Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-07-28

4 AhNN - -T 49,
soiled l., for somehow or other hadn't
danced much. You looked ~dreadfuliy
glum as you picked 1t up. think II
must have been my carelessnesS In let-
ting IL drop In the dirt. am extrava-
giant, I fear; and as you told me last
night that you were Q poor man, ! am
afraid ! must have shocked your sensi-
bilitiesi
why on earth did you say any
thing about money? What had 1t to
do with the question: / know I have
heaps Of It.; and It's not q bad thing
either, as It sometimes helps a man to
marry the girl he loves. Remember
tdear Jack]-I needn't mention the
brackets -again-when you ask another
girl to marry you. II she happens to
have money (which l hope she will
for your sakel don't refer to It, II she
cares a bit for you, as you deserve,
she'll be only ashamed to feel that SHE
has so little to give you.
1--WE heaps of other reasons for say
ing No. but under any circumstances
l could never marry a mar who didn't
take his answer from his ~lady-love's
own lips. The girl who consents to
such q thing deserves to be married in
her bonnet and In shoes two sizes too
big for her.
Nov, I'll give You a piece Of good
advice before l stop. When you pro-
pose to the other girl don't mention, as
l have said, her money, If she has any;
don't FAY you r unworthy Of her
THAT won't be trueJ and not fit to tie
her shoelace, though l recollect you
once tied mine very nicely in spite Of
your fingers trembling. Don't, above
all, say that you are not anxious to
hurry her. but would like her TO con-
slider the matter well. I can't imagine
q lover of mine saying that. when, per-
haps, my heart wal like the warning
Of a clock upon the point of midday
striking, and breaking into a perpetual
high noon chime of love and Joy. After
that, 1t could only go on 'gurr-gurr-
r%rrrrr,' straining its poor works and
chords, and allowing the true sun time
Of life to leave it behind. 1t could never
speak clear and true to one who want
ed to set 1t back.
Nov, to finish my good and Impair
tial advice: when you are addressing
the other GIRL you should lay your
hands gently upon her shoulders, and
look closely into her eyes II believe
you have learned this Already. 1t Is
cruel to retreat at this moment, espe-
cially If, as / have said, the heart
is on the point of striking. At
the same time 1t is most difficult to go
back, for, like particles Of matter, the
forces of attraction grow incredibly
at infinitesimal distances II
have found 1t sol. Then, having got
SO far, you should say: Claude Tor
whatever the name of the other girl
may bel, / love you. Will you be my
You'll possibly hear then q sound 4
like the warning Of the clock, a sort 7
Of sob Of all the strings of its heart.
You should have lost all hesitation by
his time, and you should take the face
If, say, the clock, quite close, and kiss
t gently first on the figure XII That's
he browl, then most warmly on fig
Tres TX and III these are the cheeks1,
md then rapturously on figure vi, just
where the comic artists put the mouth
vhen they make the clock-face human.
You shouldn't neglect the hands, which
re often fascinatingly pretty and de-
to kiss-at least, so they say
n clock-hand! l hope your little
lock, when you try all this, will give
he true cuckoo cry, which is the at
ong of the ever new season when the
Dung maids fancy turns-but not
Ightly-to thoughts Of love.
II sha'n't trust this letter to the
ands of the penny postman, but shall
end 1t by my little groom. Isn't 1t
lnny that we used to call him Cupid
ecause of his rosy face and bow legs?
low he shall speed, not indeed with
Is shafts, but behind them, in my own
II inclose the glove, in case you may
ave liked to have something to re-
ind you Of an old friend, who is very
,rry to have to send you such a de-
sive No.
81 shall be in the conservatory at
me tonight, and II you care to go
rough q rehearsal Of the scene with
he other GIRL l shall put on my pref
est frock-the pale green n that
~ like-and do my best to make you Z
II think you are that already.
But don't forget that you must ale
Ays be kind to your little clock; firm,
o, 90 as not to let the works run
'wn for want Of judicious winding.
lere is only one universal key. and
u have It. [Ever yoursl,
Claude"
Black and White.