Woodruff County news., 1903-03-12
HOW HE WON HER.
BY WILLIAM J. HAMPTON.

Madge Brent sat at the tea table in Mrs. | Vans drawing-room. She was an extreme | ly pretty girl, and so graceful that the men | took tea, not because they likedit for their tastes were more vrile, but because she poured it with such ineffable charm that | they forgot their prejudices in the fascina- tion' of watching her. | A dozen or more had come and gone, not one of whom would not have freely been her slave for life, for her financial charms were not less than those mental, moral and physical perfections which in the olden | time were woman's chief attractiveness But they did not speak, fearing to lose SC much.
 "IIow do you do, Miss Brent?" Tie voice was deep and mellow and mu sical. A faint tinge of red rose to Madge Brent's face, as if some rising sun were painting a pink presage of dawn upon a happy sky. She looked up quickly, smiling a welcome to the newcomer.
 "One lump of sugar." she replied in greet ing, land a little lemon You see, MT. Nor ton, have not forgotten"
 He watched her quietly, intensely, as she deftly brewed the drink.
 'Delghtful,' he said, tasting it, "And what have you been doing since 1 saw you Iast?" he asked, with the spoon poised in his fingers.
 Many things, but mostly discussing a new question that has arisen among us brain workers of society,""
 "It must be very fatiguing," he langhed. But what is it, pray?"
 Something most profound, to-wit How long does friendship continue before action begins"
 But this isn't the silly season." pro tested Morton.
 "stll society must do something" she argued.
 But why this?"
 "Oh they have been doing it in London until everybody who is anybody has brain flag. Could you expect less of us on this sde?"
 Morton's face took on an almost tragical seriousness.
 "Let me see,' he said with judicial de- liberation, 'how long does action"
 'No, mo-" she interrupted; "that isn't right How long does friendship con tinue?'"
 Thanks" he said, q see. But what does it mean? What is action? Is it to make ties, or break them? To go on, or stop? To hold fast, or to let go? Tolove, to-" Nor ton broke off sharply "What does it mean? What is the correct answer"
 ''No one seems to know," she laughed. ''That is why it is so delightfully."-. discuss able. We have debated it by the hour. have asked every man who has been here this afternoon, and each one has taken the question home with him to deliberate upon 4o o+ ba fp-1 pr. row evening They said they needed time. You will be there, of course, and possibly you would like few moments of thought before giving an opinion"
 She had never been quite so irresistible as she was when she looked at him, half quizzcal half serious, to receive his answer.
 ''The question, believe" he said slow ly, as if feeling his way, lis, How long does friendship continue before action begins?'"
 "You have it right this time, she laughed. "You are a promising pupil, Mir. Morton"
 He ignored the compliment, and putting his empty cup on the table, he drew his chair nearer to her.
 'I shall not wait until tomorrow to answer" he said. ''I think I have it now"
 Good" she cried, clapping her hands. "What is it?"
 ''Hew long have we known each other, Miss Brent?" he asked, with such unex- 2ected divergence from the question at issue that she looked at him in astonish- ment.
 'Why, I met you first at brothers we'd ding" she hesitated, 'and that was two years ago this month";
 "And how long have we been friends?"
 "From the beginning, hope" she laughed nervously.
 q am sure," he said, land we are safe, therefore, in saying that friendship has con tinued two years"'
 'Yes."
 Mortons meaning would have been ap- parent now, even to an unwilling woman, and the warm color dashed its pink mist across Miss Brent's face
 "Will you marry me, Madge, darling?" he pleaded, his whole manner changing with the lovelight in his eyes, and the heart note in the music of his voice. T love you, and"
 'Madge, dear" exclaimed Mrs Van, ap- bearing suddenly, "have the rum ready for Gen. Anderson's tea. He has just arrived with two of his staff-and Madge, dear, have plenty of it," she added in a stage whisper.
 In her excitement she had not seen the bushes, nor had she noted the marfner of Morton. A moment later the officers came in, and Morton rose to go. Miss Brent put her hand in his and looked into his eyes. They spoke to him the unutterable. He smiled to her, and with a bow to the others about the table he was gone.
 At the Assembly dozen eager guessers crowded abe at Miss Brent
 Really" she laughed, radiant, happy. provoking, 'I don't think the question can be answered definitely. know of one man witt whom action began at the end of two years"
 "An6 the woman?' they asked, curious, yet fsarful.
 "Sbe, too" she smiled, and left them to bear the burden of tl;e problem among themselves.-N. Y. Times.