Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1899-10-05
My Engagement
WE have all, suppose, in our lives
wv made blunders-little blunders,
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wv made blunders-little blunders,
big blunders, aud so forth, till one
reaches the pitch of irretrievable blum
der-and I have just escaped from the
consequences of one that for the mo-
ment was likely to prove irretrievable.
was-I had foolishly allowed my
self to be fascinated by Miss Stranger
ford-yes, fascinated is, 1 think, just
the word to meet the case.
Phyllis is a dear, quite dear, and
for time submit was tottering on
the brink. I believe, as matter of
fact, that did propose once or twice;
but, of course, knew she'd say mo-"
She's so sensible. But for one awful,
terrible moment, at the time I'm going
to tell you about, 1 thought she was
going to forget herself and say Eyes"
You see, the truth is, one is little
bit afraid of Miss Strangerford. Every
thing will seem to be going swimming
~, and you think you're getting on
quite well, and being rather clever, and
all that; and then you look up, and you
see something her eyes which sobers
you down again. It's in her eyes.
Somewhere right at the back of them
there's a kind of glistening twinkle
that makes you feel that you're fool.
Now, Laura is not like that. She is
clever, and knows all about books, mu
sic 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 which make you laugh,
and dresses smartly, and even some
times smokes cigarettes; and yet d.
rectly one begins to talk about deeper
subjects she stays quite quiet, and
keeps that funny look in her eyes, for all
the world as if she was laughing at
you to herself.
Last summer, down on the river, we
got on awfully well at first; it was
that it would be mistake to carry
matters further; and as she had just
well, not exactly refused-but put me
off for the second time, thought il
better to let the matter drop.
Then met Laura. Laura adores mu-
sic halls. She says that she thinks the
color scheme of ballet most instruct
i've, and has come to the conclusion
that it is unconsciously based on the
primitive principles of color music.
am sure she's right like them myself.
I saw good deal of her after that
dinner, and last week we practically
became engaged. Naturally wanted
to give her some souvenir to commem-
crate the day-not the ordinary vulgar
ring, but something with latent mean
ing to it. Laura is great on latent
meanings, so knew she would appre-
ciate it.
On the morning after the engage
ment I went TO Somerton, the Jewell
er's off Piccadilly, and explained what
wanted. Dickson, their head man,
spotted the idea at.once.
''You want something with pretty
sentiment in it-something original"
couldn't think of anything myself,
but he showed me design which ne
declared would be just the thing. It
was a sort of brooch with two hearts,
one a ruby and one diamond. The
ruby was supposed to be mine, because
Dickson explained that it signified pas
sion and devotion. The two big stones
were bound together with true lovers
knot in diamonds-a copy of an old
pattern, he assured me, and pretty ii
looked. gave him my card to slip into
ahe box when it was sent home.