Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-02-02
She Helped Him..


Littlewood Phillips had been in love
with Mildred Harrington for two years.
over since he irst met her at the Hal
lowells' card party He had no good
reason to doubt that his love was re.
turned. yet 30 fearful was he that he
had misread her feelings. so much did
he dread her refusal of his suit. that he
had never limited that she was more to
him than any of the girls he met at the
church sociables and card parties in
Newington lnnumerable chances for a
declaration CT love bad offered them.
selves. for be was a regular caller at the
Harrington mansion. but this youth
was as devoid Of spunk as a hare and
was no nearer the goal of his desires to.
day bur he had been when Cupid first
aimed his dart at him.
SO matters stood when a snowfall
that brought sleighing in its wake Wis
tied N~ewington. and Littlewood be.
came conscious Of the fact that he had
actually asked Miss Harrington to take
n ride with him OF course he must
perfoTce bring matters to a CRISIS now
He was afraid that Judge Harrington
would be asking his intentions. and it
would be humiliating to have such a
question come before he could refer him
to the girl for an answer No; beyond
a doubt he must plCck up enough cour-
age to ask her to be his wife or else
cease. calling upon her. an alternative
that was hideous enough to chill his
heart
The evening was soon at hand. A
crescent moon shone in the east and the
stars were cold and scintillating He
walked to the livery stable and asked
for the cutter. and n few minutes later
he was driving n handsome chestnut to
the house where his thought spent most
of the time Miss Harrington kept him
waiting a good half hour. but he re-
fiected that 1t was the privilege of her
glorious sex. and 1t only made him love
her the more. If she had come out and
placed her dainty foot upon his neck he
would have been overcome with rap
ture. In fact. in his present state.
which had also been his state for "a
months. Littlewood was not many re-
moves from a calf.
It was cold waiting, SO he got out
and hitched his horse and paced in front
Of her house. her faithful sentinel until
death-if need be. Not that there was
any reason to think that his services
would be required. but it pleased his
self love to imagine himself dying for
this lovely being Of whom his tongue
stood in such awe that it could scarce
loose itself in her presence
At last she appears. The FESTIVE horse
slants his ears ct her and paws the
ground in admiration of her beauty.
for Mildred was as pretty as regular
features. q fair skin and melting eyes
could make her
Littlewood handed her into the sleigh.
stepped in himself. tucked in the robes
and chirruped to the horse That intel
hgent animal did not move A flush OF
modification overspread the face of the
would be amorous swain A balky horse,
and at the start What chance would
he have to deliver his precious message
that was to make two hearts happy
He clicked again to the horse. bnt again
the horse continued to stand still
''You might unhitch him. Mr., Phil
lips That would help" said Mildred
In her sweet voice
'Oh. yes-t-to be surei l must have
tied him mean I-er-I dbl think
did hitch-er"-
There seems to have been a bitch
somewhere. she answered
He stepped ont Of the sleigh and
looked over bis shoulder at her in q
startled way Could she mean any
thingf Was tins encouragement Oh.
mol II was Too soon (ToO soon. and be
had been in love two years) He un-
hitched the horse and once more placed
himself beside his loved one.
The frosty night seemed TO nave sci
a seal upon her lins. for as they sped
over the c%runchins snow and left the
town behind them she was silent
II must have offended her. I've prob
ably made a break OF some kind. " said
Littlewood to himself "How ~unfortu-
mattel But ! must tell her tonight. 1t is
now or never This attention is too
marked to pass as a mere courtesy Of
the winter season She knows l never
took anybody but my mother sleigh rid.
ing before.
Then began a process Of nerviDg him
self to the avowaL He ground his knees
together until the bones ached His
breathing was feverish.
''Bium widowed II mean Mil
bred And then be stopped He had
neper called her Mildred before He had
nevel. called her Widowed. either. but
that was accidental. and be hoped that
ADs had not noticed the clip