The Philipsburg mail., 1898-08-05

Inc stone age.
Margot looked at her rings, and her
face assumed an expression that was
meant to represent compassionate
negative. The shake of her head was
3ntended to imply sympathy with Mr..
Cldercheek's feelings; the tap of her
little foot gave him to understand that
no amount of imploring on his part
would affect her decision. It was not
her first refusal. Already she had
said fat one of forty may" already
she had turned her heel on the obese
mans thousands, his dog-cart, his
high-stepping horse, and his unlim-
tied expectations. So, in manner,
she was an experienced maiden, and
80 when Reginald proposed to her she
did not futter and blush to any great
extent, although she did futter and
blush little.
Reginald Oldercheek was not wise
to propose ut 1920 in the morning. I
do not intend to discuss the hour at
which a man may most prudently
suggest matrimony to the lady of his
choice; L will limit myself to the
statement that 1890 a. m. is certainly
not that hour.
With considerable trepidation,
cleanly shaved, irreproachably clad,
but, as regards his inner man, very
vacant for 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
car. For Margot collected new three
penny bits bearing interesting initials,
and wore them on silver bangle, and
these in their iingling generally
heralded her advent.
When she entered, looking, rs
Reginald could not fail to observe,
very fresh and nice, Mr.. Oldercheek,
fcorning predatory remarks relating
to nothing, intimated that he would
like to marry her. He said it stam-
meringly, working button off his
stared intently at a cameo near by.
81 am very sorry" began Margot
Eyes" said Reginald, 'T know you
Gon'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, "but
not now."
'Do you like me?'' demanded Reg
inald, letting his eyes steal up her
form until they reached her neck, but
not daring to look her in the face.
"Oh, yes-I like you," she replied
in tone that Reginald didn't at all
relish, "but nothing more-at pres
snt."
'Thank you," said Reginald. ctr
-good-by!
"Good-by, Mr. Oldercheek
And so Reginald went out into the
morning breeze, feeling that at any
rate he had broken the ice.
Six months passed away. During
that period Mr.. { 'ercheek proposed
five more times TO Miss Carpenter,
but, to quote common phrase. to no
avail, for on each occasion he suffered
what amounted to rejection. Miss
Carpenter did not summarily say
"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. Ican't make
her out. old man."
"Ah!" responded the old man, a
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 (althongb she tried hard. ever
SO hardy couldn't bring herself to feel
any particular longing for that society
rs fixture rather than as q movable.
For that, after all, is what marriage
means. Men who make extremely
nice movables often fail altogether as
fixtures.
So Margot dilly-dallisd with Reg
mold, and Reginald had not sense
enough to demand plain reply. Had
he done so. there is little reason to