Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-08-30
THE: EG0|6T.
The Story of Phonog1aph.

y
Cecil Arthur Dovely could not under
stand why he made no progress with
Mary Barclay. His position as the
chief dispenser of pills and postage
stamps in the biggest drug store of
country town had given him an ex-
aggerated idea of his own importance.
He was not a particularly bad looking
young man, but was very conceited in
his manner. His broad, high forehead
was surmounted by his carrot colored
hair brushed n Ia pompadour; his eyes,
a light blue, were lacking in strength
and expression and his dress was lust
a trifle too fiashy for the station in life
lie had been called upon to fill To
crown all, he owned II horse aud bug
gy-that charmed possession which in
rural communities SO enhances ones
prestige with the eligible young ladies'
Cecil, who was not a bad fellow at
heart had kept the girls of RoSsyile
and their anxious mothers guessing
for n long time. and the news that he
had been offered partnership in his
store did not lessen fem-
nine interest in him. He used to ride
around the circle OF Rossville feminin-
ity and select whom he would to 90
BUGGY riding" with him on a Sunday
afternoon. There was one young lady
in the town who resisted Dovely'S
wiles, or rather, those OF his horse
and buggy. and the prospect of a part
uership in a partnership. and she it
was whom Cecil, with no other motive
mt first than perversity, determined to
win.
one day he decided on grand attack
upon the fortress of Marys heart He
wrote for permission TO call on GER
tain evening, and received it. Thus en-
couraged, he awaited the event which
would mark him victor or vanquished.
He scarcely hoped for the former; he
dreaded the latter. He sought to EN-
hellish his language with quotations
from the poets and studied the most
effective manner in which to exploit
his many captivating qualities.
1t is, therefore, needless To say that
when he called on her he talked prin-
cipally about himself. He was, how
ever. quite puzzled ut the sudden and
energetic interest that Mary seemed
to manifest in all that he said; but,
encouraged by it, he scared into giddy
heights Of eloquent self exploitation.
He wound up the whole monologue
with a passionate avowal of his love
for Mary and an almost fearful en-
treaty for her heart and hand in return.
Mary was genuinely interested in Cecil,
and, in consequence, he was the very
last person in the world she would
have suspect IT, So she tried to sim
ulate Indifference by affecting n sort OF
platonic feeling for him. Such re-
gard, however, did not come up TO
Doyely's requirements. and when he
objected to being side tracked from the
terly affection and demanded n direct
response to his appeal Mary showed an
inclination TO temporiZe. In brief she
asked him to call upon her a week
later, and If, after mature consider
alton he were of the same mind, she
might think the matter over seriously
Dovely protested that his present
frame of mind was not the result OF
sudden impulse, but the full blown
flower which she had planted in his
bosom with the first glance of her eyes
long ago. He vowed that the end or
time would find his love unaltered and
uualterable-all of which he had read
in How to Propose, or Every Man HIS
own Loyemaker" Mary, however,
remained firm, and Dovely went back
TO his pills and plasters. 1t would ne
vain to describe the battles fought be-
tween hope and fear. exultation ana
despair. in the young drug clerks BRAN
during that week. He was sustained
somewhat by his inordinate vanity
but beneath all lay the suspicion, ever
SO faint, perhaps, that Mary had been
laughing at him. When poor DoNely
pulled the bell handle Of the Barclay
house on the appointed night he was
SO full of nervous uncertainty that his
knees trembled and his heart seemed
TO smite his ribs in the very terror Oh
doubt.
The door was opened by Mary, VINO
received him with such a pleased look
and cordial pressure Of her soft warm
hand that his conceit coward that il
was, as soon as it believed all danger
To I've passed. mounted again to the
most conspicuous heights and crowed
more Justify than before. The magic
az her glance transformed him from
the suppliant TO the prince, and ne
strutted across the hall TO the drawing
room and seated himself IN the best
clair. prepared TO receive homage from
the girl.
Mary expressed great joy al his kind.
ness in calling and archly confeSseu
that she had suffered not a little .ear
that something might detain mn.
These delicate compliments caused
Cecil considerable chest expansion, anu
when Mary humbly begged 70 be eK-
eused FOR a few minutes while sue 81
tended her mother who was III, he
granted Ter the brief respite with a.
most royal EraciousnesS When shs
. ma