The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-11-03
TWO
DISCOVERIES
By C. . T. W ELL

!" M always wondering" remarked
| Elva, ref1ectively. as she handed
me my second cup of tea, when you're
really going to fall in love, and"
Don't be too hasty," interrupted, as
assisted myself to sugar; perhaps I'm
even now consumed with the disquiet-
ing fever"
you're so fat" said Elva, disparag-
ingly.
NONSENSE" protested. Simply
we'll covered. Why, my tailor altered
my measurements only yesterday"
ooh, of course, if you won't be seri-
ous," she sighed, resignedly, and pre-
pared to nibble a judiciously Drowned
muffin; "but really, Monty, you're-let
me see--40-you're Independent, and
'm-"-she regarded me critically with
her head on one side-"passably good
looking; and yet you let pretty, nice,
suitable girls slip through your fingers
by dozens, because you're either too lazy
or too conceited to take sufficient inter-
est in them"
Don't lecture me-" pleaded-Elvai is
prone to lectures; you're so dreadful
ly impulsive, you know AS matter Of
fact l looked in this very afternoon on
purpose to tell you how-how abom-
inably in love I ami"
Something in my tone must have
struck her as unusual. The muffin, like
Mahomet's coffin, remained suspended
while she surveyed me intently, presum-
ably to see if she could detect any latent
humor in my countenance.
did not move muscle.
''If 1 were quite certain that you were
in earnest" she began, hesitatingly, and
thought-though, of course, I had no
business to think-that her voice was a
little unsteady, 81 should say how very
glad am
please try and believe me" pleaded.
She studied my face as if undecided
what to do.
"Is it recent?" she asked at last.
"It happened-yesterday," I con-
fessed. you remember, always prom
Used that you should be the first to
know whenever I really had anything
to tell, and 1 was just going to begin
when you fell upon me-"
"Yesterday?" murmured Elva, in svi-
dent surprise. "Then it must have been
at Lady Toilets garden party"
nodded.
"Was it love at first sight, or had you
seen her before?"
81 had seen her." said, guardedly,
"once or twice"
"Ohi" said Elva, and 1 think she
flushed. Then, of course, it's Mollie
Richards. I saw you talking to her
for ages in the rosary. She's a nice
girl, 1 believe, and I'm really awfully
glad, INDIVIDUALITY" Somehow her
tone didn't carry the conviction it was
doubtless intended to convey; 1 pre-
sumed it was because Miss Richards was
never very particular friend Of hers.
81 suppose" she went on, you'll pro-
pose at once. You're no need to wait
like most poor creatures"
81 intend" I said, firmly, "to offer
myself with as little delay as possible"
''And you really don't mind my taxi
ing the privilege of an OLD friend-a
very old friend-to ask yol all these
questions, do you?"
mot the least in the world" said,
graciously; I expected them"
What do you mean by that?" she in
quired, with suspicion.
Nothing, except that you're cate
chised me about my matrimonial pros
poets ever since you could toddle. Do
you remember, for instance, asking me
at schoolroom tea in your early youth
whether it was my intention to marry
your fraulein or not?"
Elva's face frightened promptly.
"Rather!" she said; land fraule,n
turned all sorts of colors, and told
mother the next day that she would
no longer stay with child so embar-
RAISING really think she had ten
dresse for you, Monty"
"Probably," I agreed. MANY people
have"
Don't be conceited," reprimanded
Elva; ''but tell me all about Mollie
Richards, and exactly what attracted
you. Some people call her pretty, L
rather admire her myself, only"
"Mollie Richards?" I inquired, with
extreme innocence. "Who said any
thing about Mollie Richards?"
"Why, you did, of course, that is to
say-yes-no, suppose you didn't then
why, I did, suppose; but anyhow
what's the good of cavilling about her?
It is Mollie Richards, isn't it,"
81 wouldn't marry Mollie Richards"
I said, decisively, 'if they shot me for
refusing!"
Elva poured herself out some more
tea, and-yes, it was not my imagina-
tion-her hand did shake, and she
looked as if it would have been a re-
lief to her feelings to have launched the
teapot at my head.
monty, you are trying" she ex-
claimed; upon my word you are! You
insist that you've come to tell me, as