Middletown transcript., 1900-11-24

You don't seem as grateful for that
as 1 would have imagined" retorted
Curtis, with a glance at the young fel-
lows face.
'You see that miserable little cape ?"
asked Kennedy, indicating by his glance
the charming promontory. Ten days
ago Mrs. Worthington refused me up
there"
"What shocking taste Y murmured
Curtis condolingly. Not in scenery, but
in husbandry. Well, old man, though 1
don't know the lady, yet I feel safe in re-
minding you of the as good fish in the
sea as have ever been caught Your line
isn't broken"
"My faith in womankind is" replied
the other solemnly, Ito think that such
a woman is only firt Y
"Now easy, Tommy. Don't be too
severe. She may have thought you were
only lirt, too"
"My dear fellow" replied Kennedy,
impressively, '1isten: the afternoon 1
made such a fool of myself, l began to
skirmish about for an opportunity to avow
my sentiments. She detected the pre-
monitory symptoms, and led me to the
top Of that blamed cape. There is very
comfortable rock there for sitting on, and
just below it small grassy shelf where a
man can stretch himself out. Mrs. Worth
ington perched herself costly on the rock
and looked at the sea. sprawled out on
the grassy ledge and looked at her."
"Have a cigar" said Curtis sympathet-
ically. '1f it's his heart that suffers
from this retrospect he'll not take it, he
reflected. 'If it's only his pride, he
will"
The young man took the cigar and there
was moments interruption until each
had lighted his weed.
"Well, when 1 had made the plunge,
she was so sorry if her manner had led
me to suppose that I had engaged her
affection. l think, she said, in real
childlike burst Of innocence, that the
air of this place must have something to
do with it. You are the seventh man
who has proposed to me this summer on
this spot Isn't it odd? hope it won't
affect the women that way, for this is
leap year, and if this atmosphere makes
them lose their heads they might want to
use their privilege Now do you think
/ am rash," Kennedy concluded sarcasti-
cally, Sin entertaining suspicion that
the lady is a bit of flirt?''
Curtis grinned undisguisedly. The
younger mans face was heavily veneered
with indignant disgust, but he pulled at
his cigar methodically enough.
"I think it's nice, humorous spec
tacle," replied Curtis. "The little widow
leading her victim to this rock when she
scents proposal and giving him his coup
de grace there. l should think she would
feel like Druidess sacrificing victims on
q bIOIlc ditCLs DutJ AOLAl, NAioe a SoitAOS
seur she must be. by this time in mascu-
line love avowals! Did she seem to ap-
prove of your style?''
'She said l did it very nicely, one Of
the best, in fact. But she may have told
each of the others something equally fiat
tering. The better I did it, the more
humiliating the throw-down."
"But what consolation, though, in
knowing there are six others in exactly
the same boat" exclaimed Curtis, COM
fortingly. "Gad am keen to see this
belle dame sans mercy" he added en-
Enthusiastically.
'Tve no doubt she would be delighted
to add you to her list as the eighth" re
torted Kennedy. THAT strikes me as q
very pretty record in scalps for one sum-
mer in little quiet place like Deephaven.
l believe Mrs. Worthington likes to spend
her summer here because it's rest after
the winters excitement Well, you are
forearmed When you find her steering
you toward that rock, either change your
course of your conversation. tt is evil.
dently a hoodoo for lovers What trl-