Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1898-11-16

tAW anu n"'ne s, ou.
anger through which one can smile and
talk and cause no damage to the ar
rangement of ones back hair
lie proposed to me five times, which
thought a pity each time he did 1t, and
his proposals used 20 make me hot and
exhausted. They were all made In
June, and generally In the sun cousin
George never had much idea of the fit-
ness of things) and ! SO soon came to
the end of all had to say that l was
at a disadvantage, and quite uncom-
Portable, sitting there and saying moth
Ing; whereas, Cousin George seemed
able to prattle on forever
don't know why l did 1t, but the
fifth time Cousin George grew white
about the lips and finished up, as usu-
al, by saying: viii you marry me,
Flo?" | said: "Oh well, don't mind
If do" And really didn't mind, for
l had known Cousin George for years
and years, and was fond Of him, and |
felt that, at any rate, 1t would put an
end to his proposals; and Aunt Theresa
said that July was going to be hot.
SO the months went on and George
had to go away; and grew much fond
or OF him then, and 1 don't think l
would have cared to change him for
any other man | knew--as a fiance;
and | used to write lovely letter TO him
! used to think out sentences in the
night--lttle remarks l knew he'd like
to get from me. really was attentive
to him. I've nothing to reproach my
self with on that score. And so things
went on.
And then, after while, when George
had been gone some time. his letters
changed and he seemed rather troubled
about something. / didn't take much
notice of i'll Just thought that perhaps
the climate didn't suit him; and once
took the trouble to copy out and send
to him recipe which had heard was
good for one If one felt irritable.
But nothing seemed to cheer George
and at length, when l was really be-
ginning to grow troubled about his
temper, l had letter from him to say
he thought he had better say Good
by" he thought 1t was his duty to me
to say SO; he felt that we 1--WE. If you
pleased had made a mistake; he could
never hope TO be worthy of me (his
modesty was somewhat new, etc-a
whole heap of It.
| wrote back and said: "0h, quite
well; ] expect you know best" But
was really awfully angry; and what
made me angrier than anything else
was the thought that neither he nor
any one else really knew how hard
had found 1t to play the sweetheart
part of the arrangement TO George. and
that | hadn't wanted to be engaged at
all. OF course, they all thought that
was secretly wearing the willow; and
the livelier became as the days pass
ed by the more compassionately my re-
lations looked at me. 'Shss overact-
ing, poor dear" they were thinking.
I'm fairly placid, az a rule, but my
wrath did simmer UP ut times, and |
did think few strong thoughts OF
George.
AS said just now, my wrath blazed
out rs strong as ever when Jane open
ed the door this afternoon and an
nounced Cousin George. his own self,
and smiled straight into his face, and
talked away without moments awk-
wardness, and said how glad | was TO
see him (which was true. | told him
about every person and every place
we had seen and known together. and
! positively dallied over the subject of
his long absence and the summer before
his departure. | did 1t chiefly 10 prove
10 him that memories were nothing to
me--that was mere justice 10 myself;
but | did see him grip his hands now
and then. and his lips grew white, just
Us they used to do when he kept on pro-
posing.
At length there came a pause in our
conversation, and then | feigned an
other mood, and | made up my mind
that | would not break the silence
Cousin George sat and breathed hard
for minute or two, and then. l sup
pose. he decided on breaking down the
nrtificialty OF our interview, for he got
Up from his chair and strobe about. l
looked out OF the window and pretend
ed to be pensiye. AT last he stopped
beside me aud said: Flo" ii
looked I'D at him and laughed. 4