Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1900-11-15
A Chance Proposal.
By Frank Pratt.

For goodness sake don't look so
horribly disnal!" said Miss Allardyce.
sIs it your duns or your digestion?
tYou are positively funereal."
Mr.. Reginald Thornton, otherwise
Rags, gave vent to a deep sigh of the
more sentimental type
Miss Allardyce groaned in hooking
sympathy.
poor dear" said she, tits digestion!
j Knight have known it. That enormous
supper you ate at the H~erringtons' last
might was sufficient to disarrange the
kgastronomical organs of an ostrich.
"I don't think you ought to chaf me
under the circumstances" said Rags
'aggrievedly.
Gin the name of all that's wonder
ful, why not? I didn't annex three
separate quails, in addition to many
other unwholesome complications"
ooh, please be quiet, Aimee! You
know I'm not talking about quails."
"What are you talking about, then?
It seems to be a solemn subject"
you, Of course"
"Now, look here, Rags said Miss
Allardyce decisively. st am quite
willing that you should talk about me
Lcan't imagine a nicer subject of con-
v~ersation-onIy I do protest against
solemnity. I'm not solemn. I never
was; and I hope I never shall be-"
Il am awfully sorry" said Rags apol-
o~getically, IT suppose I am rather-er-
dull to-day. The fact is I heard a
piece of news at the club just now
which upset me a Bit"
you aren't cheerful, certainly" Miss
Auardyce admitted. What's the bad
nevs?" she added more sympathetical-
1T.
"Oh, nothing-nothing at all; it
wouldn't interest you. When I say bad
news, I only mean bad from my point
Of view. 1t probably wouldn't strike
you that way a Bit"
Rags, you're too irritating! You
arouse my curiosity, you look naysteri-
ousIy gloomy, and then you refuse to
tell me why. At Least you can tell me
what it's about, sure:y?"
About you, of course. What else
would mean, it's about you"
"About me? My dear Rags, tell me
all about it at once I insist"
Mr.. Thornton shook mis- head.
INC uSe," said he. II came here
to congratulate you"
"To congratulate me?" queried Miss
Auardyce, puzzled. well, of course,
it's awfully nice of you, and 1
on the whole, I am to be congratulated.
In my saner moments I realize that I
am a very lucky young woman"
Rags looked at her and flushed.
It suppose you think me an awful
~AA ava 4ALS AANo Ia N40S
sort Of thing?" he said dolefully.
"Of course I do" assented Miss AL
le<dyce cheerfully; "you wouldn't be
half as nice otherwise. I Ike to i'm
agine you as being capable Of doing
anything idiotic without a moments
remorse."
ct amt half as black as I'm painted"
pleaded Thornton. ?
"They say the same Of an acQuaint-
anee of yours, I believe replied Miss
ANardyce vaguely.
please don't" said he .gravely. st
hate to hear your speaking as if you
ba1ieved I was an out-and-out black
guard"
Miss Allardyce waved a reproving
finger in the air, and laughed.
ST will not lave my illusions torn
from me. I choose to believe that
you're a sinner-quite a nice sinner, of
course" she added hastily, land with
q few redeeming virtues, but still a
sinner"
Thornton rose. There was a lump in
his throat which prevented him swal-
lowing with comfort. He wanted very
much to be furiousiy with
whom? Obviously to be angry with
Miss A1lardyce would be both absurd
and unseemly. The one remedy, there
fore, was to take his departure.
"Going ~already?" asked Miss Altar
dyce, a shade of disappointment in hel
voice.
YES" said Thornton g1oomily. Ct
I've got to meet d man at the club
Goodbye
He held out his hand, and turned tt
leave the room. In passing the little
table at which Miss. Allardyce had beer
sitting dispensing tea, he accidentally
dropped his gloves; and, as he STOPPED
to pick them up, q letter slipped out o.
the b~reast-pocket Of his coat. It was
fat, heavy, bulky letter, obviously con
tanning many sheets of paper, and i
fell with the address uppermost.
Thornton did not notice it at once
but Miss Allardyce did. She leant for
ward and picked It up.
For mel" she exclaimed, glancing a
the address.
"No!'
hornton voice was harsh, and h
was white to the lips.
81 mean" he added, less abruptly
please give that back to me; it is no
intended for you"
"But it is directed to me-" sale Mis-
Allardyce.
"Give it back to me, please repeate
Thornton doggedly.
ct shall do nothing of the sort! tt
directed to me; it has come into m
hands; it is my property to do what
like with"
sThen if you won't give it to m,
burn it-now."
"Now, Rags said Miss Al1ardyc'
simmer or not, I always thought yo
had some sense. What would be tn
point of your writing me a long lette
and then asking me to tear it up be
fore 1 read it? It simply can't be don,
you know. A woman's curiosity is nc
to be denied"
"Miss A1lardyce, under the circun
stances I must insist on your giving u
the letter. It is my property, not your
II foil from NV pooket nv accident VI