The Opelousas courier., 1897-02-13
A Scheme That Succeeded.
BY HARRY IRVING HORTON.

You see, I had known for n Ion,
time that Fred loved me. He In,
never told me SO in words, but thos>
eloquent eyes OF his had told me s.
more than once. However, tina
wasn't enough. I couldn't accep
him and name the day on the strength
OF what his eyes saiJ. So | decided
that in some way his lips must be IN
sealed and his tongue made to confirm
tho language Of his eyes. Do YOU
follow me?
How did I fix it! Well, l though;
and thought, and finally hit upon q
scheme. I loved Fred, and, knowing
that he loved me, | felt that the end
justified the means.
Late one afternoon ~Irecsiyea a note
from him saying that he would call
that evening if / would be at home.
Here Vas the opportunity that I had
been waiting for, and / assure you that
I improved it. sent him word That
I would gladly see him. Then I rushed
over to May Barnard's house. Find
ing her at home, [ asked her to call
me up by telephone Mt half-past eight.
1 told her that l wanted her to stick
to that old telephone until I had I'm.
ished talking. She wasn't to say any
thing, but to just keep the line open
while I talked away. [ said I would
explain later on, and back home /
went.
Evening came and with it Fred
the same old bashful Fred, yet loving,
lovable and loved. Promptly al eight
thirty the telephone bell rang. You
know that our telephone is in the Ii
brsry. I excused myself atl an.
swerea the call, being careful tY leave
open the door between the lib-SIy and
the reception room, where l had left
Fred.
Shall l give you stho dialogue?
Well. it wasn't a dialogue, for May
said nothing, but jFt held the
fort-I mean thet 'phone-and
listened. Here IL what 1
said. OF course there We're pauses at
frequent intervals, in order to give
the imaginary fellow at the other end
Of the line q chance:
"Reelly, this is terribly sudden. 1
have never dreamed that you had any
thing more than a friendly regard for
me. But how a I marry you when
1 don't love you?-Learn to love you?
No, couldn't do that.-Do I care for
anybody else? You have no right to
ask that, and I refuse to answer. No,
l will not marry you, and I don't
mind telling you that I wouldn't
marry any man that would propose to
a girl by telephone. The man who
wins me must have the courage to
looks me in the eye and tell me that hs
me and not get a half a mile
away and shout it through a tele-
phone. It comes with O shock to hear
anybody say, Hello! hello! Will
you marry me?' Well. here is my
answer: Hello! hellol No. Good
and better luck next time"
Then, leaving the telephone, / re.
to the reception-room, where I
found Fred with a look Of determina-
ton upon his face-a sort of do-or-die
expression, that I had never seen there
before. OF course, I assumed an air
u surprise ct finding the door open.
I told Fred that May Barnard had
Just called me up. That eased nv
q little. for it was true, bnt it
lidn't take hall IA eye to see that Fred
lidn't believe it, aud that made mo
happy for..a told me that he must
1ave heard the whole talk. I didn't
ave to wait long for further proof Of
t, for Fred's diffidence was all evne.
Is l took a seat he seated himself be.
'ide me, and in a manly way told me
hat he loved me. I didn't tell him.
IS 1 told the telephone, that it was 80
udden. 1t wasn't, you know; T had
'een expecting it for years. told
i'm that I would change my name to
so everything is at last set.
led.
I%haven'ttold May the good news yet,
or she has been out of town ; but she
eturned last night, and I shall thank
Ier this afternoon for her part in the
And that dear old tele-
hone ought to be human, so that l
ould kiss it.
Did I tell Fred that 1 had used
be telephone to bring him to terms?
] didn't, but I shall after we are
l am not going to take anv
lore chances OF losing him. I'll,
ather surprised him the other day by
him if We couldn't have % tele-
hone in our lei house. Hs
'smsd puzzled at ny request,