Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-07-28

lAt stOue uSe.
Margot looked at her rings, and her
face assumed an expression that was
meant to represent n compassionate
negative The shake of her head was
intended to imply sympathy with Mr..
Oldercheeks feelings; the tap of her
little foot gave him to understand that
no amount of imploring on his part
would affect her decision. 1t was not
her first refusal Already she had
said a fat one Of forty may" already
she had turned her heel on the obese
mans thousands, his dog-cart, his
housekeeping horse, and his unlim-
tied expectations. So, in manner,
she was an experienced maiden, and
SO when Reginald proposed to her she
did not hutter and blush to any great
extent, although she did nutter and
blush little.
Reginald Oldercheek was not wise
to propose at 1890 in the morning.
do not intend to discuss the hour Mt
which man may most prudenNy
suggest matrimony to the lady of his
choice; I will limit myself to the
statement that 10. 80 q. N. is certainly
not that hour.
With considerable trepidation,
cleanly shaved, irreproachably clad,
but, as regards his inner man, very
vacant flor he had eaten no break
FAST, Mr.. Oldercheek was shown into
the drawing-room, where, being too
nervous to sit down, he toured the
apartment, gazing at the pictures (but
not taking in their merits to any ap-
preciable extent) and looking out OF
the windows without observing any
thing therefrom), until indications OF
Miss Carpenters approach fell on his
ear. For Margot collected new three.
penny bits bearing interesting initials,
and wore them on a silver bangle, and
these in their jingling generally
heralded her advent.
When she entered, looking, as
Reginald could not fail to observe,
very fresh and nice, Mr.. Oldercheek,
scorning PREDATORY remarks relating
to nothing, intimnted that he would
like to marry her. He said it STAN.
meringly, working button off his
waistcoat in his agitation, and ther
stared lntently at cameo near by.
81 am very sorry" began Mnrgot
"Yes," said Reginald, 81 know yor
don't--perhaps in time"
This was an indiscreet interruption
on Reginald's part, for it made Mar
got's task the easier.
eyes, perhaps in time" she re
turned, playing with the bangle, "bu
not now."
"Do you like me?" demanded Reg
inald, letting his eyes steal up he
form until they reached her neck, bu
not daring to look her in TIE face.
ooh, yes-I like you," she reptile,
in tone that Reginald didn't at al
relish, "but nothing more-at pres
ent."
"Thank you," said Reginald. "E
-good-by!
"Good-by, Mr.. Oldercheek.
And SO Reginald went out into tn
morning breeze, feeling that at an,
rate he had broken the ice.
Six months passed away. Durin!
that period Mr.. Oldercheek proposed
five more times to Miss Carpenter
but, to quote n common phrase. to ut
avail, for on each occasion he suffered
what amounted to rejection. Mis-.
Carpenter did not summarily sa,
"No." AS Reginald put it to friend
"She seems to play about with
chap-doesn't send me clean away
and yet won't have me. / can't max,
her out, old man"
"Ah" responded the old man,
sage youth Of something under twenty
"women are queer cattle"
The fact was that while she was de
cidedly partial to Reginald's society
Margot Calthough she tried hard. evel
so hard) couldn't bring herself to fee
any particular longing for that societ,
ms fixture rather than as a movable
For that, after all, is what marriag,
means. Men who make extremel,
nice movables often fail altogether a
fixtures.
| So Margot dilly-dallied with Reg
mold, and Reginald had not sens,
enough to demand plain reply. Hat
he done SO. there is little reason Il