The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-01
NV Engagement.

4
consequences Of one that for the moment
was likely to prove irretrfevable.
was-I had foolishly allowed myself
to be fascinated by Miss stranserford
Phyllis is a dear, quite q dear. and for
time I submit was tottering on the
brink. believe, as a matter Of facr. that
did propose once or twice: but, OF eoutse,
knew she'd say mo" Sne's 50 sensible.
But. for one awful. terrible moment, at
the time I'm going to tell you about, j
thought she was going to forget herself
and say eyes"
You see, the truth Is one is a little bit
afraid OF Miss Strangerford Everything
will seem to be going swimmingly, and
you think yoV're getting on quite well,
and being rather clever, and all that; and
then you look up. and you see something
in her eyes which sobers you down AGAIN.
Now, Laura is not like that. She Is
clever, and knows all about books. music
and Ibsen, and she hardly ever smiles.
But Miss Strangerford just sits curled up
in her chair and chatters about nothing
in particular and says funny things winch
makes you laugh, and dresses smarIly,
and even sometimes smokes cigarettes;
and yet directly one begins to talk about
deeper subjects she stays quite Qulet, ana
keeps that funny look In her eyes. Tor
all the world as II she was Laughing at
you to herself.
Last summer, down on the river, we got
on awfuIly we'll at first. It was later on
that I came to the conclusion that 1t
would be mistake to carry matters fur-
Their; and as she had just-weil, not ex-
actly refused-but put me on for the sec
ond time. I thought 1t better to let the
matter drop.
1 = - "A s~ara~ -
halls. She says that she thinks the color
scheme Of a ballet most instructive, and
has come to the conclusion that II is un-
consciously based on the primitive princi-
pies of color music. I am sure she's
right-I like them myself.
saw a good deal Of her after that
dinner, and last week we practically be-
came engaged. Naturally I wanted to
| give her some souvenir to commemorate
the day-not the ordinary vulgar ring put
something with a latent meaning in 1t.
On the morning after the engagement
went to Somerton, the jeweler, of Pic
cadilly. and explained what / wanted.
Dickson, the head man, spotted the idea
at once
you want something with a pretty GEN.
timent In it-something original"
1 couldn't think Of anything myself, bat
he showed me a design which he declared
would be just the thing. II was a sort
Of brooch with two hearts. one a runy and
one a diamond. The ruby was supposed
| to be mine. because Dickson explained
that 1t sgnified passion and devotion. The
two big stones were bound together with
true lovers knot in diamonds copy of
an old pattern, he assured me, and pretty
It looked. gave him my card to slip
into the box when It was sent home.
What inscription, sir?" he asked, as
I was leaving the shop.
OF course, directly he asked me that. I
was stuck So / ust told him to put the
usual sort of thing. and to send 1t 10 the
young lady at once, together with my
card.
Two days later. among my mornings
letters, received a note from Miss
Strangerford asking me to so to tea I
had intended going to see Laura. but on
getting a telegram to put me on, decided
to go and see Phyllis.
I was shown into her boudoir and found
her, as usual, curled up In an armchair,
smoking a cigarette. 1t struck me that
she was looking extremely pretty. and for
one feeting second almost wished-that
Laura smoked.
For my part felt little uncomfortable
but Miss Phyllis was not in the slightest
degree dlscomposed. There was another
man there. and he giared at me n little.
but q treated him with deserved con-
tempt After about ten minutes OF desu'-
tory chatter he took himself OF.
Miss Phyllis watched the door close he
hind him and then suddenly turning to me
she stretched out her hand and said:
''My dear Gerald! How can I thank
your"
confess that was considerably taken
aback.
II think" continued Phyllis, without no.
ticing my interruption. that you are the
most generous and forgiving person IN tire
world"
II was afraid" said I. ''that you were
offended with me; but you are not, are
you, since you've asked me to Gomez?
''Offendedi' said Miss Phyllis. MY dear
Gerald, whatever made you think tnat7
You're dear. See, I've got # on
1 did see. and to my horror 1 realized
for the first time that the glistening OBJ
ject which had been admiring so much
IN Phyllis chiffon was the brooch | had
ordered for Laura
''That,"I gasped, as little memento
Of our-of my engagement"
Yes" said Phyllis. smiling. 81 consid-
er myself really engaged now"
You don't mean to say" I stammered,
that you"
20. but do" she interrupted. '-Reaily.
really dor and her eyes sparkled.
There Is a mistake somewhere" ex-
planned confusedly. 'I-that Is, you'll
mean am engaged"
Naturally" said Miss Phyllis. raising
her eyebrows. I'VE are both engaged
isn't n SnIendfd7''
But" I managed to calculate at last.
with more force than politeness. I'm en-
gagged to someone else. not to you
This speech, blunt and plain enou--h in |
cts way. seemed to afford Phyllis infinite |
amusement hSe curled herself up more |
lightly in her chair. and fairly 91Ne-ej |
with suppressed merriment.
Don't you understand I exclaimed. |
I'm engaged to Miss Ainesly-Lalra |
Ainesley. and-of course, I'm awfully |
sorry, but that was sent to you by mis- |
taxa"
Phyllis managed to subdue her Iaughte-.
My dear Gerasd please don { look Ike |
that" she said, wiping the tears from ner |
eyes with an absurd little pocket hand |
kerchief You needn't look so woebegOns. |
even IL you did think was going TO &C |
cept you. l promise not to mafrS you |
Can't you see? You went INTO Sonert1ns /
and ordered this brooch and told them o |
send 1t direct TO the lsdy's house. il never |
seems TO have occurred TO you &c menf'on /
her name, and as they had made sorae- |
thing for me at your order in ages rast /
they naturally concluded that this was /
tOr me too. and sent IL on by \ IneSsen-
ger with your card. I knew il vas q l
mistake, so sent my maid do IN to IN
Quire- IL was not difficult 20 guess the