The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-08-17
\ AN UNCONVENTIONAL
/ couRTsHIp.
1T HIS sort of game is all we'll, but

HIS sort of game is all we'll, but
if it lasts much longer shall be
. perfect wreck" said Arthur Mason
to himself one evening, as he sat gaz-
ing thoughtfully at the fireplace. FOR
the last six months have been head
over heels in love with Vera Fray, and,
what is worse, not had the pluck to tell
her so. But she is such peculiar girl"
(he argued in self-defense). IF it was
anyone else I wouldn't hesitate q mo-
ment."
Mason was a man of about Is, and as
full of passion and sentiment as man
we'll could be. But he had been brought
in orthodox English style with many
sharp lessons never to betray his feel
ings. These lessons had been so ham,
mered into him in his youth that he
found now that even against his own
wishes it was almost impossible to show
what his real opinion was of anything
that affected his likes or dislikes.
When he was most happy people
thought him sad, and vice versa. It
was, perhaps, on account of the Pc
culiar way he had of looking at things
that he invariably saw the funny side
first. sometimes on the most serious
occasions.
His passion for Vera at times made
him laugh, and when on the verge of
proposing to her the thought would
strike him how foolish he would look.
The truth of it was, he knew too much
of the world, and the love affairs of his
friscds had appeared ridiculous to him.
Cre of the chief attractions of Vera
in his opinion was her passive nature,
and it was that perhaps which made
him falter. The idea of her being in
love seemed absurd to him.
The week following the self-com-
munings just recorded, he knew that
Vera would be at dinner party to
which he had also been invited, and he
determined, If an occasion arose for
serious talk, to have the matter settled.
How he would manage it he did not
dare to decide; chance, he thought,
would have to be his guide.
Mrs. Fairburn's drawing-room was
packed on the night of the dinner. So
much so that poor Mason's heart sank.
II Vera did come his opportunity for
a tete-a-tete with her appeared small.
She was popular person, and he knew
she would be dragged off to entertain
some of the ''lions" of the evening.
The Fairburns' house luckily boosted
one of the finest gardens in Sussex,
and if he could persuade his idol to
go for stroll in that garden he meant
to do so.
AT dinner Vera sat directly opposite
him, and he inwardly blessed his host
ess for not crowding the table with
flowers, ferns, or ornaments. which
would have hidden her charming, clear
cut features from him. When looking
at her a calm always came over him
that he could not explain. Even when
absent from her, he generally pictured
her as limpid spring from which
peace was always flowing. Nothing on
earth, he imagined, could ever ruffie
her.
The dinner passed off perfectly. All
seemed thoroughly pleased with them
selves and the world in general.
1t was an hour later. and he was sit
ting by Vera's side in the drawing
room. They were enjoying an animated
discussion on some topic of public in
terest, and no chance had so far pre-
sented itself. At last. in pure desper-
alton, Arthur blurted out. during a
slight fall in the tide of argument:
"Th:s room is terribly close; shall we
finish our little controversy in the gar
den?"
Vera was nothing loath.
1t was lovely night; the sky was a
mass OF twinkling stars, and the moon
gave light that one could easily read
by. Such moment seemed specially
ordained for iovemaking, love whis.
pered in the trees and echoed in the
bushes. And yet these two still con-
tinued to disagree, as if such romantic
evenings were intended for the battle
dore and shuttlecock of social common
places. It - '@ -
They had by now wandered to an ar
Dor, and without either of them draw
ing attention to it, they entered and
sat down in the two deck chairs it.
boosted. Vera tried to continue the
subject at issue, but Arthur remained
silent. In this wise the conversation
stopped, and each became absorbed.
for the first time, in the beauty and the
stiffness of the night. Presently, with
startling abruptness, the silence was
broken upon. &.% = 81
Vera" said Arthur, turning toward
her, would You care to marry me?" 81 ];
1t was not, by a long way, the first
time she had received a s:nlilarrequest.
for she had been vainly courted ~ the
richest and highest in the country So
vainly, indeed, that people were even
beginning to hint of the shelf when
speaking Of her. But whether II was
the audiences of the request, or the
personality Of him who made II, for
the minute her confusion was obvious,
though luckily tor her the friendly