The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-08
CUPID on Runners.

4 blltiSNOOO HnllnpS laQ DeSn IN 1--we
with Mildred harrington for two years,
| ever since he first met her at the Hal
loUells' card party. He had no good rea-
SON TO doubt that his love was return
| ed, yet so fearful was he that he had
| misread her feelings, so much did he
| dread her refusal of his suit, that he had
| never limited that she was more 70 him
than any of the girls he had met at the
| church sociables and card parties in New
| ingTon- Innumera BILE chances for a declar-
| alton of love had offered themselves, for
he was a regular caller at the Harrington
| mansion, but he was no nearer the goal
! Of his desires today than he had been
| when Cupid first aimed his dart at him.
| SO matters stood when a snowfall that
brought sleighing in its wake visited New
| ington, and Littlewood became conscious
/ of the fact that he had actually asked
| Miss harrington to take a ride with him.
| OF course he must per force bring mat
! tiers to a crisis now. e was afraid that
Judge Harrington would be asking his in
tentions and it would be humiliating 20
have such a question come before he
could refer him to the girl for an answer.
! Nj, beyond a doubt he must pluck up
! courage enough to ask her to be his wife
| or else cease calling upon her-an alter
| native that chilled his heart.
the sleigh, stepped in himself, tucked in
the robes, and chirruped to the horse.
/ That intelligent animal did not move. A
flush Of Modification o'erspread the face
OF the would-be lover. A balk horse, and
at the START What chance would he have
to deliver his precious message. He spoke
| again to the horse but It stood still.
You might unhitch him, Mr.. Phillips.
That would help" said Mildred, in her
sweet voice.
20. yes-ti be sure. I must have tied
him Think 1 did hitch him"
There seems to have been hitch some
where she answered.
The frosty night seemed to have set
a seal upon her lips, for as they sped
over the crunehing snow and left the
town behind them she was silent.
Il must have offended her. I've proba-
bly, made a break of some kind" said
Littlewoid to himself. low unfortunate
But 1 must tell her tonight. 1t is now or
never. This afternoon is too marked to
pass as mere courtesy of the winter sea-
son. She knows 1 never toik anybody
but my mother sleigh-riding before"
Then began a process of nerving HIM
self to the avowal Mildred" And then
he stopped. He had never called her
Mildred before. 81 have something Of
Did he imagine it, or did she nestle
closer to him? He must have been mis-
taken, and to show that he was quite
sure he edged away from her as much
as the somewhat narrow confines of the
sleigh would allow.
What do you wish to say, Mr.. Phil
lips?"
mister" Phillips. All, then, she was Of
tended. Ii be sure, she had always call
ed him that, but after his last remark
it must have an added significance
lido you like sleigh-riding
why, of course, or else l wouldn't have
GOMEZ
mo. to be sure not Thought that
was why you came"
Mildred turned her brown eyes upon
him. I'm afraid / don't understand
yiu."
THAT settled It. If she didn't under
stand him when he talked of nithing in
particular, he must be blind in his ut
terance, and he could never trust his
tongue TO carry such a heavy freight as
a declaration of love. No, there was moth
ing to do but postpone it. After all, her
house was the best place for It.
The night was ravishing the sleighbells
tingled tremendously, the horse swept on
with steady, rhythmic stride, and under
the influence of the sweet surroundings
Mildred at last said pointedly: us it so
that more people get engaged in winter
than in summer" She bIushed as she
spoke 1t was unmaidenly, but he was
such dear stupid. Now he would de-
clare himself. But she did not know the
capabilities for self-repression of her two
year admirer
He said to himself: IF I were unprin-
cipled I would take advantage of the slip
and propose. but would bitterly reproach
myself forever, whatever her answer was.
so he said, in as matter-of-fact a tone
as he could master: 81 really can't an
swer offhasd, but Til look It up for YOU
DO. Write letter to the SUM-"
Her tones were as musical as ever, but
Littlewood thought he detected a sarcas-
tic 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 Harrington.
after several minutes of silence save for
the hoofs, and the runners, and the bells
%, it wasn't of any importance. I mean
1t will keep. II was thinking of some
thing else
Il think you have gone far enough"
said she innocently, docking over her
shoulder in the direction of home. Maybe
the return would loosen his obdurate
tongue.
Il think that we'd better go back" he
said, and turned so quickly that he nearly
upset the sleigh. Your mother will be
anxious?''
Yes, when one is accountable to ones
mother one has to remember time / sup
pose 1t is different when one is account
able to "a
Father" said Littlewood stupidity.
No, that wasn't the word I wanted"
''Aunt?'
Could Mildred love him II he gave many
more such proofs of being an abject idiot?
No, husband is what want"
Littlewood's brain swan. He had been
tempted ince too often. This naive girl
had innocently played into his hands, and
now the Rubicon must be crissed, even
II its angry waters ingulfed him
Pardon me- Mss-Mildred, If I twist
your words into another meaning, but If
you want a husband-do you think that
would do?"
A head nestled on his shoulder a little
hasd was in his, and when he passed the
harrington mansion neither he nor she
knew it.-Atlanta Constitution
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