The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-12-06

"Oh. the dickensi" she said frankly.
II viii be seen at once that, although
Miss Catherwood was a young lady OF
beauty and charming personal char
acteristics, she had decided opinions
about various things. One Of the
things was Mr.. Anthony Wadsworth,
who, as appeared, was waiting below
for an audience with her.
The dickensi" reiterated Miss
Catherwood, II suppose I shall have
to see him" Miss Catherwoods mother
happened to be within earshot.
who is it?' she inquired. She was
informed. Dear me-" said Miss
Catherwood's mother, why, Mr.. An
thony Wadsworth has always appeared
to me to be very proper young man"
That's just the trouble, mother,
returned Miss Catherwood, hes too
proper. He's too conventional. He's
a tissue-paper man"
Dear me-" answered her mother;
''he-he doesn't look like a tissue
paper man"
''Oh, 1 know" petulantly responded
the young lady. II know; he's just
about the proper weight and proper
height, and his shoulders are just the
proper breadth. He's like a pattern
a fashion plate. He's just unbeara-
ble''
Miss Catherwood's mother, who
could not quite reconcile her daugh-
ters premises with her conclusion,
sighed. Her daughter swept out Of
the room and went downstairs.
Mr.. Anthony Wadsworth rose as she
entered and bowed in a quaint old
fashioned way. He was 1ustered and
embarrassed-and there was good
reason for it. For Mr.. Anthony Wads-
worth was there for a purpose, and his
purpose ultimately became apparent.
He was there to propose to Miss
Catherwood, and he proposed He
didn't do IT very well, and Miss Gather
wood, who had had proposal or two
before, as she listened to him, made
mental comparisons that were I'M
favorable TO this particular sutton.
''Don't-don't give me your answer
tonight" implored Mr.. Wadsworth.
the perspiration standing out upon his
brow; 'wait-wait until tomorrow
night Take time"
Miss Catherwood. who would have
preferred 10 end 1t at once, assented.
She said with all the GOODNESS she
could summon to her aid that she
would consider it; that she would wait
until tomorrow night. And she had
a reason for il. She had an engage
ment with Tommy Boggs for the next
nlEnls anu 6nC 4AlCuOCu " nllNC q
short note for Mr.. Wadsworth to re-
ceive when he came That would be
the end of Mr.. wadsworth.
She started with Tommy about z
o'clock in the evening. in order to get
a choice seat in the ladies' quarters.
She left the fatal note with her moth
er. with instructions to hand IT to Mr..
IT was. Her mother, who was very
tender-hearted old lady, met Mr..
Wadsworth at the door-he came at
o'clock sharp-and Mr.. Wadsworth
was so downhearted when he found
that Miss Catherwood was out that
the old lady thought she would keep
the note to herself.
'TI-Iu call tomorrow evening"
said Mr.. Wadsworth, TREMENDOUSLY;
''she probably forgot last night that
she had this-this engagement for to-
night, although. I'll call tomorrow
night"
Down in the Fourteenth Ward in
Bailey's hall Tommy Boggs and Miss
Catherwood were having the time Of
their lives. The campaign was in full
blast-election was near at hand. Miss
Catherwood kept her eyes on the
speaker, and she listened to every word
he said
Isn't he nne?' she exclaimed to
Tommy. IT'S just great to be a man
like that-a man who can sway men"
There was a burst Of applause from
something more than one-third of the
crowd as the man upon the platform
paused in his speech at the proper
place. He was paid campaign orator,
and he was good at that. But there
was just bit Of dissatisfaction visi-
bic upon the faces of the crowd. A
man near Miss Catherwood moved
about uneasily.