Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-12-27
loves Own Day


have always liked Fannie so much,"
pouted May.
"Now, daughter, you know very well
why l do not want you to go with
Fannie" and Mrs. Harte paused and
looked straight at her daughter.
r And May did know.
Exactly one month before May Harte
had become engaged to George Noble,
as fine young man as his name. But
before her engagement she had been
very sweet" as the girls put it, upon
Fannie Engle's brother Horace,
young man of poor habits, and it was
on account Of Horace that Mrs. Harte
did not wish her betrothed daughter to
go skating with Fannie.
But May was willful.
81 am sorry" said Mrs. Harte, "that
May acts so. Some time she will go
too far"
That afternoon a messenger boy
came with a letter for May and large
3 bouquet of flowers. The letter read:
Dearest May-I drop you this line
to remind you that we are to go skat-
AAS LA1O dllCluOOA, anu 11OldSC soy
to be sure and send you these flowers
with our compliments. He will join US
on the ice. Lovingly, Fannie"
May read the note and smiled with
pleasure. Isn't that sweet of Fannie?"
said she.
But her mother sighed. She did not
s want May to encourage Fannie or her
rho foI+ +hoE loaI
to no good.
That afternoon May went skating
with Fannie and her brother, and it
was fully o'clock when she returned.
81 am going to supper with Fannie"
said she, "and as George was coming
T.. to call this evening l shall drop him
little line to tell him not to call be-
z fore tomorrow
Mrs. Harte objected seriously, but
Z hergwillful daughter was not to be
turned, so she let her go her own way,
though she felt that it was a mistake
for May to treat her betrothed in that
manner.
Foolish May! She was actually in
< love with George, but, like many other
y
man, she was capricious and liked to
try his affection. George had noticed
her capriciousness, but bore it good ma
turedly.
That evening May sent her note 10
George telling him not to call, and then
went to Fannie's house to spend the
evening.
If May noticed anything strange
about the conduct of Fannie or her
brother that evening, she said nothing,
but afterward she admitted that both
had acted little strangely.
After supper Fannie suggested that
all three go for walk, but when they
were ready to start May was surprised
to see a sleigh standing at the front
door. 1--WE are going for a ride instead
of walk" whispered Fannie, putting
her arm playfully around Mays waist,
''surely, you will not refuse to go with
US, dearT
Before May knew it they were all
seated in the sleigh and the driver was
rapidly speeding along down the street
toward the main avenue which ran
through the middle of the town.
Scarcely had they gone more than a
block when Fannie put her arm around
May and drew her head down on her
shoulder. "Dear May" said she,
"there is something Horace and want
to say to you, and we thought you
would not refuse u.s."
And then, to her horror and surprise,
Horace Engle began to pour into her
ear his tale of love and long affection,
while Fannie added a word here and
there.
May, too indignant to reply, put her
hands to her1 ears to shut out the
sound.
"Stop, stopr" cried May. "Such dis
honorable talk / never heard l will
not allow you to speak to me this way.
Remember that l am the affianced wife
of George Noble, as true and good a
man as ever walked, and that l will
not listen to such words.'' Then turn
ing to her friend, she said, Fannie l
am ashamed of you"
Fannie flushed and stammered, but
her brother said, THAT is all very we'll
May, but you know 4alPs fair in love
and war"
Then again Fannie began to coax
May to consider the step which she
might take and make her brother sc
happy. Horace has promised to turr
over a new leaf if you will marry him.
"Stop this sleigh Immediately" al
most shrieked May. 81 do not wonder
Fannie. that you thought it necessary
to bring me away out here to talk t.
me in SO dishonorable way. But
will not listen to it. Stop the sleigh
right away. l shall walk home.
would be contamination for me to re
main any longer in your presence" sh,
cried, turning to Horace, with scorn il
her flashing eye.
Alarmed by her vehemence, Horac,
opened the sleigh door and called tt
the driver, and the sleigh came to {
standstill, but scarcely before May hat
bounded out You are mean, dis
honorable pair, and shall never speai
to you again. George Noble is wortl