Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-09-16
ON THE STAIRS.

/
surprise and satisfaction. Another mo-
ment, however, and the tears came into
her eyes and she glanced at me with q
shy reproach.
~ wish you wouldn't" she said as
she tapped her pretty foot on the stair.
"Why?' was my natural inquiry.
Because you do not mean any
thing"
"How can You be SO harsh and I'M
complimentary protested. II said
even less than l meant But it is hard
to please
"Well?"
well, you, for instance. Then
came another impatient tap.
THAT is just what l was saying"
she pouted. "If you pleased YOURSELF
II try to, j." answered humbly
mo, you are so good natured. They
all say the same. -
"They are so much alike, sug-
gested.
mot at all. Some of them are dark
and some are fair. Some are'-
'Striped?''
Nonsense. Well, l could name
six''-
Don't L calculated.
"Six at least who complain that their
regulations are ruined.
"You mean their compilations. The
elder Miss Robinson laughed pleasantly
''Their regulations, she went on.
"for beauty and brains f"
"What do they say?'
"All of them?" she asked playfully.
YES" answered, "all at once. 1t
will sound more natural
"You are ungrateful, or, at LEAST
"They are.
perhaps, and if that is so it only
shows how unhappy they are now. F"
Deserted, in fact, for you.
lyon are always kind, she remarked
ironically.
but how have they lost their repu-
tations?"
They say you make profession Of
it-of looking after all the plain girls. "
1 paled visibly, l know, at the
thought. but l only protested mildly,
mot all. "
''They say you are a proverb among
the men. They laugh about it when
they see you playing the good Samaritan
with any girl who doesn't have many
partners, you know. .
$50 l am a proverb, and make a
profession of it. and they laugh? Good
very goodp'
"Of course" Miss Robinson went on
apologetically, sit is very good of you. +"
Il will reform, said with decision.
AT any rate, | am all right just now
with you. Z"
"Therel'' she exclaimed enigmati-
cally.
"What else do they say?"
"They say that if you married any
body you would do it out of kindness
and because'--
Because l thought it would please
herr"
''Yes, and because no one else would.
Miss Robinson's eyes became moist
again, and the very charming blush re-
turned to her cheeks as she looked down
at the crowd in the hall.
The elder Miss Robinson has beauti-
full hair. There was pause, and then
l resumed rather suddenly:
$50 if | married her she would lose
her reputation"
Eyes "
"Then had better not -
But you would not marry any one
without admiring her, would you?'
For her courage, at all events.
There was rather an awkward inter-
val, during which Miss Robinson pre-
tended TO look for some one through the
banisters.
There is only one way" l began
timidly. The elder Miss Robinson start
ed ne1vously and made as if to rise.
In common decency, went ON, ~
could only propose to some who is al
ready engaged -
'Or "a widow, suggested she dryly
''Or widow Miss Robinson, are
you widow"
She looked very hard at me, and then
she broke into musical laughter which
somehow rather hurt my feelings.
At last, she said, 'you are sim
cere. -
Not more than usual" said l, with
SOME ueRree OF asperlty. NOW come
to think of it, you may be widow, but
you are certainly charming. / have
been away more than a year. "
"Indeed?' she said.
In Egypt, said stiffly.
Don't you think it is rather drafty?"
she inquired, after another pause.
In Egypt"
No, here -
i find it rather warm''-and really
did We stood up by mutual consent
and went down to the supper room.
There was a great crush, and / had all
could do to provision the elder Miss
Robinson.
| am afraid / interrupted you, said
she gently, during an interval of the
scrimmage You were going to ask me
whether | was engaged.
II should hardly venture" l said,
sulkily, fear
But | am not. &"
So it is of no use, suppose?"
But l have been. !"
OF course" / remarked politely
A