The Opelousas courier., 1899-10-14
The Wrong Note.

n don't see anything particularly anus
ing"
How stupid [ had been from til.
first.
"Why, Maria," l said, cit was my
fault, and until this minute it never
occurred to me. 1 got your mothers
note on Thursday. [ had al engage
ment to meet a lawyer late this after.
noon to try and settle a case I am con,
cerned in. As I couldn't attend tC
the business and catch the last train
out 1 determined to try and postpone
the matter. So [ wrote two notes
one accepting, the other declining the
invitation. [ took them both down
town next day, and as the attorney
consented to my postponing the meet
ing I mailed the acceptance"
"You mean you gotthem mixed aud
sent the wrong one;," she said. A half
smile lighted her face for an instant,
to give place to a settled look of dis
pleasure. "And [ wired to Dick
Brooks
I laughed quietly.
"What are you laughing at?" she
asked.
Crooks must be puzzled over you
having US down here together
Size resented this inference as to
our mutual relations by turning
sharply and, carrying herself with ex-
aggerated e%rectness, entered the
house, with me following crestfallen
at her heels.
Brooks was puzzled; so extremely
puzzled that he hardly said a word at
breakfast, but was quiet aud thought
full, an unusual mood for him. | could
see that he had all important piece of
engineering on hand and tried to block
his schemes, but despite my subtle
moves he succeeded in inducing Maria
to take him out to the pond and show
him the trout. For a time T chafed
in the library under Mrs. Torrington's
verbose recital of the difficulties of Sc
curing funds for a certain deserving
hospital, aud at Length, unable to bear
the restraint longer, rather abruptly
excused myself to take a stroll about
the place. My steps carried me in the
direction Of the pond, down the drive,
over a stretch of lawn, through a
grove, till I was halted at. the sight of
two hats protruding over the top of a
bush a few yards away.
Maria" l heard Brooks say in q
earnest tone than I had deemed
him capable Of assuming, II have
waited now for a year for an answer.
Sometimes my hopes have been raised
raised only to see you shower kind
ness on that fellow"
I whistled to the collie that had
been bounding. along near by, and
when Maria Toriington and her COM
panion stepped hurriealy into view I
cried ''Hello!'
Brooks looked foolish and replied
"Hello!" Then he began stirring the
dead leaves with his stick.
For a moment al of us must have
looked foolish, as Maria, her face Grim
son. stared blankly at a distant tree
top, while I leaned over and fell to
patting the sha ygy dog.
The silence was broken by the girl.
She had completely recovered her
composure, and, fixing her eyes on
me, said: Harry, as you have doubt
less heard, Diek-Mr. ~Brooks-has
just asked me to marry him."
"Asked for the %:.thousan1th time"
muttered Brooks. His clean-shaven
face vas turning red from the tip of
his chin to where the hair divided. A
seldom objects to having it known
that he is attentive to a woman, but to
have her blazo1 it forth to all the
world, and to his worst rival in .partic-
ular, aud in his presence, is not so
agreeable if he occupies the position
Of n rejected.
Sand you have also asked me-"
Maria Torrington went on, with a cool
ness that would have astounded me
had Inot known hev.
EYES, [ said, stupidity, asked you
III like you both very MUCH" she
saiol fixing her eyes on Brooks, who. !
was still fumbiing his stick among the
y1-.rrardly seemed fair that she should
so kindly on nay rival, SO I called
ner eyes back to me by asking, "Can't
you choose between us?"
"No,'' she replied, after a moment
Of thoughtful silence, "I've tried very
lard to-, but I can't. A plan of choos-
ing was suggested to me by your un-
expected coming"
eve are both to go away and stay
away?" growled Brooks.
Zone may come back"
'I?" Brooks started eagerly tow
ard her. She raised her hand in
warming. .4.s,~s ss.5,u-: ....
II don't know which," she said,
There is an old saying about mar
'iage: being lottery. 1 propose to
Increase the chances. If you two con-
sent l shall carry out at one the
scheme that I have got up after long
md careful thinking"
Are: we to toss a penny?" I asked.
NO. This afternoon 1 shall write
'wo notes, one an acceptance, the other
refusal. They will be put in plain
envelopes, mixed up, directed and
The n of you who receives
he refusal shall"
Commit suicide" IT.
Brooks gloomy c~ountenance gave
'redence to a suspicion that in event Of
lis receiving the wrong note he would
esort to self-destruction. The girl. +
lowever, speedily crushed all hopes Of
UGH escape from suffering.
"You shall not!" she cried, "Tf