Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-08-02
An Interrupted Proposal.

\ dog-car logged along country road.
The young man sitting on the seat looked
brand new. and the girl had fresh
face. They were absorbed incach others
presence. The young man was decidedly
sentimental the maid was practical
Mary" he whispered. the world
looks very bright to me today
well. think it's about time" re-
piled Mary looking over the land escape.
We've had rain enough to satisfy any
body"
1t had caused him some effort to think
of his part and he lapsed into silence for
awhile.
Again his brain worked. Looking at
her admiringly, he asked
"What would this old world do with
out women"
There wouldn't BE- any world-least-
wise I've heard the parson say over and
over again that we would still be eating
grapes i'll the garden of Eden if wo-
man hadn't put her foot in it
Any reasonably bright young man
would have seized the opportunity to re-
mark
We'll. don I call that minister very
gallant; we ought to compel him to
make another garden of Eden for two
people know Of.
But he only looked twice. Then an.
other thought struck him.
"What did YOU mean the other night
when your father was telling us about
his wedding day and you looked at me
and blushed 7"
He knew he had made mistake be.
fore he completed the sentence, but it
was too late.
Her attitude toward him visibly hard
ened as she asked cuttingly-
did / look at you: Well, that was
strange. wasn't it l hope it didn't
hurt you And did it ever occur to you
that girl doesn't like to be stared at
for half an hour at time: It's enough
TO make any body blush
Another half mile of silence
Then the young fellow remembered
a story he had read once where the man
wondered what was the matter, and had
finally discovered that he had never
thought to ask the girl out and out if
she would marry him-he had taken it
for granted.
1t was now or never. Forget ting
everything except his wildly beating
heart and what he wanted to say, he
dropped the reins and turned toward the
startled girl stammering like an idiot
"M-Mary. You know"
Look where the horse is going :
screamed Mary. making frantic clutch
at the reins. But it was to late. One
wheel of the vehicle had started down
in the deep ditch. while the horse was
eating grass. The young man made Il
wild leap. but all he..succeedcd i'll doing
was to land i'll the bottom of the ditch
His feet went ont from under him and
he fell flat in the mud
Mary had deftly gathered her skirts
i'll one hand and leaped lightly to the
ground just as the cart toppled leisure
lu over on its side. narrowly missing
the spot where the humiliatod lover was
scrambling to his feet
As he stood up Mary gave one look at
his Undiscovered figure and burst into
laughter.
That was all he needed to make a
man of him. He got god and mad and
found his tongue.
well, call that nice. I'm in ii bad
scrapc enough without you standing
there and laughing like
"Oh. Charlie" she broke in. CONTROL
ing herself with an effort. Il didn't
mean TO hurt your feelings. but you
looked so comical.'
II was fortunate Tor Charlie that he
had not been permitted to finish the
sentence: he had been about to say
like an idiot"
With the aid of their pocket handkcr-
cnlels anu SOME clean water near, Mary
soon had his clothes looking almost as
good as before.
Charlie, she said softly when her
task was nearly done, "what-what
were you going to say just before the
cart tipped over
She was blushing furiously and kept
her eyes fixed on the cloth she was in
dustriouslv dabbing at with the ruined
handkerchief.
He looked down at her and a great
wave of tenderness filled him so full he
could scarcely speak. Taking her in
his arms with almost crushing force he
whispered passionately-
Il love you'll love you You must
marry me.
And Mary knew he spoke the truth
BE sure and use that old and we'll tried