Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-12-14
An UatSc conventional
goo GussrtSssip.

How a cai Ld,einy
Turned /. Into Romance.

g ANfNNA = -hB 4tN|H-A-" 2
This .urt ~ game IS all very well.
at II Il lasts murh longer | shalt be a
perfect wrcci." said Arthur Mason TO
himself Drv evening US lac sat gazing
fiiehslGfuily at the fireplace. For the
i,sst six months I have been head over
imels In love with Vera Fray and. What
IS WORSE. not had the pluck 10 tell her
80 Rut sisc Is such a peculiar girl!' lie
argued Ia splf defense. III it WAS any
pnc else. I wouldn't hesitate 4 mo.
mCnt."
NHsGu was n man Of about - and as
fuli OF passion and sentiment rs Il man
Vel "Jtl.i ip Dat he had been brought
w in orthodox English style. with
Ilany slrlsp lessons never to hctray his
feelings These lessons had been 80
hninrrcrcd into him In his youth that
he found now that even against his
w wishes il WAS almost impossible
TO show Mat his real opinion was Ct
asrilira that affected his likes or dis.
HRS, Vivian Sc was most Happy. lh.o.
pie ~tl.Hugiii him sal. and vice versa
II was perhaps on acc0un Of the pc
cul.ar wat be had OF looking at things
tiyt he Invariably saw the funny side
i..at. sGuutjmcs on the most serious Uc.
raslauS
iils l~'ass!oh for Vera ut times made
him iagsli. and when on the verge Of
rrHp3S."g 10 her the thought would
strike hiu how foolish he would look.
Tie truth q Il waa he knew too much
OF Tie world. aud the love affairs of his
fr.thia lad appcarcd ridiculous n him.
enc Of the cli!rf attractions Of Vera
Ia Ibis opir.un was her passive nature.
md it WAS that perhaps which nude
him faitFr The idea OF l,cr being In
lo;c seemed absurd 10 him.
The week following the self corn.
INNINGS just recorded he knew that
Vera would hc at a dinner party 10
wh.ri hc bad also been invited. ana he
Lgt.rAiincd. IL an occasion arOsc for a
serious talk, 10 lnve the matter set.
tied. How lie would manage It lie did
hot dare Ia decide. Chance. he thought,
would Lave to he his guide.
MS. Fairbrrn's drawing room was
Eacacd on The night Of the dinner, so
much 80 that poor MasoD's heurt sank.
II Vera dill coma lils opportunity for a
ir,e a tete with her appeared small.
She Tns n popular person, and he
knew She would be dragged OF 10 en-
tcItHin sOIne OF the lions" Of the even
Ing.
The Fairburns' house luckily boosted
Il Of the finest gardens In Sussex, and
II he could persuade his Idol TO go for O
stroll IN That garden be meant to do 80.
At dinncf Vera sat directly opposite
him. and he lnwardly blessed his host
css 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, u calm always came oven him
that ie could not explain. Even when
GDscnt frcm her he generally pictured
her as Il limpld spring from which
peace was always flowing. Nothing
on earth. he Imagined, could ever rulle
her.
The dinner passed off perfectly. All
seeincd thoroughly pleased with them
selves and tie world in general.
II was M hour later, and he was sit
ting by Ncra's side In the drawing
room. They We're enjoying an anlmat-
ed discussion on some topic of public
Interest. and no chance had so far pre-
scented Itself. At last. in pure despcra-
toH. arthur blurtcd ont during a slight
fall in the tide of argument: This
room Is terribly close. Shall wc finish
our little controversy in the gardenf'
Vera was nothing loath.
II was "A lovely night. The sky was
n mass OF twlnkling stars, and the
moon gave n light that one could easily
read by. Such II moment seemed spe-
CHILLY ordained for loycmaking. Love
whispered in the trees and echoed in
the bushes. And yet these two still
continued TO disagree. as IL such ro-
mantle evenings were Intended for the
batllcdorc and shuttlecock Of social
e-ommonplaces.
They had by now wandered to en- ar
Dor. and without either Of them draw
ing attention TO II they entered and sat
down in the two deck chairs II boosted.
Vera tried 10 continue the subject at
issue. but Arthur remained silent. In
this wise the CONVEX alton 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 broicu
upon.
"Vern." said Arthur, turning toward
her, would you care 10 marry meg
n was not 10y a long way the first
time she had received n similar re-
quest. for she had been yalnly courted
by the ~rlcicat aud highest IN The ccun-
,vF--so vainly. indeed. that people were
oven bcgiunipg 10 hlri Of ihe shelf
whcu speaking 81 her hui whether i
Was the si'ddcnuess 81 the request or
the personality 81 him who Jnnde II
sor the m.nrfr Ter confusion v'a Oh
fio1is, iinyC. lrtktiy fer her the friend
IS mec.i M aci ng',t 20 Ills Hltle ar
boT. Calming herself iilincl'afriy and
JaOlirg rnicsiy - az i"r cef'H1a'oF
.eAss .a w'