The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-12-18
Nbdf the
World Said
By ALLAN p. AMES
Copyright. isOS. bH 7. C. Mcclure
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I'm this matter" said Easton. there
are three opinions to consider"
Zone is enough for me" said the girl
Your own, suppose"
"Of course. presume one OF the
others is yours Whose Is the thirdT
Easton gave a long. sweeping stroke
that sent the canoe darting far through
the waters and laid the dripping pad
die across the gunwale. The third"
he replied. lis what the world says"
And who cares for thatf" spoke the
girl lazily from her cushions near the
bow.
Public opinion is something none OF
us can afford to ignore" said the youth
gravely.
But this is not public matter. The
extent of my liking for you Is some
thing just between ourselves"
Our world tonight. Anne. is not the
world of last winter. It's smaller-just
the little colony at this end Of the lake.
in fact. That's the way we men feel.
at any rate. We come here to get away
from the world OF work. and we want
TO keep wholly within this little pleas
ant sphere of our own. Now. you can't
say that nobody about here has noticed
my devotion. IL you should Inquire
I'll bet you'd find that most OF your
friends can enumerate the times that
I've proposed in the past month. Oh.
they know all about us. and they're In
tensely concerned. You can't have for
gotten what an active interest you and
/ took in your sisters affair"
We were only rude children then"
Summer days like these make chill
dren of us all. I've been growing
younger ever since I knew you. Now.
l have a childlike faith in the worlds
good Judgment. Can't you let it settle
this question for us?"
do you value its opinion above
mine?" asked the girl. with a smile he
might have seen had the moon been
larger.
"0h. no; only. you see. your opinion
in a measure Is neutralized by mine.
Here's disinterested third party.
Why not submit the question TO him?
am convinced that you should marry
me. You say you shouldn't The rest
OF mankind are comparatively unim-
portant. but let's leave II 10 them.
Isn't that fairf''
Would you have them vote Il at
next electiong
.No, no. / am in earnest. Anne. III
all our friends thought as / do,
wouldn't 1t make any difference to
youf'
but ! don't know what they think.
I've never asked them. Have your
Certainly not" answered Easton In
dignantly. But l know a way of
learning-to n certain extent"
whats that?"
Listening"
AT keyholes and open windows.
suppose"
mo. / don't feel quite young enough
for that Besides, 1t isn't necessary
See here"
Easton left his perch on the stern
worked his way TO the center OF the
canoe and picked up small mega
phone. PUT the little end TO your
ear" he said. handing II to his com
panion. Here's another just Ike IT fol
me-"
"why, Joseph Easton! I'm ashamed
OF youi Do you often do things like
thisT'
Never did il before. This is a very
exceptional case"
| You're sure to hear something abou
yourself you won't like"
NO danger" he replied cheerful,
as he raised the funnel to his ear
Don't they say all the world loves
fellow in my cOnditiOn:"
Then. while the girl sat watching
him. with her own megaphone un
touched in her lap. he listened first Ii
one quarter. then In another Soun'
travels surprisingly far ut night on
calm body of water. To the unaide'
ear nothing was audible but the chirp
ing OF insects upon the shore and tn
tapping OF ripples along the keel New
ertheIess at the fourth trial Easton'
attitude beiokencd that his megaphon
had intercepted some sounds more In
telligible.
pity you're missing this" he chuc
! tEt-fuAiN.
Can you really hear somebody tail
ing about u.s." asked Anne. intereste
in spite OF herself.
Seems to be a couple OF girls dii
cussing you," said Eastou. And yer
nicely too. Excellent sense those PEE
pie have. Hush
Now they've switched OF on me-" b
added. after u pause
Anne could restrain herself no lol
ger. 'It isn't so wrong for me to ilste
when they are speaking OF you" 81
said finally. The next moment tw
\ megaphones were leveled Into the darl
1 ness
This is what came through them:
Rowing fancy. did you say? Indes
he had. | never saw a man change .
he has since last summer. He Shove
n preference for Anne then. but he W;
willing to glance at the rest Of US occ
sionaIly. But now-well. it's a case. 9
right"
Easton turned triumphantly 10 8
what effect this had upon his compa
ion. To all appearances she was liste
ing shamclessly. intent to catch eve
word. When lie returned to his meg
phone another feminine voice W
speaking:
Least doubt about II. But l shi
always have one exquisite joke on An
and Joe II they marry. rs everybo'
thinks they will. As long as be |
mains truthful the poor fellow ney