Waterbury Democrat., 1901-12-23

"You accept whatever offers to- night. captain s3id she, mischievous- ly. It was the night of the last dance of the seas son.
 Capt. Nicely, who was not a dancing man, promenaded the veranda with combination of blond hair and pink muslin on his arm, and as they joined a group of dancers who had come out side for air, she who had advised him to make up his vacillating mind on this very occasion, demanded to know if he had made that concession in Peg gy's favor. The captain replied that with the full consent of those whom he had already refused he had dsne so, and that the consolation in. this in- stance was to be q fancy saddle horse. "Well, Peggy, such a horsewoman as you certainly cannot afford to ignore such a chance. You would better speak now or forever after hold your peace,'" laughed this irrepressible meddler.
 How can I propose now?" asked Peggy. "Whoever heard of a ballroom l proposal where there wasn't conser- vatory?"
 Couldn't we 'unconsciously drift apart from the others?'" asked the candidate for matrimonial nomina- ton.
 That might do,'' answered Peggy, and she drew the tall captains arm l through her own, and together they strolled among the lantern-lit trees. 1 The irrepressible meddler looked 1 after them, and thinking that Peggy never appeared loyelier than she did tonight in her pure white gown with | field daisies in her hair she wondered 1 if the captain would remember her l joking advice. The lights grew fewer ! and farther between.
 Well, Peggy, why don't you begin; surely you have heard this thing done 1 times enough to know how?''
 She had dropped his arm and the l joke as soon as they were outof sight of the group on the yeranda, but he insisted on keeping up the conversa- ton as it had started out Miss Randall was generally regarded as q young woman without l yulner- able point; stony-hearted. in fact. In reality she was 8 girl Of unusually high ideals and probably because she ' tlSlA fSO iddSiI to tFI ollC AEICClCo in return. Not perfection, but her 1 ideal of manhood was noble one, and Capt. Nicely at times seemed to her to more nearly fulfill it than any man she had yet known. 1 1t always seemed to her that she never appeared to such poor advan- tage as when with him, for then all the ability as conversationar1Sr- with /! which she was credited seemed to de- sert her and she felt that to him sh.7 must appear a most uninteresting ] person.
 New she dared not let him see that { she was afraid to go on with the farce, so in the gayest manner she began again just as they came upon seat among the trees, into which the caps tain deliberately threw himself, leay4 ing her standing: My adorable James isn't that the way they usually be- gin?''
 Every good,' was the answer, "but I positively refuse to listen to any pro- posal unless the suitor gets down on l her knees.''
 You base man, you evidently mean to luxuriate in the situation, but I can't go down on my knees here. I'll soil my dress"
 Capt. Nicely gravely spread his | pocket handkerchief on the ground in front of him and imperatively mo- l toned her to kneel. and that she did, and in the most approved voice of SUD- l pressed emotion began:
 My adorable James; while deeply conscious of my great unworthi- ness-''
 Don't mention it."
 "-I must utter the words that have so long trembled upon my lips-I- I-e
 Well, utter them.''
 May I dare believe that the feel ing I entertain for you is in a meas ure reciprocated, and that at no dis tant time l may have the unutterable happiness of calling my own one | whose welfare so entirely fills my soul and whose slightest wish will ever be my law?''
 sYou may" gravely answered the beloved one, and he bent forward to raise the accepted suitor from her knees.
 "oh, you promised you would re- fuse," and Peggy looked as though a cold shower bath had suddenly de- scended upon her.
 "Promised. l promised nothing of the kind. l merely said what I would do in case I refused. But, you see, 1 do not refuse. l accept.'
 MOUNTAIN LIONS AID HERDERs