Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1899-12-22
- A.AlRA. &.
PROUD DOROTHY

HUUD DUnulHI
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|: Despite his fine qualities Culbertson
was very modest fellow, and no word
Of his love for Dorothy had ever passed
his lips. He was no ,coxcomb. and
though he was conscious Of his ability to
hold his own among men he saw in him..
self no quality to attract women. So,
when the proud Miss Preston treated him
with even less consideration than she be-
slowed ON her other admirers he accepted
it all as only what was due him and
went his way in silence. 49, T..
/ Meanwhile Dorothy Preston chafed
and groaned in spirit under the sting Of
wounded pride. She refused to see what
was patent to every one else-that Fred
Culbertson loved her-and only knew
that she had, after a struggle, given her
heart to man who had never spoken IN
affectionate word to her.
| It was after ball one night that har
position first came so strongly home to
her mind She had long tried to deny to
herself this passion of her heart, but now
1t rose a strong, full blown love and
clamored to be heard. She c!asped her
hands and with flushed face admitted to
herself that she loved Ned Culbertson.:
Shame, shame upon mel" she scried.
:Ilove him, and he has never given me
word, and they call me proud too" Her
lips curled, and she half laughed.
"Well, I will be proud. will be too
proud to let it be known that l have
| given my heart unsought to man
| who
She did not finish the sentence. but the
blood famed up into her CHECKS and over
| her forehead, the tears came into her
| eyes. and she clinched her hands sharply
| together.
From that time on if Ned Culbertson
| had any faint CLEANS Of hope they must
have been entirely cxtinguished. for Dor
| othy Preston's manners toward him were
! a revelation of frigid disdain. Did she
touch his hand in the dance, it was
| shrinkingly, as if she abhorret} the slight
! contact. Did she speak to him, it was
| with such distant hauteur that his blood
froze. And so it continued until he was
! in despair.
Alone in his Office one evening during
| busy week he was trying to finish some
| complicated designs for the interior Of a
T.
! Could one have pecped at him as he sat
with bent head over his work. drawing
| hard at cigar, one would have said that
he was all absorbed in the labor before
him.
But any such thought would have been
| efficiently routed when he suddenly
| spraug to his feet and, dashing his pencil
! into IL corner, exclaimed:
Il can't DO it, confo1nd it: l can't!
| With that girls face before my eyes con-
stantly l am getting ass incapable Of
thought or performance as an imbecile.
| And what does it all amount to? She
| looks ut me us if she would like to walk
over me, and when she speaks it's like
pouring ice water over my head. | can't
| Go anything this way. Rather than Ell
dure this suspense Iswould tell her. and
have her freeze me.with glance OF show
| Inc the door. Maybe that would put me-
on my feet anyhow land infuse a little
| spirit into me, if it were only the spirit
Of resentment
In his lucid moments Mr. Edward Cul-
bertson was quick thinking and prompt
acting man, and in ten minutes he had
| determined Oh a plan of action. A note
left on the desk of his first assistant told
that gentleman that his superior was sud
denly called away and might not be back
! for month and left the work Of the Of
fee in his hands.
! He would see Miss Preston, tell his
story and then 60 away for a month to
forget.
| When the plan was once settled upon,
it was but short work to hasten home,
pack satchel and then dress for the
| proposed CALI
When he entered the Preston drawing
room, he thought that Dorothy had never
looked SO lovely to him before in all his
life.>
He could hardly follow the common
1 places that introduced the conversation
for looking ut her. And then, more like
the rude swain than the polished beau.
almost before the greetings were over he
had plunged Sin medals res"
| The girl listened to him, speeches.
with surprise, as he poured out his story
| OF love. She could not check him, nor
| did he give her time to say word
Miss Dorothy" he concluded after
! telling his story. Il cannot sufficiently
| thank you for listening to me. / was
| mailman to- think that you would. but I
| felt that must tell you how loved you.
| do not ask for your answer, for l am
too sure what it will be. l suppose I'm
fool, but"-and there was, tremor in his
voice-"I can't help it, you know And
now. goodby. 1--we got to catch that
1905 for-ah-I'm going away for little
while for change CT scene and forgetful-
ness, as the novelists put it,
He smiled mirthlessly as mechanically
she gave himSher hand. and before she
had recovered frem che shock he had
gone. To a woman sofa pillow is q
very sympathetic article, and certain
Powered silk one in Miss Dorothy Pres
toms room that night received her tears,
laughter and coherent words Of joy. Then
| the same sofa pillow was pushed back =
into its place in rather unfriendly man
ner, hardly consistent With the confidence
it had just received. as the proud Miss
Preston rose to, her feet, exclaiming: 49,
He. said the,10 :05. I have time YETI. y
1t was just three minutes past 1Oswhen
woman approached Med Culbertson at,
the Grand Central stations where he was
pacing back and FORTH impatiently await
ing his train She touched his shoulder.
Dorothy he cried. d IS. ~ til: eE
(sssss"sNed, don't 90. FL want you" and :.