Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-11-14
FAIR OR DARK :?


times matched her hair, was lolling IN
her own particular armchair beside the
boudoir fire. Raising lackluster eyes
from the pages of the Morning Post, she
treated her sister Celia to a CLASSY stare.
Gross and streaky!" she repeat@
slowly. "NVell, l suppose it takes a far
woman to look beaming and bloated by
II o'clock in the morning"
Celia, on tiptoe before the fireplace,
smiled at her own pink and white re-
Fiction in the mirror.
"When man does not PROPOSE" she
announced, apparently addressing the
coal box 1T is invariably the woman's
fault Why did you manage SO badly?"
Silence.
Either" proceeded Celia, either you
snubbed him atrociously or you encour
aged him indecently. Which was it ?"
Still silence.
Celia, though delighted with her own
eloquence. felt she had missed the bulls
eye.
Twisting round on the fender stool she
faced her sister.
Margaret" in tragic whisper, Mar
garet. were you mad enough to laugh at
him ?"
The Morning Post rustled impatiently.
You think you know everything,
Celia, but you don't
but l mean to- replied the other sig
nifcahtly "and good intentions count for
something. It's no use quibblng," she
went ON, you did or said something to
gag Godfrey Pelham. What was it?"
Lady Margaret gave a mirthless laugh.
"Oh, he proposed right enough she
said.
The blue china eyes opened wider.
Proposed, did he? Then why ON
earth Z"
Then Lady Margaret dropped the
Morning Post.
Celia" she asked, you admire dark
men, don't your"
The whilom inquisitor blushed
"Most awfulIy," she murmmed, "but
what of that?"
Nothing, only don't; and last night
="
Good heavcns!' gasped Celia, Il be-
lieve you told him so"
Silence
Margaret" lsternly) 81 give you up.
You tell that peacock of Godfrey that
you don't admire him and then weep
inside the Morning Post because he
didn't propose"
ooh dear" moaned the culprit, Il only
said how queer it felt to find myself ac-
cepting him when I'd loathed dark men
all my life"
And. pray, what did he say? inquired
Celia with the air of the kind keeper to
the prize imbccile.
"He-he jumped up. turned backer
than ever, and said since he was person
ally repugnant to me he would retract
his unfortunate proposal"
HIM said Celia in scornful pity, 81
should think you and Sidney Rendle had
better marry each other
Sidney Rcndlc? Why"
why not? He's almost an albino;
fair enough to please even you, mag
ire, and he loves dark women"
'tlow do YOU know"
He told me So"
Told you so! When? Last nights"
YES; he was quite charming to me till
We went out to find a glowworm and
thcn-then / thought he was going to,
but but"
But he didn't supplied Lady Mar
garct Drying her eyes she sat up.
When u man doesn't propose she
quoted, 1T is invariably the woman's
fault. Why did YOU manage so badly? p
1t was not my fault" cried Celia.
Il neither snubhed nor encouraged him.
didn't laugh at him nor censure his APP
pCarancC. 1t was he who said all of a
sudden ana without any warning that he
had an aversion To fair women. Oh it
was awful" and Celia, too, produced her
handkerchief
And what did you say?'
Il | said it was pity he hadn't told
me 81 before, and that I hated albinos
myself. and glowworms and balls, and"
If YOU please, my lady Sir Godfrey
Pelham is in the drawing room and begs
YOU will see him for one moment
The maid addressed Lady Margaret.
who after a hasty interview with the
mirror glanced interrogatively at her
sister.
YES, of course" cried Celia. ego at
once, but don't forget to rave about his
Spanish profile she called out as Mar
garet fitted down the stairs.
"A note for YOU. my lady" said the
maid, rc-entering. and Celia, CHANGING at
the salNer, saw the well-known hand
writing.
Fair lady" she read. "you interrupted
me last night in the middle of an impor.
tant sentence. misunderstanding is cost
~, 80 | write to put one fact beyond it's
reach. As | tried to tell you. | always
tclt an aversion to fair woman till met
you. Since then | am Indifferent To all
women, lair or dark. excepting one. In
spite OF her repulSiou 70 fair men. the
expression Of which drove ne last night
to supper aud despair, l hereby entreat
that one To marry me. At least we shall
he we'll matched, Is that a dark sayincg
Please send me iair auswer.-Youis.
Sidney Reudlc"
p 81 will dye If You wish. What
can lover say more :"