The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-09-22
ept that she was very nice to kiss.

am afraid to speak to her. Partly 1t
Is herself | am afraid of, because she
Is so simple and yet so wise. But then
again | know nothing about. the con-
Ventions and the customs; | might
brighten her; there are right ways and
wrong ways of speaking, and / know
nothing" And he went on to appeal
to my worldly wisdom, OF which he
always had a great opinion. once
Dobson tried to convert me and failed;
he had borne me no grudge for II
(Which is rare), but he had made
division in his own mind, ! believe,
by which was to be wise in the things
OF this world. and to be left TO the
"uncovenanted merciss" of Providence
in the next And now it was the wis
dom of this world he wanted. SO
gave 1t to him, thus, with grave face.
"Dobson." said |, this is a delicate
matter / do not believe Miss Fen
wick has any conception of the feelings
you entertain for her. Nor do | i'm
agine that she has ever asked herself
whether she entertains any such feel
ings for you 1t is not the way of
women to do so until man has spoken
much more plainly than you have done.
An abrupt declaration would startle
her and might be fatal to your chances.
What you must do is to proceed slow
ly and gradually, letting your feelings
be seen by degrees, so as to accustom
| her to look on you rather as a lover
than as a teacher" And | further in
structed him In the same sense; to all
which he listened with much docility.
and at the end Of it shook my hand
and said l was true friend; and l
went to bed to think it over.
| The advice l had given him was not
only excellent in itself, it had the fur
Their merit Of leaving clear field for
me. 1t was true that Amy was by no
means prepared to hear any deelara-
ton OF love from him, but she was
quite prepared to hear one from me,
though l was by no means sure
whether she had yet answered it. l
should have preferred to wait awhile
and let the fruit ripen, but knew that
Dobson's notion Of gradually proceed
ing was not one that would allow me
| much time.
II spoke first and was rejected, then
the field would be clear for him. but If
he spoke first, whether he was ac-
cepted or rejected, knew Amy would
be so much disturbed and agitated that
| should have no chance for the rest
Of my visit and another opportunity
might never come. And | was by no
means sure that he would be rejected.
for although she certainly did not love
him, women have been known to mar
ry out of admiration and pity before
now, and particularly parsons. Then
both parties are unhappy So | felt
should be acting in the best interests
of all three of us in speaking as soon
as possible.
And so | did. l met her in the gar
den next morning. and there on a rus
tic seat under laburnum, l told her
Of my love. There are some scenes
too sacred for the public gaze. and |
shall not attempt to paint the pretty
shamefaced air with which Amy re-
sponded to my declaration. But when
we had once more begun to talk more
or less. like reasonable beings, the first
thought that crossed my mind was
DobsOn. He really was a sort of old
man of the sea; l was never allowed
to be free Of him. But having con-
quered l could afford to be magnani-
nous, and resolved to make the thing
her as could be.
dearest, L sara, 1 nave piece of
news for you that will surprise you"
She looked up at me with such a sweet,
confiding way that | had to kiss her
before going on. DO you know, am
not the only man who has eyes to see.
What would you think, now, of old
/ Dobson?"
Mr.. Dobson?" she interrupted in a
/ tone OF most unfegned establishment.
| was glad to see my sagacity vindi-
/ Gated She had no suspicious of him.
A pretty mess he would have made of
it if | had not been there.
yes, yes yes, Dobson, and no 9th
! en-" / said. Funny. isn't it. but true.
de is not so far away up in the sky as
you think. He will come down to say
something very particular to a little
mortal maiden, and that before many
days are up"
"oh, no, do hope not" she exclaim-
ID. Are you sure?"
Quite certain; l have watched him
with you and l know old Dobson
through and through. Now, when he
does speak, loVe-as he certainly will.
and you must prepare yourself for 1t
don't tell him about me- 1t would
pain him. You will know how to re-
fuse him without hurting him more
than you must. My little girl is very
wise"
| am afraid she was more frightened
than wise, for the next few days. and
I'm sure she tried to prevent Dobson
speaking at all. But he never noticed
her little deterrents. His method of
carrying out my instructions was to
hang off as we'll as he could for two
days and then, in the effort to sbov
a little of his feelings, to blurt out
declaration. 1t must have been pai.
ful TO Amy; she was quite done I'D al
Ter 1t, rather hysteric3l, and went /
bed with a headache. DobsOn wen
straight off to London the same after
noon without a word to anyone, and
told Fenwick he had received a tele
gram about an outbreak OF smallpox
N his parish. I knew he would WRIT
TO Fenwick, but only In general terms;
and so he did, and Fenwick hardly
looked at the letter because he wal
afraid Of infection. l had letter my
self which was rather curious docu.
ment, and which alphabetically, but
never showed 1t either to Fenwicl
or Amy.
Fenwick, some few days after tool
occasion to observe:
Il think that fellow Dobson must b.
made Of cast-iron."
I thought | would administer conso
lation and get out our secret at thu
same time. and l said:
"No, but Dobson, you know, is mar
Of very penetrating observation, anC
also a man who would never think o
obtruding himself, and when he cam'
here he saw at once"
"What?"