The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-06-15
~ have something Of the greatest

Importance to say to you. ssf
- Did he;imagins 1T or did, she nestle
closer to hinli BE must have been mis-
taken. and to show that be was quite
sure he edged away from her aS;much
as the somewhat narrow confines Of the
sleigh would allow
y what do yen wish to say. ME-. Phil
lips r. ~
Mister Philips sAh, then she was
offended. To be sure she had always
called him that. burafter his last re-
mark IL must have an added 'signifi-
canoe. s,s~a GO
4 'T-er- do you like sleigh ridmgi'
sl.sWhy, Of course, or. else + wepldn't
have COME
Did she mean that as slap at him
Was, it-only for the ride and not for his
company that she had Gomez Oh, he
could never make AN avowal of love
after thatr He knew his place. This
beautiful girl was not for faint heart
ed 'caitiff like himself.
"Nun-nun--no, to be sure not. T.
err thought that was why you came.
Mildred turned her gazellelike eyes
upon him. "I'm afraid don't under
stand you"
That settled it. If she didn' under
stand him when he talked Of nothing
in particular, he must be very blind In
his utterance. and he could never trust
his tongue 'to:carry such a heavy freight
as declaration Of love- No. there was
nothing to do but postpone it. After
all. her house was the best place for it.
The horse sped on past mantled
meadows and through pine woods full
Of filtered moonlight, and Mildred
drank in.the beauty of the scenes and
wished that it were decorous for wom-
en- to propose.
The night was ravishing, the sleigh
bells jingled harmoniously, the horse
swept on with steady, rhythmic stride,
and under the influence of sweet sur
roundings Mildred at last said pointed
ly, sis it SO that more people get en-
gagged in winter than in summer2'' She
blushed as she spoke. TWAS unmaiden-
ly, but he was such dear gump. Now
he would declare himself. But she did
not know the capabilities for self re-
preston of her two year admirer.
He said to himself: "What a slip,
what delightful slipl If were un-
principled. would take advantage Of
it and propose, but would bitterly re-
proach myself forever, whatever her an
swer was" So he said, in as matter Of
fact tone as he could master, when his
heart was beating his ribs like fright
ened cageling, ~ really can't answer
but I'll look it up for you"
edo. Write letter to the newspa-
per-
Her tones were as musical as ever,
but Littlewood thought he detected
ring in them, and he thanked
his stars that he had not yielded to his
desire to propose at such an
time.
"What was that important thing
you wanted to sayf" asked Miss Far
rington after several minutes Of 81
lence, save for the hoofs and the run
ners and the bells.
''Oh. it wasn't Of any importancei I
mean it will keep-I-er-I was think
ing of something else"
II think you have gone far enough
said she innoeentfS, looking over her
shoulder in the direction Of home. May
be the return would loosen his obdurate
tongue.
His heart stopped beating and lay,
leaden thing, in his breast. Had be,
then, gone too far2 What had he said
Oh, why had he come out with this
lovely being, the mere sight of whom
was enough to make any one cast all re-
straint to the winds and declare in
tones that he loved herr
II think that we'd better go back"
he said, and turned SO quickly that he
nearly upset the sleigh. s'Your mother
will be anxious. -
eyes, when one is accountable to
ones mother, one has to remember time
| suppose it is different when one is ac-
to a.
Father" said Littlewood, asininely.
''No. that wasn't the word / want
ed. .
.tA-a aunt ?"
Gould Mildred love him if he gave
many more such proofs of being an alb
ject idiot9
"No-husband is what / want"
Littlewood's brain swan. He had
been tempted once too often. This naive
girl had innocently played into his
hands. and now the Rubicon must be
crossed, even if its angry waters en-
quilted him.
Pardon me, Miss-er- Mildred"-
he did not say Mildewed this time-ssif
twist your words into another mean
ing, but if you-er- id--er-want a
husband-do you think I would dor"
A head nestled on his shoulder, lit
tie hand was in his, and when he pass
ed the Harrington mansion neither he
nor she knew it.-Charles Battell Loo
mis- in the Chicago Record.
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