The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-04-10
DICK WAS FOOLISH.
Took a Girl sleighinK and 1t Was So
Cold She Came Near
Freezing.

NOAu She lame Ne1E
Freezing.
"Gracious!" said the girl in the seal
skin. "How frostily you bowed to Dick
Wheeler just now! And he's so NIGEL"
"Nice, indeed!" answered the young
woman in the raglan, with mighty con-
tempt. II don't admire your taste. l
like man with some brains"
"The ideal" spluttered the other
girl. "I've heard you say many time
you thought Dick was the brightest,
the"
Don't remind me of the idiocies of
former days." broke in the raglan girl
imploringly. "You see, Dick took me
sleighing the other day."
"'How lovely!"
Lovely nothing! If there is a thing
on earth loathe it is sleighing. It's so
cold freeze to death. Any man with
sense might know that. But didn't
like to offend Dick"
"Of course not" agreed the sealskin
girl, according to the Chicago Daily
News.
80 thanked him as though he was
about to give me the treat of my life.
l borrowed all the fannels in the fam
lily and my brothers sweater and
mammals fur cape. l was about as
/ graceful as a hippopotamus when I
clambered into that sleigh. Dick said
he was so glad l was sensible enough
to wrap up warmly and not try to look
inst h. =. A.
compliments on being sensible"
Il should'say sol" agreed her friend.
AFTER we had been out half an hour
could feel my face congealing. 1t got
perfectly stiff and l know just how the
man in the iron mask felt 1could hard
ly speak, the muscles of my face were
so rigid. All the time Dick was rafting
on about the glorious crisp air and the
beauties of the snow-covered park. He
said sleightng was so exhilarating. BY
this time l could only nod. And then
he got personal. OF course, I've known
for long time he was-er-fond of
me-"
so did everybody else" agreed the
sealskin girl. Sand when is it to be?"
''It isn't!" snapped the girl in the
raglan. You see, didn't want to
promise right out to marry Dick-it's
a bad plan to let man think you're his
for the asking. l had intended to be
diplomatic and ask for time. 1t does
man good to be kept on the anxious
seat for awhile. 1 was going to make
him think l was a sort of star at the
top of pinacled glacier, so when he
finally won me he'd be the thankfulest
creature on earth. And then what
could l do when he was proposing @
me and couldn't talk? You can't be
verbally intricate and clothe your re-
marks in elusive, shadowy meanings
when your vocabulary Is reduced to
one nod up and down and another side.
ways. My nose was purple and
couldn't turn a sweetly gentle gaze
upon him with royal purple nose,
could 70"
well. hardly" admitted the girl in
the sealskin. "What a difficult situa-
toni"
Yes, wasn't it? Dick said he wished
we could drive on forever side by side
and L tried to smile, but the tears only
ran out of my eyes and froze on nv
cheeks. Speak to me- he implored,
Only one little word-tell me YOU care
for me. Do your Now girl can't nod
abruptly at a speech like that. Imade
herce effort to speak, but all could
get between my chattering teeth was
'N-n-n-.' Dick said he wouldn't bother
me any more, and he was very sorry he
had taken so much for granted and he
hoped we could still be friends. Icould
have wept with rage if it had not been
that knew the tears would freeze ali
over my face in little beads.
HE drove me home and tumbled
out of that abominable sleigh like q
ton OF coal. was absolutely helpless.
couldn't even ask him and he
thought my protracted silence meant
was angry at his presumption. He went
away with the air of man whose life
has been wrecked and I was so mad
at his stupidity that 1 haven't got over
it yet"
81 should say!" murmured her
friend. "Why, here he comes back
again. walking slowly. I'll have to
leave you. dear. Tell me all about it
afterward to reward me'
"Goodnessw cried the sad ORR, !,
the raglan, suddenly fiuttering. "Does
the powder show on my nose?'