The daily sentinel., 1901-01-10
A LUCKY MISTAKE.

We have all, suppose. in our lives
made blunders-little blunders, big
the pitch Of irretrievable blunder-and
have just escaped from the conse-
Quences OF one that for the moment
was likely to prove irretrievable.
was-I had foolishly allowed my
self to be fascinated by Miss Stranger
ford-yes, fascinated Is, 1 think, Just
the word to meet the case.
Phyllis is dear, quite dear. and
for time submit that 1 was totter-
ing on the brink. I believe. as mat
ter of fact, that did propose once or
twice, bat of course 1 knew she'd say
no." She's 50 sensible. But, for one
awful. terrible moment at the time
I'm going to tell you about l thought
she was going to forget herself and
say yes
You see. the truth Is. one is little
bit afrato If Miss Strangerford. Every
thing IN to be going swimming
1y, Al ink you're getting on
quite well a. being rather clever and
all that, and then you look up and
you sec a something in her eyes which
sobers you down again. It's in her
eyes. Somewhere right at the back OF
them there's kind of glistening twin
kle that makes you feel that you're
a fool.
Now, Laura is not like that. She is
clever and knows all about books,
music and Ibsen. and she hardly ever
amiles. But Miss Strangerford just
sits curled up in her chair and chat
ters about nothing in particular. and
says funny things which make you
laugh and dresses very smartly, and
even sometimes smokes cigarettes, and
yet directly one begins to talk about
deeper subjects she stays quite quiet
and keeps that funny look in her eyes,
for all the world as II she was laugh
ing at you to herself.
Last summer, down on the river
we got on awfully well at first II
was later on that I came to the con-
carry matters further. and as she had
1ust-well, not exactly refused, but put
me OF for the second time, 1 thought
1t better to lot the matter drop.
Then I met Laura Laura adores
music halls. She says that she thinks
the color scheme of the ballet most
Instructive and has come to the con-
clusion that it is unconsciously based
on the primitive principles Of color
music. I am sure she's right. 1 like
them myself.
I saw a good deal Of her after that
dinner, and last week we practically
became engaged. Naturally wanted to
give her some souvenir to commemo-
rate the day-not. the ordinary, vulgar
ring, but something with latent mean
ing it It. Laura is great on latent
meanings, 10 1 knew she would appre-
ciate 1t.
On the morning after the engage
ment I went to Somerton, the jewelers.
and explained what I wanted. Dick,
son, their head man, spotted the Idea
at once.
'rYou want something with a pretty
sentiment in it-something original
! couldn't think OF anything myself
bat he showed me design which ht
declared would be Just the thing. II
was = sort Of brooch. with two heart,
ono ruby and one a diamond. The
ruby was supposed to be mine, be-
cause Dickson explained that 1t signi
dsd passion and devotion. The two
big stones were bound together with 6
true-lover's knot in diamonds-a copy
OF an old pattern, he assured me, ant
very pretty 1t looked. gave him my
card to slip into the box when it wa.
sent home.
What inscription, sir?" he asked a.
was leaving the shop.
OF course. directly he asked me tina
I was stuck. SO just told him to pu
on the usual sort Of .thin9 and to sanf