The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-11-03

| tulHh ulu Hllcn-eT-
"There seems to have been hitch
| somewhere" she answered.
He stepped out of the sleigh and
looked over his shoulder at her in a
startled way Could she mean any
thing? Was this encouragement? Q
no! 1t was too soon (Too soon and
| he had been in love two yearso He UNI
hitched the horse and once more placed
himself beside his loved one.
! The frosty night seemed to have set
a seal upon her lips, for as they sped
over the crunching snow and left the
town behind them she was silent.
II must have offended her I've prob
ably made break of some kind" said
Littlewood to himself. How unfor-
! tunate! But I must tell her tonight. 1t
, is now or never. She knows | never
| took anybody but mother sleighriding
| before"
Then began a process of nerving
himself to the avowal. He ground his
knees together until the bones ached.
His breathing was feverish
Finally he made bold to say, Mil
dewed," And then he stopped He had
never called her Mildred before. He
Iletu IeNcI CdH6Q uel MllueWCu cllH-
er, but that was accidental, and he
hoped that she had not noticed the
slip.
Il have something Of the greatest
Importance to say to you"
Did he imagine it, or did she nestle
closer to him. He must have been mis-
taken, and to show that he was quite
sure he edged away from her as much
as the somewhat narrow confines of
the sleigh would allow
What do you wish to say, Mr., Phil
lips?'
Mister" Phillips. All, then she was
offended. To be sure she had always
called him that, but after his last re-
mark 1t must have an added signifi-
canoe.
"I--er-do you like sleighriding?
why, of course, or else | wouldn't
have come"
Did she mean that as a slap at him?
Was it only for the ride and not for
his company that she had come. o,
he could never make an avowal of love
after that! He knew his place This
beautiful girl was not faint-hearted
caitiff like himself.
NuH-Huu-IlO, 10 De sure NOT. l-eF-
thought that was why you came"
Mildred turned her gazelike eyes
upon him. I'm afraid I don't UNDER
stand you
That settled 1t. If she didn't under
stand him when he talked Of nothing in
particular, he must be very blind in his
utterance, and he could never trust his
tongue to carry such a heavy freight
as declaration of love. No. there was
nothing to do but postpone it.
Mildred drank in the beauty of the
scenes and wished that 1t were decor
Gus for women to propose
Under the influence of sween sur
roundings Mildred at last said point
eddy: rs It so that more people get
engaged In winter than in summer"
She blushed as she spoke. 1t was
unmaidenly, but he was such dear
gump. Now he would declare himself.
But she did not know the capabilities
for self-repression of her -year-old
What a delightful sllpl II / were un-
I would take advantage of
it and propose but ! would bitterly re-
proach myself forever whatever her
answer was"
So he said, in as matter-of-fact tone
as he could muster, when his heart was
beating his ribs like frightened cage
ling: II really cant answer offhand, |
but I'll look 1t up for you"
"Do. Write letter to the newspa-
per"
Her tones were as musical as ever, |
but Littlewood thought he detected |
ring in them. and he thanked |
his stars that he had not yielded to his
natural desire to propose at such an |
time.
what was that important thing you
wanted to say?" asked Miss Earring
ton, after several minutes Of silence,
save for the hoofs and the runners and
the bells.
20, 1t wasn't Of any Importance! /
mean 1t will keep-I-er-I was think
ng of something else"
Il think you have gone far enough"
said she innocently, looking over her
shoulder in the direction of home.
Maybe the return would loosen his OBJ
1urate tongue.
His heart stopped beating and lay, a
eHueH lHlHB, III HIS DitdsSt. Iltd iic,
hen, gone too far? What had he
aaid? o, why had he come out with
his lovely being the mere sight of
whom was enough to make one cast all
'estraint to the winds and declare in
hunderous tones that he loved her.
II think that we'd better go back
,e said and turned so quickly that ne
learly upset the sleigh. "Our mothers
will be anxious"
Eyes, when one is accountable TO
mes mother, one has to remember
ime. suppose it is different when
ne Is accountable to a :
"Father?' said Littlewood asinine-
"
"No, that wasn't the word I wanted"
"A-a-aunt?'
Could Mildred love him if he gave
many more such proofs of being an
bject idiot?
"No-husband is what I want
Littlewood's brain swan. He had
een tempted once too often. This
awe girl had innocently played into
is hands and now the Rubicon must
e crossed, even If its angry waters
ngulfed him.
pardon me. Observation-Disclosures
id not say Widowed this time-'if
visit your words into another mean