Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-08-29
TURNING THE LEAF.
By npEs W. SARGENT.

should them part.
That was where the trouble lay;
there had never been any question.
Mark had loved Grace from the time
she had come home from the boarding
school, a miss of Is. That was nve
years ago. In all that time he had not
been able to ask the question that ter
inmates the first chapter and opens the
second book of love.
He was so curiously constituted that
It was a moral and mental imposslDill-
ty for him to put bluntiy before Grace
the question she had 80 often sought
20 aid him in the asking.
In the novels all this was different.
There the hero suddenly folded the
heroine in his arms" That seemed to
be very definite and satisfactory-in a
novel. But he was too bashful % put
it in practice.
Then, again, there was that delight
full scene in Parted in Pain" where
the hero absent-mindedly makes ques-
ton marks in the sand with his cane.
Lacking the cane and sand, Mark
utilized a lead pencil and he table
cloth. When Grace asked him why he
was making those marks he
have replied according to the book:
"Those question marks ask the boon
that makes me the happiest man In
the world"
Grace had asked the question proper
ly enough, butwith the question bashful-
ness overlook him. Instead of winning
a wife he was scolded because he mark
ed up a clean tablecloth.
He had begun to feel that his bash
fulness would cost him his life's happi-
ness, and was looking forward to the
next leap-year in the hope that she
might exercise the traditional privilege.
1t must not be supposed that in all
things Mark was a simpleton. Apart
from this one question he found a
ready tongue. He was a clean-cut,
honest-faced young fellow. such as
would please any girl. 1t was only
when a proposal was imminent that
he suddenly became tongue-tied and
stammered like a rustic clown.
Grace had been fond of him even in
the old school days, and he found a
cordial welcome when he put in an APP
p%earance at the Pomsret home to assist
Grace in properly observing the passing
Of a year and the birth of a new sea-
son. ~
The little parlor seemed more like
home to him than the boarding house,
where. he dragged out a miserable ex-
istence.
He sank into an armchair, after
"ceetings had been exchanged, and for
q while talk flowed ysmoothly. Grace
was in high spirits and not a little in
clined to tease. She rallied him upon
a new necktie, declaring that she would
never permit any one over whom she
possessed jurisdiction to wear one
like it.
81 wish you would pick out mine"
he urged; then he breathed hard. Here
was a proposal as neat as anything he
ever remembered reading in a novel.
Grace laughed lightly. why, of
course i will, If you want me to-" she
promised. meet me at lunch to-mor-
row and we will go shopping"
Now Mark might have pressed his
advantage and suggested getting prices
on furniture and things as well as
neckties. He might have done so, but
the moment he realized that he had al
ready proposed and that Grace did not
know 1t all hope was lost.
He sank into a brown study. Grace,
all unconscious of her density, strove
to rally him. Next year is leap-year,'
she remarked lightly. He nodded his
head. e.
tits my last chance" he declared.
darkly.
What do you mean?" she asked Gu
riously.
Mark had intended to reply that I'M
less some girl asked him to marry her
that he would have to remain a bach
elor. Then he would suggest that In
IN hour it would be leap-year, and that
she had the first opportunity. Instead
his bashfulness again came to the fore
"If | don't have better luck this
coming year than | have had" he de
clared, not without a suggestion oi
truth, ST might as well give up"
Don't say that" she pleaded. "Yor
are a young man yet, and have every
prospect"
He. shook his head gloomily. "Tht
thing | want most l can't get" he com
planned She was all sympathy.
Maybe" she suggested, "you havl
not gone about it rightly Try some
other way"
She was all sympathy, naturally sup,
posing that this was some trouble will
his business, that he did not like tc
speak OF.
Look here, Mark" she pleaded
"You will never do anything if vol
feel this way about 1t. YOU are young
and clever. There is no reason why
you should not be successful. Now turr
over a new leaf. this Is the proper. time
and try again"
Mark started. See here. Grace" hi
demanded, eff | turn over a new leal