Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-07-23
ADECIDED
-"NO"-
BY
FREDERICK GORDON

wv pected to say Eyes" or Nor
SO thought Claude, as she sat one
morning at her writing-table, with her
chair tilted back and "A frown of yexa-
lion on her pretty face. 1t was too
bad. For Jack had asked her the
night before to marry him. and had
made her promise TO send an answer
the next day. Why had he not insist
cd on a reply at the time? Then II
would have been settled by now, one
way or the other.
"Of course, | should have refused
him." she said to herself. but II
would have been so much easier to say
than to write" All the same. she
could not help remembering how nice
Jack had been on the occasion, and
she felt that she might almost have
been tempted TO say Yes when he
put his hands gently on her shoulders,
and looking closely into her eyes, had
asked the question. II he had only
drawn her to him and had dared to
kiss her-well, she did not know what
she might not have said. Perhaps II
was Just as well he didn't! She was
still free!
BIT this horrid letter had to be
written. OF course. 1t must be MOI
At the same time, how was she to put
It? Must she write a formal letter and
give her reasons? That would be to
say the least, unpleasant, and besides
she would not like to hurt him. and
then she was not quite clear about the
reasons. Perhaps a postcard with the
single word mo" on 1t would be best!
But servants are given TO read post
cards, and she would have to sign her
name, or at least put her initials. That
would not do; it must be a letter.
So Claude began:
"[My Dear Jackl,-I'm sure this Is
the last letter ! shall evor write to you,
because I'm going to say Mo- see
that I've begun it all wrong, but this
is my last sheet CT paper. So, please,
don't read the words in brackets
should have commenced Dear Captain
Vane.'
II suppose that, just like a man, YOU
want reasons for my answer. You
used 10 say that women never had any
reasons for what they did, only ex-
cuses. You added that this was one
of their chief attractions. Now, | must
be most unattractive, for I've heaps OF
reasons, and an excuse First
of all, ! didn't like you lat first at
leastl-you mustn't read the words in
brackets. That was when you used to
show me no particular attention, and
everyone else was rushing to fetch and
carry for me. didn't like that, but I'm
not sure that I actually hated you for
it., | dare say my pride Tor conceitl
was hurt. Recollect the words In
brackets are invisible! .tftE
Then somehow or other | got to
feel that ! should like to do something
for you. Wasn't it ridiculous? But
you would never accept any favors.
Even one night at a ball. when you
asked me for a dance and gave you my
programme (which purposely felt
blank1-'ware the brackets-you only
wrote down your name for a miserable
square. Girls don't like that, and I've
not forgotten 1t, The same night you
took me TO the carriage. though cant
imagine why you did it. ! had re-
fused a lot of dances and had sat out
several, a thing which all pretty girls
enjoy. But suppose I can't be pretty,
as | didn't enjoy 1t a bit. | had seen
that you, too, had not been dancing RI
wasn't the least angry, only a little
sorryl. But you kert looking Fat mel
so unhappiiy, that | felt inclined to