Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-05-10
II have something of the greatest

| II nave something or the greatest
Importance to say to YOU
Did he imagine it or did she nestle
closer TO him? He must have been mis-.
taken, and to show that he Vas quite
Iu.a he edged away from her as much
rs the someW hat narrow confines of the
sleigh woulc allow.
"What do you wish to say, Mr.. Phil
lips?'
"Mister' Phillips All, then she was
offended. To he sure she had always
called him that, but after his last re-
bark it must have an added signif-
eance.
I-er-do You like sleigh ridina?'
"Why, of course, or else wouldn't
have come.
Did she mean that as ii slap at him?
Was it only for the ride and not for his
company that she had come? Oh, he
could never make an avOwal of love
after that He knew his place. This
beautiful girl was not for faint heart
ed caitiff like himself.
| "Nun-nun--no, to be sure not. L
er-thought that was why you came "
Mildred turned her gazelolike eyes
upon him Pm afraid | don't under
stand you.
That settled it, If she didn't under
stand him when he talked of nothing
in particular. he must be very blind in
his utterance and he could never trust
his tongue to carry such a heavy freight
as declaration of love No there was
nothing to do but postpone it, After
all, her house was the best place for it.
The horse SPED on past mantled
meadows and through pine woods full
of filtered moonlight, and Mildred
drank in the beauty Of the scenes and
wished that it We're decorous for wom
en- to propose
The night was ravishipg, the sleigh
bells jingled tremendously, the horse
swept on with steady, rhythmic stride,
and under the Influence of sweet sur
roundings Mildred at last said pointed
y, "ls it 10 that more people get en-
gagged in winter than in su,lnnerY' She
blushed as she spoke 1t was unmaiden-
| ly, but he was srch dear gnnp, Now
he would declare himself But she did
not know the capabilities for self re-
J preston of her two year adnlircr
He said to himself: What a slip,
what delightful slip! If | were I'M
principled, | would take advantage of
it and propose, but | would bitterly re-
proach myself forever, whatever her an
swer was. So he said, i'll as matter OF
fact tone as he could master, when his
heart was beating his ribs like fright
ened cageliEg, II really can't answer
oHhand. but I'll look it up for you.
"Do. Write letter to the newspa-
per.
Her tones were AS musical as ever,
but Littlewood thought he detected a
sarcastic ring in them, and he thanked
his stars that he had not yielded to his
natural desire to propose at such an
inauspicious time.
"What was that important thing
you wanted to say" asked Miss Far
rington after several minutes of 81
lence, save for the hoofs and the run
ners and the bells.
"Oh, it WASH t CT any Importance! |
mean it will keep-l-er--I was think
ing of something else.
81 think you have gone far enough, p"
said she innocently, looking over her
shoulder in the direction of home. May
be the return would loosen his obdurate
tongue.
His heart stopped beating and lay, a
leaden thing in his breast Had he
then, gone too far? What had he said
Oh, why had he come out with this
lovely being, the mere sight of whom
was enough to make any one cast all re-
straint to the winds and declare in
thunderons tones that he loved her.
81 think that we'd better go back .
he said, and turned SO quickly that he
nearly upset the sleigh. "1our mother
will he anxious
Eyes. when one is accountable to
one 6 mother, one has to remember time
| suppose it is different when one is ac-
countable to Il -
! "FHther?' said Littlewood, asininely
"No. that wasn't the word | want,
ed. -
! "A-a-annt?'
Could Mildred love him if he gave
many more such proofs of Icing an alb
! ject idiot?
4 "No--husband is what | want
Little wood $ brain swan. He had
| been tempted once too often. This naive
/ girl had innocently played into his
! hands. and now the Rubicon must be
crossed, even if its angry waters en-
quilted him
pardon me, Miss -er-Mildred' -
he did not say widowed this tilne-"i if
| twist your words into another mean
! ing but if you-er -did-er-w want a
husband do you think | would do?'
! A head nestled on his shoulder lit
! tie hand was in his, and when he pass
! ed the Harrington mansion neither ne
nor she knew it. Charles Battell Loo
mis- in the Chicago Record
I Sims From DreamA