The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-06-01
SELECTED STORY.
Clifford SWANS Panic.

Clifford Swan sat on an office stool
and turned this little note in his fingers
at the same time that he turned its i'm
port over in his mind. The clerk who
sat near him could not resist an inquis-
tive impulse to look at Mr.. Swans
face, and he saw that Mr.. Swan was
smiling satisfaction at himself; also, he
saw that the little piece of paper in Mr.
SWANS fingers was feminine note,
and he drew conclusions. The clerk
would have gladly amused himself with
putting teasing questions to Mr.. Swan
if the latter had not been his superior
in the bank. So the clerk held his
peace and wondered what there was in
the note to make Swan look 80 happy.
Clifford Swan took another dive into
the four lines of the modern feminine
handwriting TO refresh his memory as to
the wording, and then he meditated
again. 1t was, no doubt, an original
way of answering his rather old.fa
toned proposal, but her originality was
always one of Elsa's great charms to
this devoted lover. The idea of meet
ing a girl at club house on purpose to
discuss proposal of marriage with her
while taking spin! And then there
was something 80 peculiarly sensible
in the phrase Ttalk the matter over"
Elsa really was very sensible girl-so
sensible as to be all the more piquant
for this extraordinary good sense of
hers. She was not the sort of girl to
do anything rashly; she would calmly
'talk the matter over" while riding out
in the cool of the evening. Swan liked
that deliberate way of looking at Sc
rious matter; he judged from it that
Elsa would be forever constant when
she did make up her mind. True, she
had already had four days to reply to
his letter, but he had not the least
doubt that in the end her decision
would be favorable. Was he not her
"Dear G" 10 begin withp
So Clifford Swan smiled as he sat at
his desk. Then he looked at his watch
and resolved to go and have lunch.
He put the watch into his vest pocket
and folded the little note, and looked
for the envelope, from which he had
somewhat precipitately torn it when
Elsa's little brother had put it into his
hands a quarter of an hour before.
There it was-a pink little envelope.
The clerk next to Mr.. Swan at this
point INDUCED his curiosity once more.
1c saw uls swan iOOh WIN q bOhuOl
smile at the envelope, and then he saw
the smile faint and fade, and then he
observed that Mr.. Swan had turned
pale.
"Are you feeling badly, Mr.. Swami"
the young man ventured to ask with
polite solicitude.
Swan started and stared resentfully.
"Feeling badly? What do you mean?"
you look 80 pale. l thought l
might get you glass of water-or
something"
THANK you, Mr.. Edwards" said
Swan with forced laugh. 81 don't
know that ever felt better in my life.
believe I'll go out to lunch now
very light breakfast this morning."
So Swan took up the envelope and
the note and reached for his straw hat.
He walked out of the bank gazing at
the address on the envelope, which
was: "Miss Clara Henderson. Ad-
dressed" The inference was plain.
That young brother of Elsa's-"Y Dung
Nick"-had had two notes to deliver.
He was, in his own conceit, a born
courier and scout, and it delighted him
to ride his wheel all over the city, leav-
ing notes and messages. If there had
been no note for Swan the boy would
not have stopped at the bank at all.
The wretched urchin had no doubt
whirled into the Henderson home as
he had whirled into the bank, dashed
down his-Swan's--fate-f raught letter
with curt Letter for Miss Clara-No
answer" and then sped away to chalk
up his last record in letter carrying.
Therefore it was certain-morally-
that Clara Henderson by this time had
had the satisfaction of reading through
her friends reply to Swans offer OF
marriage. So did Clifford Swan argue.
He ate no lunch worth mentioning
but sat and felt cold chills running
about all over him, although the Their
mometer was far above seventy in the
shade, and the sun was shining bright.
ly. This was because he knew Clara
Henderson so well. If it had been any
one else but that feather-headed-
That afternoon a ring at the door
bell of the Davis residence was soon
followed by sound as if half hurri
cane had suddenly been let into the
front hall. The rushing and rustling
was mingled with laughter.
ooh, / must see Miss Elsa. Yes
Ai6hb away l. Cli hOi L LII SOuhibS hP ~
her ROOM"
In less than one minute Clara was al
her friends door, standing behind the
servant who was supposed to be deliv
eripg her message.
"Elsal Won't you let me in? Pm il
tremendous rush, dear"
"I'm 30 glad to see you, Glars
Couldn't you 60 morrow"
go? Go where? Ha ha! Ha ha ha
Elsa, don't be very angry. 1t WASH
my fault. Pm awfully sorry. Younl
Nick brought this for me, and it wa
meant for-for Mr.. Swan. Ha ha ha
He he hel"
And with that the tempestuous younl
woman fell upon bamboo couch, help
less.
"Claral Did you open it?"
For answer, Clara held out bulk
packet, the flap of the envelope torn.
81 give you my word of honor, Elsa
only read as far as, can confer on
70 N