The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1905-10-06


The hush Of the bright July nigh
was broken only by a rich BARTON,
voice singing q Southern love song Il
a banjo accompaniment on one Of thI
nearby households.
From the room below there came
every now and then the EARRING sound
OF mo trumps." May play?" "HaY.
ing noneT'
fhe girl turned to her companion
II really believe that when mama dies
she will turn into a bridge marker"
The man gave a short laugh. Eyes,
it's almost sacrilege to play bridge on
a night like this. In such night
Medea gathered the enchanted
"oh. Bob, don't get poetical; besides,
hate Kipling."
Il can't help being poetical, and
was quoting Shakespeare, not Kipling,"
he remarked.
"Oh, we'll, it does not matter, they
are so much alike. But seriously, Bob,
don't think mama has an idea in life
beyond bridge and getting me married"
slim, suppose not" he answered,
obviously thinking of something else.
ollShOc AO4lONtu anu Tic LuuA UeSdh
to fidget.
The girl turned to him. "Bob, dear,
please spare me the trouble Of saying
will be a sister to you"
"Why, what do you mean?" he asked.
well, you see | know the symptoms,
When you are going to propose you
take your handkerchief out of your
pocket, put it back with the utmost
care, then find your cigarette case and
suddenly remember that you can not
decently ask permission to smoke while
proposing"
''Oh come, Madge, you're bit hard
on fellow"
'Do you know" she continued, ''that
If had not stopped you this would
have been the seventeenth time that
you have proposed to met"
"Why won't you marry me~
"Really, don't see why / should"
"But surely I'm as good as most
other fellows"
"Thats just 1t. You are exactly like
other fellows There is nothing to dis
tinguish any Of you except your waist
coats"
THAT'S rather cruel" he observed
DecuuSe IL = True sue Salu.
"But what on earth do you want me
to do?" he asked. "You say l ought |
to be different. Well, If it will please
you will put on frock coat and silk
hat tomorrow and punt you down to
Henley In canoe"
''Don't be flippant," the girl re-
marked, half laughing, half annoyed.
Look here" he said, what do you
really want me to do? l have dabbled
In most things and"--
''Dabbled! That's it." she cried.
"You read for the bar; you stand for
Parliament; the war breaks out and
you electrify every one by enllsting
and going to the front-for six months.
You write half -you-you-oh
You just dabble, Bob. There's nothing
determined or permanent about you"
Then, laughingly she continued, "No,
really don't see why / should marry
you, and, as mama says, Lord Daven-
try is much better match
"Whatw he exclaimed. "You don't
seriously mean to tell me that you are
going to marry that young ass, Daven- ]
try?
Il fail to see why shouldn't" she I
conceallng her amusement.
You are much alike" there she nearly !
laughed outright "and he has the adj
vantage Of being viscount and a (
future earl, while you are merely Mr.. !
Robert Langley"
Yes; but you can not be in earnest
about marrying him. You shall not
marry him. say you shan't," he ex-
claimed and getting up, began to pace
the deck.
''Be careful, Bob" she answered.
''You are going just the right way to
work to make me want to marry him."
Look here" he said, coming back
and standing i'm front Of her, lat the
risk of becoming tedious / have to re-
peat, Miss Heathmere, that you shall
never marry Daventry."
Looking up at him the girl suddenly
realized that she loved him. 1t had
needed just this touch of masterfulness
on his part to bring the long-suspected
fact clearly before her.
Lord Daventry has invited mama
and me to tea at Ranelagh on Tuesday
next. He is going to drive us down In
bis new car"
''well, OF course you will not 60
now" he remarked.
"Why not pray?" she asked
Because don't want you to.
Madge; really / don't" ~
"Just now when mama nobly an
nounced her intention of sacrificing a !
whole afternoons bridge to my inter-
ests said / would not 60, but now
since you forbid 1t, Master Bob, most
decidedly shall"
"please, Madge-as the first favor |
that have ever Asked beg of you
not to 60. Let me drive you and your /,
mother down."
"Don't be absurd. or course I shall
90 with Lord Daventry," she answered.
every well, then shall stop il"
'How, pray?"
'That will be as Imay think fit. But !
be certain OF one thing, Miss Heath /,
mere, that you shall drive down to
Ranelagh with me and not with Da-
ventry, and you shall take tea 18th
me and not with Daventry."
On the following day the weekend 9
house party broke up, and Bob Lang
ley Travelled back to town with mother
md daughter, much to the formers an
noyance.
Afrr ryoc4h,,oar. vof II. one rorner. |