Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-04-05

III HShl, anu you We never let Inc KISS y0(
It's Yes isn't it. dear? leanin
| very close.
| why, Berthe Temple, l should sa,
| not! OF all the mean, deceiving nd
| vantage taking tricks She pause,
breathless, her voice quivering wrath
fully.
But BERTHE chung desperately to he
, hands. "Dollie, don't spoil 1t air. fl
beseeching whisper. "We'll never
hear the last of it."
She sank back weakly.
"Oh! Lifts so very new, vol
know. I'm not accustomed to it vet
1ou-you are not angry with me
d-dear?"
Angry with you? Never as long as
r.
"Of course l didn't mean that. But
anyway you mustn't surprise me so
violently. 1t might make me l-l-like
you less. No, guess 70 better not let
you tonight, just for punishment. No
l-well! II you're going to feel so heart
broken, just one very tiny one right
here,' indicating the tip of rosy ear.
The elaborate performance was hard
~ concluded when a small, agitated
voice came very close to Mr.. Temples
own auditory member.
| "Bertie! I'm positive 1 smell fresh
cigar smoke! Do you suppose any one
is listening round the corner? l shall
simply die
The answer came from an unexpect-
ed quarter. Out of the dusk of the low
music room window stepped the youth
1ul, immaculate figure of Miss Doro-
thy's brother Bob.
Hello, you twov he greeted geniaIly
but with carefully modulated voice. "I
didn't mean to listen more than min
ute, but 1t was too good a chance to
learn how. l knew you'd not mind so
much, being all in the family. But. Sc
rlously, old man, I'm no end glad,
rather have you for brother than any
Fellow l know-though had a susnj-
clon that Dot made practice of refus-
ing you about once week. And here's
my most brotherly kiss for the maiden
NOT on the ear. eitherw And Bob
peamed gleefully on one and then the
other' man who had risen to accent
MS 1elicitations with quiet dignity and
girl who stood with both hands press
ed to palpitating breast.
This will just about sign vour re-
tease on the Simpkins' question. won't
IT, Bertie?' continued the garrulous
BOD. by the bye, that cheerful skele-
ton came tfptoeing into the music room
just Defore you two obscured nv OUT
look and left with obvious reluctance
on discovering me. I suppose it's regis.
tered to my discredit, but I hadn't tho
moral courage to resign the window
seat in her favor"
Dorothy's hands suddenly covered her
race but not in time to auench q LITTLE
gasping sound that was not more than
half laughter.
bertie took one step to her side and
threw a protecting arm across the bent
shoulders. Under that shelter n fut.
tering little heart was proclaimipo.
she dld come. 1t was the truth and u
not joke to make me wretched,
could never have married a man who
would lie to mew
dot must be weeping to think how
'ut up old lady Simpkins will be-" ven
ured BOD, land nervous, suppose. at
icing interrupted so suddenly. Never
Ind, little girl. I'll go right away and
ever tell soul. Only she might
n'" brother her new ring-or Is II all
very new that the ring hasn't ar.
ived YETI" ar
be,o new that the ring was shout To
plie1pduced when you appeared" re-
ing Dolfue In a very, deep voice. tax.
tnlng very 9ft hand and slipping some
"Oh!' she Grizzly on to her finger
llght; then she sat 9TH a quaver of de-
eanlng forward to let very abruptly.
'parkle on the beautiful stofpoonlight
for once in his life Bob shove
lclent discretion to steal noiselesS-
lway. I 'e'eSS.
ene sat very still, absently turning
ne circiet this way and that, watching
lie nash of changing colors; then. with
shaky little sigh, she slipped II off
hu heid 1t toward him. .Its very
''eiy, BERTHE. l guess the. girl Won
ought 1t for won't mind my having n
Tor few minutes. Aren't Won 90.
u 10 tell me who she is. Rertiap
eve been pretty good friends. Won
now" 'ou
straight and tall he stood before ber
ies' Dollie, I am going to tell Won
no she Is" he answered slowly. then
opped on one knee and slipped the
ng back On the finger from which
e mad removed it. "She is Won Won
u he whispered, "and no one a,Sa
the wide world. May it stay there
? Dollie?"
BERTHE" and her eyes grew luminous
On wonder, do you mean that Won
u care after l have refused you.ob
lont like to think how many times?
! never knew how nice you couId
You never gave me the chance" no
'wered happily, 80 1 had to trv
ategy."
Not In His Line.
ne sexton OF certain parish church
iid brook no interference with what
Hon