The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-03-05

Cold She Came Nenr
Freexlng.

N0H N GTteHtuM.
"Graciousl" said the girl in the seal
skin. How frostily you bowed to Dicl
Wheeler just now! And he's SO nice!"
ssNice, indeed" answered the young
woman in the raglan, with mighty con
tempt. Il don't admire your tasse.
like a man with some brains.'
"rhe ideal" spluttered the Other
girl 1--we heard you say many . tlIne
you thought Dick was the brightest
the"
"Don't remind me Of the idiocies Of
former days" broke in the raglan girl
imploringly. "You see, Dick took me
sleighing the other day"
"'How loyelyl"
Lovely nothing! If there is thing
ON earth loathe tits sleighing. Itsso
cold / freeze to death. Any man with
sense might know that. But 1 didn't
like to offend Dick
"Of course not" agreed the sealskin
girl. according to the Chicago Daily
News.
$50 thanked him as though he was
about to give me the treat Of my life.
I borrowed all the fannels in the fam
ily and my brothers sweater and
mammals fur cape. l was about as
graceful as a hippopotamus when I
clambered into that sleigh. Dick said
he was so glad was sensible enough
to wrap up warmly and not try to look
Just pretty and be miserable. hate
compliments on being sensible"
II should say sol" agreed her friend.
"After we had been out half an hour
i could feel my face congealing. Itgot
perfectly stiff and I know just how the
man in THERON mask felt. Icould hard
" speak, the muscles of my face were
so rigid. All the time Dick was rattling
on about the glorious crisp air and the
beauties Of the snow-covered park. He
said sleighing was so exhilarating. BY
this time could only nod. And then
he got personal. Ofcourse, I've known
for long time he was-er-fond OF
me-
$50 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
for the asking. 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
him think I was sort of star at the
top Of a pinacled glacier, so when he
finally won me he'd be the thankfulest
creature on earth. And then what
could do when he was proposing TO
me and 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 I
couldn't turn sweetly gentle gaze
upon him with royal purple nose,
could I?''
well, hardly" admitted the girl in
the sealskin, what ditficlllt situa-
tiony' ks
Eyes, wasn't it? Dick said he wished
we conld drive on forever side by side,
and tried to smile, but the tears only
ran ont of my eyes and froze on my
cheeks. Speak to me- he implored.
Only one little word--tell me you care
for me. Do you? Now girl can't nod
abruptly at a speech like that. Imade
fierce effort to speak, but all could
get between my chattering teeth was
'N-n-n-.' Dick said he wouldn't bother
me any more, and he was very sorry he
had taken SO much for granted and he
hoped we could still be friends. Icould
have wept with rage If it had no. been
that 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 was absolutely helpless.
l couldn't even ask him and he
thought my protracted silence meant l
was angry at his presumption. He went
away with the air of man whose life
has been wrecked and / was so mad
at his stupidity that haven't got over
it yet"
II should sayl" murmured her
friend. 'Why, here he comes back
again, walking slowly. I'll have to
leave you, dear. Tell me all about it
afterward to reward me-
'Goodness!" cried the sad girl in
the raglan, suddenly futtering. "Does
the powder show on my nose ?v