Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1903-03-11
DICK WAS FOOLISH.
Took q Girl Sleighing and Il Was So
Cold She Came Near
Freezing.

"Gracious!" said the girl in the seal
skin. How frostily you bowed to Dick
Wheeler just now! And he's so NIGEL"
Nice, indeed!" answered the young
woman in the raglan, with mighty con-
tempt. Il don't admire your taste. l
ike man with some brains"
The ideal" spluttered the other
girl. I've heard you say many time
you thought Dick was the brightest,
the"
Don't remind me Of the idiocies of
former days" broke in the raglan girl
mploringly. "You see, Dick took me
sleighing the other day.
How lovely!"
Lovely nothing! If there is thing
on earth loathe it is sleighing. It's SO
cold 1 freeze to death. Any man with
sense might know that. But didn't
like to offend Dick"
OF course not" agreed the sealskin
girl, according to the Chicago Daily
News.
so L thanked him as though he was
about to give me the treat Of my life.
borrowed all the fiannels in the fam
hy and my brothers sweater and
mammals fur cape. I was about as
graceful as hippopotamus when 1
:lambered into that sleigh. Dick said
ne was so glad was sensible enough
10 wrap up warmly and not try to look
Just pretty and be miserable. 1 hate
compliments on being sensible"
should say sol" agreed her friend.
After we had been out half o.. hour
could feel my face congealing It got
perfectly stiff and know just how the
man in the iron mask felt. Icould hard
~ speak, the muscles of my face were
80 rigid All the time Dick was rafting
on about the glorious crisp air and the
beauties OF the snow-covered park. He
SAID sieighing was so exhilarating. BY
THIS time 1 could only nod. And then
he got personal. Of course, I've known
,or long time he was-er-fond of
ne"
so did everybody else" agreed the
Sealskin girl. "And when is it to be?"
1t isn't!" snapped the girl in the
raglan. "You see, I didn't want to
promise right out to marry Dick-it's
bad plan to let man think you're his
Tor the asking. I had intended to be
diplomatic and ask for time It does
man good to be kept on the anxious
seat for awhile. was going to make
MN think l was a sort of star at the
top OF a pinacled glacier, SO when he
hnally won me he'd be the thankfulest
creature on earth. And then what
could do when he was proposing 10
me and l couldn't talk? You can't be
verbally intricate and clothe your re-
marks in elusive, shadowy meanings
when your vocabulary is reduced TO
one nod up and down and another side
ways. My nose was purple and /
couldn't turn a sweetly gentle gaze
upon him with royal purple nose,
could I?''
We'll, hardly" admitted the girl in
the sealskin. What difficult situa-
tion!"
Yes, wasn't it? Dick said he wished
we could drive on forever side by side,
ana tried to smile, but the tears ONLY
ran out Of my eyes and froze on nv
cheeks. Speak to me- he implored
only one little word-tell me you care
N ~ Jou' NOW girl cant nOQ
abruptly at speech like that. Imade a
herce effort to speak, but all I could
gNt between my chattering teeth was
N-n-n--.' Dick said he wouldn't bother
me any more, and he was very sorry he
1ad taken so much for granted and he
hoped we could still be friends. Icould
have wept with rage if it had not been
that l knew the tears would freeze all
over my face in little beads.
He drove me home and / tumbled
out Of that abominable sleigh like a
ton of coal. I was absolutely HELPLESS.
| couldn't even ask him and he
bought my protracted silence meant I
vas angry at his presumption. He went
away with the air of a man whose life
las been wrecked and I was so mad
1t his stupidity that haven't got over
yet"
81 should say!" murmured her
friend. "Why, here he comes back
again, walking slowly I'll have to
cave you, dear. Tell me all about il
ifterward to reward me-"
"Goodness!" cried the sad girl in
he raglan, suddenly futtering. ..Does
The powder show on my nose?"