The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-12-24

the scale Of visual power. 7 could fan
~ her reading my secret in the small
est Of the flowers that I had sent to
Cushing's house, where she lived. 49,.
Theoretically was not in love with
her. Love, in my way Of thinking, de-
ponds upon intimate acquaintance. I
am skeptical about the early blooming
variety of this flower. It is usually a
weed and the thing to do is to pull it
right up by the roots.
I knew very little about Miss La
moine. Gushing had told me that she
own, and that she lived with relatives
In some small city in Michigan. 1 did
not catch the name of the place. l
have an inquisitive disposition and
know it and therefore refrain from
asking any questions except such as
are absolutely necessary. However, I
usually require considerable informa-
ton before taking important action,
and falling in love is important.
AS to Miss Lamoine's share in the
matter. I had no reason to suspect that
she cared seriously for me. 1t lay on
my mind that had been making fool
of myself in quiet, inoffensive, gen
tlemanly way and that the lady had
found the spectacle amusing. I was
family suspicious that she liked to be
amused in that fashion. Whether that
notion were true or false, there was
an easy way Of setting all things right
I called upon Mics Lamoine that
evening, and we had a very frank and
friendly talk, as it seemed to me.
confdejl to her that there was very
nice girl whom l had not seen in some
years, not since her childhood, in fact.
and she was now 10. She had been
charming child, in every way lovable,
and I had no doubt that the promise
Of her youth had been in every way
fulfilled. In that statement it will be
observed that l stuck close to my
fathers word, but it sounded cold. |
needed something more to meet the
eXigencies Of the situation and to sus-
tain my own spirits, which were get
ting rather low, and so | dilated q
bit upon Sibyls merits, using that gift
of easy, imaginative discourse which
some harsh persons have called lying.
S1byl would not have recognized her
self had she been present, but l felt
at the moment that she could not have
helped being pleased.
My fathers heart was strongly set
upon the match, I said, and it was
great JOY to me that my memories Of
Sibyl should be as they were, alto
gether charming and alluring. 1t was,
OF course, too much to hope that she
would care for me. 1 could not ven
ture to predict SO fortunate an event.
If Miss Lamoine would not take it
as bid for a compliment, I would say
that regarded myself as a mere joke
The best that I could hope for was
that Sibyl would think she could enjoy
laughing at me all her life.
make her laugh all you can," said
Miss Lamoine, eying me in her peculiar
way. Don't make her cry"
"You think me fickle,'' said | stupid
ly, and she f1oored me with the gentle
question::
"Why should I?''
Without waiting for me to attempt
an answer she proceeded to speak kind
ly of my disclosure. She was glad that
had told her; she was f1attered by
my confidence; she wished me all sue
cess and happiness.
l had introduced this subject yery
we'll, considering that am, as a rule.
awkward and overprecise in beginning
new theme, though fluent enough
when once fairly started. 1t had SEEM
ed to grow naturally out of the CONVEX
sation, and Miss Lamoine's tact pre-
served the scene from the peril of being
too relevant. l could not specify a
word or a look of hers that gave the
smallest hint that she guessed why I
had given her this page of family his
tory. And yet bore away from this
Interview the suspicion that she I'M
derstood me perfectly and held in re-
gard to my character and conduct an
opinion which I would give much to
know.
1t was my intention to go to Chicago
on the following day, but somehow