Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-11-14
me. l heard you send him back for
your cape" he paused. with sudden

your cape" he paused, with sudden
conjunction.
You are not coldY' he questioned,
anxiously. 81 forgot, and I have moth
ing in the way of wrap to offer you"
No. am not cold" she said, as stifny
as she could.
You walked on, you know, and then
temptation seized me. An evil spirit
disguised, most charmingly disguised,
as a piece of braid! And could not re-
sist it I was only afraid you would
think had been suspiciously quick
for brother"
II just wasn't thinking" she admit
ted, dlmpling.
The mood for confession grew on him.
"Or that you might look round" said
he.
II wish
mo, don't say it! Hear me out first.
Honestly, 1 was not entirely actuated
by motives Of mere selfishness, as
mightat first appear. put 1t to myself
like this: Here is a charming girl going
to spend most perfectly delightful
summer afternoon on the river, with no
more exciting companion than the
brother she has known from her earli-
est days, whose thoughts are as open to
her as her own; who hasn't peculiar
ity, or even virtue, left undiscovered.
l argued with myself about 1t. Should
I let such paltry thing as the lack Of
an introduction prevent me from giving
this girl a treat"
"Oh," she cried, you really are"
YES" he said, SIT stands to reason
even as a study, sort of unexplored
continent, SO to speak; a strange young
man, In such case, must present him
self in the light of an acquisition"
Her eyes were dancing. why don't
you say such an exceedingly nice young
man, while you are about it?" she
asked mockingly.
II will go one better" said he, with
your permission. Such an exception
ally nice pair" and he bowed.
"Oh, you are dreadful dreadfulw
But she did not say it as fact to be
deplored. She looked away from the
soft summer landscape, down to the
edge of her serge skirt with its trim
ming Of braid and the fateful loop.
They do sew these SO insecurely,"
she said. "You haven't a pin to spare?'
ut seems almost pity" said he,
while she busted herself over it; but
suppose 1t will be just as well now"
The afternoon was, as he had said, de-
lightful. and his swift stroke left moth
ing to be desired. 1t was not cold. after
all, and she never gave another thought
to the cape until she saw 1t, when ut
last they got back. hanging deserted on
the boathouse door, where her brother
had left 1t when he arrived there to find
her vanished.
The brother and sister were very
alike in disposition, and took things
lightly and as they came. So he never
openly resented her neutrality-suspicious.,
as her new friend pointed out, he, too,
had his more than adequate compensa-
ton.
This is just story of the inevitable.
For the man Of resource was something
of a character reader. and he had look
ed at the girl before he stepped.
She called 1t, in her kindest moods, an
anticipation, but he maintained that he
gave the incident its most appropriate
title when he named 1t a .'forerunner."
And this 1t was.
The weather favored them, and his
visit heightened from a weeks end to
a week and more. Ample time for a
man of such ready methods to win for
himself a girl not indisposed to be won.
Thus his visit to the brother ended in
his marriage with the sister-an old
tale, but often a very pleasant one.
1t was later In the season, and boat
ing interests had given way to the ne
cessity Of stock-taking in fashionable
wearing apparel, and discussions on the
relative merits Of new and antique fur
niture.
II could almost WISH" she said sweet
~, chat 1t was possible to trim a white
satin wedding dress with braids in a
sort of squiggly pattern of loops and
turns
III you contemplate having one loop
pendant to trip me up during the cere-
mony." he said, laughingly, 81 am of. !"
Then. perhaps, it is just as we'll to
reserve braid as trimming for serge
and CLOTH" she said.