claimed. "Confound til" (that shocked
her, for she knew no girl ever talked
that way under such circumstances.
however much she must have thought
it). 81 don't want you to be talking
in any other woman's interest. There
is only one woman in the world that
/ want, and-and-and-" Mr.. Gull
yer was getting nervous himself now
and Susanna gasped. "And-oh, Sus-
anna," he said, desperately, don't you
know that woman is you? You, Susan
ma. Don't you know it is your"
Mr. Culver caught Susanna's two
hands in his and looked into her eyes
with such a pleading, pathetic, intense
sincerity that all her plans were con-
sumed like straw in fierce blaze and
she simply tumbled into his arms and
Io& him Rpich tho Dr0OOSal she thOuQht