The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-03-08
VOL. XXXVII.--NO. 20.

then futtering desperately in their little
bosoms
"You are amused ?" she said.
II cannot help it, l answered.
s'You think | have made bad shot p
"You have not exactly pinked the
bull, = l replied.
''On the contrary she persisted, ssI
believe | have pinked the bull, as you ex-
press it, and in the very center.
Again I laughed. Her delusion grew
more and more amusing.
'But am right, she declared. ''No
girl will ever marry you.
ssQuite so-because shall never ask
her.
Because she would not have you if
you did.
Her absurd, and must add ill-man-
nered, insistence nettled me.
s'If l wanted wife, | said, Il need
90 no farther than this drawing room to
obtain one.
1t was truly, but rashly, spoken in the
irritation of the moment.
'sDo you mean Ethel or Amy?' inquir
ed Mrs Lowenstein, superciliously.
This was downright insulting. Amy,
Ethel sister, was a kid of a schoolgirl just
rising fourteen.
"Ethel, of course I retorted.
She gave little, incredulous laugh.
'sYou think she would not accept me?'
| demanded.
s'It is not matter of think; | know it,
she replied, with sssuperior" cocksure
ness too riling for words.
eve will see, said.
sWhat, will you ask her? Surely it
would be unfair on Ethel to do that, merely
for the purpose of settling this compare
lively immaterial point. =
GAS she is certain to refuse, retort-
ed, scarcastically, "no harm will be done.
''To be sure, she said. ''Yes. That
is quite true. =
The woman drove me quite mad. So
mad, that I did ask Ethel that very night
Ethel replied: s'Oh, Mr.. Vaneson,
please-please don't. | like you ever so
much as a friend, but not in that way.
Oh, no. l do hope you will never mention
the subject again.
So Ethel actually refused meme
What can have been her reason? Some
one must have ''got at her, for in her
heart, she must have loved me. 1t could
not have been otherwise.
When | babe Mrs. Lowenstein good
night, feeling very much incensed and in
suited, the woman whispered, smiling:
ssYou need not tell me- Ethel has refused
you as | knew she would.
ssThere are other girls in the world be-
sides Ethel, | muttered.
Eyes, she said in low voice, ''many
others. But they are not for you, Mr..
vaneson Take my advice. Spare your
self and them the pain of needless refusals.
Or, if you must secure wife, ask some
good, unattractive girl who is not likely to
have other offers, and then possibly
'sThanks for your kind advice, : | in
terrupted her, curtly.
left the Phipsons laughing to myself
savagely.
Next day, which was Tuesday, | pro-
posed to Lily Cartwright.
Lily said:
'sOh! Mr. Vaneson, please say no
more. This is quite impossible. | like
and esteem you as a friend but can never
marry you-never
This girl must have gone mad. To re-
fuse me-ME, if you please.
When [ reached home surveyed my
selfin the glass. Her refusal was incom
prehensible. 1 simply could not under
stand it.
On the Thursday proposed to Janet
Fairbanks.
Janet said
'sOh no, no should like you to be
my brother, but
| Psha Her brother Another glri
gone dementedl 1t was too pitiable for
words.
On the Friday | asked Nellie Dampler.
ssYou surprise and pain me, Mr.. Vane-
son. said Nellie. ssIt can never be-.
Please say no more.
I said no more Not |. If she chose
to throw away the best chance she was
ever likely to have, that was her loss, not
mine.
On the Saturday | asked Jessie Ray
mond to marry me. Jessie said:
"Oh, Mr.. Vaneson, I-I-you have
taken me so by surprise; but-but-l do
: love you dearly, and-yes, will.
So. then and there / billed with this
sweet canary, on the same perch, so to
speak, and-for the first time in my life
inside the bars.
Tn due course we entered the aviary
simultaneously she from her narrow cage,
and l from my native and congenial blue.
The avaiary is not bad place, when
YOU get there. Everything, however
depends on the canary with whom you share
il. Jessie makes first-class canary.
X x X
Here the gentleman version ends.
The editor of Truth, however, happens to
be acquainted with Mrs. Lowenstein, who,
in reply to certain inquiries of his, writes al
follows
Eyes. you are quite right. did entel
into little conspiracy with those five
canaries to force the wild songster' s hand
or, rather, claw He was paying in,
discriminate attentions to all five We
agreed that these must be converted ant
concentrated into definite intentions toward
one. The only real difficulty was to de
eide which of the five should be the on
to win him. The girls settled it among
themselves in the most business like wa.
with the help of coins, and by process
which the frequenters of bars am give
to understand often employ for deciding
which of the compay shall stand drink
round They call it | am told) 'Tomm
Dodd, or odd man out In this case j
, was odd girl out, and Jessie, being lef
in last, secured the privilege of Polly
Dodd -
A Close Reader.