Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-03-20

Sheer all people! Who would have
expected to sec you here?
He--Or your
She-Oh, i have taken TO playing with
palette and brush. One must do some
thing, you know.
He--Must onei And you're ambitious,
! see. Islands looking at her. She paints
on mechanically. Suddonly-) My God.
how good 1t is to see you again!
She (bends her head over her palette and
speaks quickly)-You have no right TO
talk like that All that was over year
ago. You know what you said then.
He-No. What did l sayf
She-You said you hoped you wouldn't
ever see mo again.
He-what fool l must have been
What did we quarrel aboutS
She (frmly)-Mr, Gerard, have no in
tention of permitting this tone from an
ordinary acquaintance. You will be good
enough TO remember that you are nothing
| more TO me.
He-Then you don't care for me AT all
powY
She (emphatically)-Not the least bit in
| the world.
He turns very red and says after mo-
ment's silence: Il beg your pardon. |
had no right To speak as | did, especially
ss--may l bore you with my private inter
ssts and hopesY-I am engaged To DO mar
pied. "
She fushes, looks hard at him, smiles
and says: 81 congratulate you. Do tell
me all about her. Is she fair or dark
He-Fair or dark Oh, rather fair, l
should say; not exactly dark-between,
vou know.
nd hnr nvpCp
He (briskly>-Oh, her eyes' Her eyes
are lovely.
She-Grayf
He-Yes, gray-the most delightful tint.
She s a charming girl.
She (suddenly)-What her name?
Heller nameF Oh, her name isis
Smith.
She-And her Christian name'
He-Why, it's like the catechisml Her
Christian name is Mary. But don't let
Us talk any more about her. l haven't
seen you for such a long time, and
She-And it's n sacred subject, isn't itf
He-Yes that's what / mean. You al
ways understand everything. "a long
pause.) BeaStly weather, isn't ity
She-Yes, it seems rather dctestable
when you are in London, but we found 10
pleasant enough last year down in Hamp-
shire.
He-Yes. Do you remember how we
used to go skating and what jolly even
ings wo had and how we used to dance in
the hall? What splendid floor that was !
And do you remember Christmas eve?
She-Perfectly. l have an excellent
memory
He (bitterly)-Havey your Then perhaps
you remember the 18th of February tooi
We parted then, you recollect. We were
engaged exactly seven weeks.
She (hurriedly) We had better not talk
about that. Besides after all, you have
consoled yourself, haven't you?
He-Oh, Eleanor, don't! | was fool
I threw away all the happiness in the
world for triile that seems only fit TO
laugh at now. Oh, my darling, forgive
me and take me back!
She-But what about the Smith grip
He (startled) THE what2
She-The girl you are engaged to-Miss
| Mary SMITH
He-Oh, ali, yes. had forgotten that.
/ will get her TO throw me over. She
doesn't really care for me. She's no real
obstacle. Oh, my sweetheart, how could
l ever let YOU go-and all about that stu
pid young Trimmer
|
yours. 1t was about the SpirellCr girl.
He-Oh, never mind what it was about.
Forgive me and take me back. 1t was all
my fault.
She Slowly and with dignityl-Take
, you back while you are engaged TO another
woman Make you break your plighted
faithY Tempt you to be dishonorable and
then marry u man | could only despise'
No, Mr. Gerard, you must keep your en-
gagement this time
| He--I won't. I'll break it tomorrow,
whether you will have me or not!
She--I shall always feel TO you rs a sis
ter. l shall always think of you as dear
| brother But, besides Mary Smith, there's
another great reason which makes it i'm
possible FOR me To regard you in any other
! light. l, too, have consoled myself and
my wedding day is fixed for the 18th of
February.
He-Oh, Eleanor, the very day we
parted
She (cheerfully)-That' S why. didn't
want it always to be black letter day
II will be silver letter day for me now
won't it2
He (angrily)-Well, goodby. then.
She-Goodby.
He (takes few steps and then turns)-
Before 1 go, Miss Vincent, l should like
to tell you one thing. My memory is
better than yours, after all. L only told
you l was engaged because l wanted to
make you jealous-idiot that | was You
are the only woman in the world. There
Is no engagement. There is no Mary
Smith. (She looks up at him and laughs. }
have never loved any one but you. L
am not engaged.
She-No, OF course. l knew that No
more am l. act better than you, though
don't II
He (bewildered) -Then the 18th of Feb
ruary-
She impatiently)- is no 18th of
February, unless
He-Oh, Eleanor, will you, after all?
She-Jack don't be absurd That red
girl has come back, and she is looking
1t us.
Curtain. )-Sketch.
Edible Toadstools.
A great many people fall into the error
Of considering every mushroom OF Ger