The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-07-03
An Unconventional
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How a Girl Adroitly
Turned 1t Into Romance.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

'eThis sort of game is all very well,
/ but if it lasts much longer shall be
perfect wreck" said Arthur Mason to
thoughtfully at the fireplace. "FOr the
past 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 any
one else, wouldn't hesitate a mo-
ment."
Mason was man of about 20 and as
full of passion and sentiment as a man
well could be. But he had been brought
up in orthodox English style, with
many sharp lessons never to betray his
feelings. These lessons had been 50
hammered into him In his youth that
] he found now that even against his
/ own wishes 1t was almost impossible
to show what his real opinion was Of
anything that affected his likes or dis
likes. When he was most happy, peo-
pie thought him sad, and vice versa.
1t 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 oc-
casions.
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
friends had appeared ridiculous to him.
One 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 a dinner party to
which he had also been invited, and he
determined, If an occasion arose for
serious talk, to have the matter set
tied. 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.
If Vera did come, his opportunity for a
tete-a-tete with her appeared small.
She was a popular person, and he
knew she would be dragged off to en-
terrain some Of the "lions" Of the even
ing.
The Fairburns' house luckily boosted
one of the finest gardens in Sussex, and
If he could persuade his idol to go for a
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, calm always came over him
that he could not explain. Even when
absent from her he generally pictured
her as a limpid spring from which
peace was always flowing. Nothing
on earth, he imagined, could ever rufae
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 animat-
ed discussion on some topic of public
interest, and no chance had so far pre-
scented itself At last, in pure despera-
ton, Arthur blurted out during slight
fall In the tide of argument: "This
room Is terribly close. Shall we finish
our little controversy in the gardenT
Vera was nothing loath.
1t was a lovely night. The sky was
mass Of twinkling stars, and the
moon gave light that one could easily
read by. Such a moment seemed spe-
cially ordained for lovemaking. Love
whispered in the trees and echoed In
the bushes. And yet these two still
continued to disagree, as if such ro-
mantle evenings were intended for the
battledore and shuttlecock of social
commonplaces.
They had by now wandered to an ar
Dor, and without either of them draw
ing attention to 1t 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.
"Vera," said Arthur, turning toward
her, would you care to marry me3"
1t was not by long way the first
| time she had received similar re-
quest, for she had been vainly courted
by the richest and highest in the coun-
try-so vainly, indeed, that people were
even beginning to hint Of the shelf
when speaking of her-but whether it
was the suddenness of the request or
the personality Of him who made 1t
for the minute her confusion was OBJ
vious, though luckily for her the friend
Iy moon did not light up this little ar
Dor. Calming herself Immediately and
looking quickly up at her companion,
Vera queried "Why do you ask me?
You don't think I'm in love with you,
do your"
"No, in fact I'm sure you are not"
"Then that settles the question with
out further trouble" said Vera, care
fully rearranging her shawl and estab-
fishing herself in more comfortable
position, as If some knotty problem
had just been solved.
mot at all, for you haven't answered
me-"
you have answered yourself, though.
You would hardly marry a woman who
did not love you"
"That's one Of the reasons I'm ask
ing you," replied this cool diplomatist,
slowly lighting cigarette.
"Then before answering" she said,
appearing to be interested in this
strange species of proposal 'let me
question you. Do you love meT
mo, don't"
"Then why on earth do you talk such
rubbish? How can you wish to marry
meT
"Simply because neither Of us is In
love with the other, which shows that
we are both mentally and physically IN
sound health"
'sYou consider, then, that love Is a
disease; in fact, suppose" she added
sardonically, "a kind of disordered
liverY
Exactly. But let me put the case
before you properly" said Arthur, ris-
ing and walking up and down in front
of her as he spoke. you and l have
been friends for u years and by now
know each other thoroughly. I am
thankful to say have never loved you.
nor, to my knowledge, have you loved
me, and it Is these facts which con-
vince me we should make a thoroughly
congenial and happy married couple.