Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-10-14
MY ENGAGEMENTS
By LILLIAN QulLLER.c COUCH.
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BY LILLIAN QUlLLER.CouCn.
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Nm convinced in my own mind that
it is quite the right thing for a
woman to be really very angry some
times. I don't mean a raging, violent
n sort of anger that makes one untidy
md flushed, but a superior, discreet
anger through which one can smile
and talk and cause no damage to the
arrangement of ones back hair.
! myself have been very angry for
about two hours now, and the relief
and satisfaction which I feel are in
describable. Two hours ago the draw
ing-room door opened to admit my
cousin George, and, although I had
been in a most placid and genial frame
Of mind one moment before, all the
wrath which had been battened down
for the past IL months blazed up in
side me before Jane had finished an
nouncing him-and smiled upon him.
It was generally understood among
my friends and acquaintances and re-
lations that suffered secret and un-
ceasing pang Of hopeless love after
my Cousin George changed ibis mind
and delicately refused the honor of
my hand, and perhaps the only ray of
c6mfort which slanted my way came
from the inner knowledge, which I
might hug to myself, that it wasn't
true, that / had not spark of hope
less love in me--that the only strong
feeling | had in the matter, and nat
3 urally enough, too, was the one which
found expression in the words Gut
tered quite privately toymyvelf): "All
right, Cousin George, you just wait a
Ebit!' And Ithinly1 didn't look quite
as pretty as usual as / murmured
them. l
OF course, III had been offered to
CousiG George, and he had not wished
to possess me, that would have been
another matter, and should have
been the last to blame him; but the
way in which he philandered round
lind pestered me when he came home
from Heidelberg, nearly four years
ago, became more than joke, it be-
came absolutely absorbing. I hadn't
even time to mend my frocks, for l
didn't like to bring whole shabby
skirt into the drawing-room, to bind
the bottom Of it while he sat and
looked at me; so fused to do silly
small things, such as darning three
cornered rents in my pocket handker-
chiefs, where had hitched them on
to the bushes, and such like-things
should never have dreamed of do
ing at all if he had not been there.
He proposed to me five times, which
] thought pity each time he did it.,
and his proposals used to make me
very hot and exhausted. They were
all made in June, and generally in the
sun cousin George never had much
idea of the fitness of things), and so
soon came to the end of all / had to
say that I was at disadvantage, and
quite as uncomfortable, sitting there
and saying nothing; whereas Cousin
George seemed to be able to prattle
on forever. 49,
don't know why did it, but the
fifth time Cousin George grew white
about tine. Lips and finished up, as
usual, by saying sWill you marry me.
Esp l said: "Oh, well, 1 don't mind
If do" And really, didn't mind !,
for ! had known Cousin George for
years and years, and was very fond
of him, and felt that, at any rate,
it would put an end to his proposals;
and Aunt Theresa said that July was
going to be very hot.
Well, anyhow, whether it was right
or wrong, or stupid or sensible, said
straight out: II don't mind if do: -
and then, of course, we were engaged.
really did not mind it at all, for |
knew Cousin George so we'll, and he
knew me: and there was no bother
aboutrearranging ones ideas and hab-
its, as some girls have to just to please
the man they're going to marry. |
used to look at him sometimes when
he didn't happen to be looking at me-
and say to myself: 'Well, to think
that that's the man Pm going to
marry!'.for it really did seem odd !;
but wasn't at all upset about it, and
after awhile I decided that it was
really most comfortable arrange
ment, and that it was probably all
nonsense that height of Bliss and
Overwhelming happiness sort of
stuff that some persons talk and write
about.
l was very matter of fact at first
but when poor George chafed at that
I did my best to play up to my part.
never could imagine why persons
couldn't go on just as usual, instead OF
sinking off for tete-a-tetes, just like
silly children telling secrets; but
George seemed to like it, and by de-
grees got on capitally. l really tried
hard to do as other engaged girls did
don't mean to say that had to try
hard because it was irksome to me;
really did not object to it, only
was apt to forget sometimes. How
ever, in less than month broke my.
self of tugging away from him an6
looking bothered or resentful when he
kissed me; and when we had had q
till / was always ready to be friend:
again. In those days, when we hae
had tiff and had grown tired OF
sparring, George always used to say:
sLet us go down the river to the is