Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1905-08-17
:absentiy, my mind coming my reques,

:absentiy, my mind coming my reques,
before Delphine's father
S do you think I'd have the face to
ask her TO burden her splendid young
life with n,e?" lie demanded fiercely
''Shc seems to favor YOU" l ven.
tured, feeling that had to say some
thing
THE sweet, tender pity of her wcui6
give more attention to the wounded
dog than the Wei bodied one" he an
-swered, with infinite pathos. II did
know a man once whose body was rs
bad as mine. and he was married to
saint and the father of lovely children.
l couldn't dream of burdening Del
phine, though even IT,
My pity for poor Jerry was forgotten
at Delplline's welcome Surely there
was an answer TO my warm pressure
of her little hand; surely her dark eyes
held in their roguish depths Il CLEAN
of love. sat beside her at the table,
too, with Hathaway at her left. re-
member what he had said-''It will be
Dick or me-" Hathaway looked too
CVilllbttttlt III NY Nblulpi
Delphine's father took the converse.
ton pretty much into his own hands.
As we ate our soup he talked of a
Dyak or Borneo's betrothal customs;
then he went from one foreign people
to another, jerry meanwhile helping
him out with gay suggestion or "A
witty remark The rest of us had lit
tie chance for speech. We didn't crave
it. We would rather look at Delphine,
gray gowned, with a crimson rose at
her throat and chaplet of autumn
leaves iii her hair.
As the coffee was served her clear
voice took up the conversation.
You left out the prettiest of them
all, papa she said, smiling at him
1.-The custom of the Yao Midas, Bur
mese-Tartai people. They WOO only
by music The suitor sits under q de-
sire tree and plays his favorite instru-
ment. As the girl of his choice APP
proachcs he plays louder and with
more feeling If she pass by he real
ICES that she will have none Of him,
but should she stop and lay flower
upon whatever instrument he is play
ing he knows that he has won her."
Hum gruntcd her father as we
rose from the table Dephine and her
guests went to the ycran6a, while the
man in whose hands lay our fate went
to his library.
Presently hathaway, with very red
face, slipped in. He came out with a
swagger that made me want to punch
his blond head. Next was jenkins,
who came out looking scared.
Il don't see how she can accept more
than one Of u.s. thought.
When my turn came-the twelfth
found Delphine's father looking ex-
ceedlngly bored.
Permit me TO say that | think you
fellows are a pack Of FOOLS" he re-
marked pleasantly. However. l am
instructed to say that you may have
her, and bless YOU. my Children
Dizzy with joy. l was staggering
from the room when he observed dryly:
Each Of you has the same answer,
so you're welcome to what encourage
ment you can get"
A hard slap, sure enough. What
next?
After joined the others Jerry, out
under the great oaks, began to sing"
"See the Yno under his desire tree"
remarked Jenkins nervously.
The song was love song of renun-
citation with weird words and wild
melody. We lovers, how that cripple
sang, \ the marvellous voice died
away Delphine, sobbing, ran down the
steps Snatching the crimson rose
from her throat she knelt before
Jerry and held 1t to his lips. We heard
the boys exclamation; then Delphine
cried out something and put her own
sweet mouth in the place of the rose.
1t was Hathaway who broke the
spell.
We've lost, fellows" he muttered
husilily Jerry was in the running
III