The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1903-03-26
DICK WAS FOOLISH.
Took q Girl SleiEhinY and 1t Was So
Cold She Came Near
Freezing.

"Gracious!" said the girl in the seal
skin. How frostily you bowed to Dick
Wheeler just now! And he's so NIGEL"
Mice, indeed" answered the young
woman in the raglan, with mighty con-
tempt. Il don't admire your taste.
ike man with some brains"
''The ideal" spluttered the other
girl. 'sI'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 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.
$50 I thanked him as though he was
about to give me the treat of my life.
[ borrowed all the fiannels in the fam
ily and my brothers sweater and
mammals fur cape. I was about as
graceful as hippopotamus when I
clambered into that sleigh. Dick said
he was SO glad | was sensible enough
to wrap up warmly and not try to look
just pretty and be miserable. I hate
compliments on being sensible"
Il should say SOL" agreed her friend.
AFTER we had been out half an hour
[ could feel my face congeafing. 1t got
perfectly stiff and know just how the
man in the iron mask felt. could 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 sleighing was so eXhilarating. BY
| this time 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?"
ut isn't!" snapped the girl in the
raglan. "You see, / didn't want to
promise right out to marry Dick-it's
bad plan to let man think you're his
for the asking. / had intended to be
diplomatic and ask for time. 1t does
a man good to be kept on.the anxious
seat for awhile. i was going to make
him think was 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 / do when he was proposing 10
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 j
couldn't turn sweetly gentle gaze
upon him with royal purple nose,
could I?''
/ 'Well, hardly" admitted the girl in
the sealskin. "What difficult situa-
tion!"
Eyes, wasn't it? Dick said he wished
we could drive on forever side by side.
and I 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 you?' Now girl can't nod
abruptly at a speech like that. Imade a
fierce 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 ht
hoped we could still be friends. could
have wept with rage if it had not beer
that | knew the tears would freeze al
over my face in little beads.
! He drove me home and / tumblee
out of that abominable sleigh like {
ton of coal. was absolutely helpless
couldn't even ask him and h,
thought my protracted silence meant
was angry at his presumption. He wen
away with the air of man whose lif,
has been wrecked and 1 was so ma,
at his stupidity that haven't got owe
] it yet
Il should say!" murraured he
. friend. "Why. here he comes bacl
= again, walking slowly. I'll have t
: leave you. dear. Tell me all about i
afterward to reward me-"
: "Goodness!" cried the sad girl i
E the raglan. suddenly futtering. Doe
e the powder show on my nose?"
Cu r1