Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1903-07-03

\ ''On, no, you are hoe. Anu why uiN NV
write me such dreadfully stiff letter.
There. now" he cried, Il was SURE
| 1t was stiff"
"Then why write 1t
ut wasn't my own composition"
Whose then? Your auntsr
"Oh, no. 1t was a person Of the mans
of slattery."
"Goodnessi Who is he?"
sI knew it would come out. I felt
that it would. You've heard of SJattery,
the author?'
Never"
HE is wonderful at expressing him
self. He wrote book called The Secret
Solved or, Letter-writing Made Easy
1t gives you models of all sorts of let
ters."
Ida burst out laughing so you actu-
ally copied one"
''It was to invite a young lady to a
picnic, but I set to work and soon got
it changed so that it would do very
well. Slattery seems never to have
asked any one to ride a tandem. But
when I had written it, it seemed so
dreadfully stiff that I had to put lit
tie beginning and end of my own, which
seemed to brighten it up good deal"
II thought there was something funny
about the beginning and end"
Ibid you? Fancy your noticing the
difference in style. How quick you are!
I am very slow at things like that.
ought to have been a woodman, or
gamekeeper, or something. I was made
on those lines. But 1 have found some
thing now"
what is that, then?"
Branching l have a chum in Texas,
and he says it is rare life. l am to
buy share in his business 1t is all in
the open air-shooting. and riding, and
sport. Would it-would it inconvenience
you much, Ida, to come out there with
me?"
Ida nearly fell off her perch in her
amazement. The only words Of which
she could think were MY goodness
mel so she said them.
''If it would not upset your plans,
or change your arrangements In any
way" He had slowed down and let go
of the steering handle. so that the great
machine crawled aimlessly about from
one side of the road to the other. II
know very we'll that am not clever or
anything of that sort, but still I would
do all 1 can to make you very happy.
Don't you think that in time you might
come to like me a little bit?''
Ida gave cry of fright. Il won't
like you If you run me against brick
wall" she said, as the machine rasped
against the curb. do attend to the
Eyes, will. But tell me, Ida, whether
you will come with me-"
f4Ol z1,e ~
How can we talk about such things
when I cannot see you? You speak to
the nape of my neck, and then I have
to twist my head round to answer"
1T know. That was why put You IN |
front upon my letter. 1 thought that
1t would make it easier. But If you |
would prefer it will stop the machine.
and then you can sit around and talk /
about it,"
Good graciousl" cried Ida. Fancy
our sitting face to face on motionless
tricycle. in the middle of the road, and
all the people looking out of their win
lows at usI'
'It would look rather funny, wouldn't
Il? Well, then, suppose that we both
get off and push the tandem along In
'ront Of us?''
ooh, no, this is better than that"
"Or I could carry the thing"
Ida burst out laughing. THAT would
De more absurd STILL"
"Then we will go quietly, and I will
ook out for steering. 1 won't talk about
t at all if you would rather not. But 1
eally do love you very much, and you
would make me happy if you came to
Texas with me, and I think that per-
laps after a time 1 could make you
Apply, too"
but your aunt?'
ooh, she would like it very much.
an understand that your father might
ot like to lose you. I'm sure wouldn't
ither, If were he. But, after all, Amer
"a is not very far off nowadays, and
J not so very wild. We would take
rand piano. and-and-a copy of
browning. And Denver and his wife
vould come over to see us. We should
e quite a family party. 1t would be
bly,"
Ida sat listening to the stumbling
ords and awkward phrases which were
rhispered from the back of her, but
here was something in Charles West
lacott'S clumsinesS of speech which
as more moving than the words Of the
lost eloquent of pleaders. He paused,
e stammered, he caught his breath be-
veen the words, and he blurted out
little blunt phrases all the hopes Of
Is heart. If love had not come to her
ct, there was at least pity and SYM
athy, which are nearly akin to 1t.
ronder there was also that one SO {
eak and frail as she should shake this !
rong man so, should have the whole I
,urse of his life waiting for her deci- I
on. Her left hand was on the cushion ,
her side. He leaned forward and took !
gently in his own. She did not try to
'aw 1t back from him.
May I have it," said he, for life?' l
"Oh, do attend to your steering" said {
e smiling round at him: land don't {