New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1905-06-28

absently, my mind coming my reques
before Delphine's father.
DO you think I'd have the face te
ask her 10 burden her splendid young
life with me?' he demanded fiercely.
'.She seems to favor you,'' ven
tured, feeling that 1 had to say some
thing
.'The sweet, tender pity of her would
give more attention to the wounded
dog than the well bodied one,'' he an.
sWered, with infinite pathos. Il did
know a man once whose body was as
bad as mine, and he was married to
saint and the father of lovely children.
I couldn't dream of burdening Del.
phine, though, even if
My pity for poor Jerry was forgotten
at Delphine's welcome. Surely there
was an answer to my warm pressure
of her little hand; surely her dark eyes
held in their roguish depths a CLEAN
of love. l sat beside her at the table,
too, with Hathaway at her left. l re-
member what he had said-''It will be
Dick or me-" Hathaway looked too
cOmplacent for my comfort, though
Delphine's father took the conversa-
ton pretty much into ESs 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 a gay suggestion or a
witty remark. The rest Of us had lit
tie chance foY sSeech We didn't crave
it. We would AAther look at Delphine,
gray goWned, with a crimson rose at
her throat and chaplet of autumn
leaves in 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
'the custom Of the Yao Midas, Bur
mese-Tartar people. They WOO only
by music The sutton sits under de-
sire tree and plays his favorite instru-
ment AS the girl of his choice ap-
proaches he plays louder and with
more feeling. If she pass by he real
ICES that she will have none of him,
| upon whatever instrument he is play
| ing he knows that he has won her"
| Hum" grunted her father as we
| rose from the table. Delphine and her
| guests went to the veranda, while the
| man in whose hands lay our fate went
| to bis 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.
81 don't see how she can accept more
than one of u.s. l thought.
| When my turn came-the twelfth-I
found Delphine's father looking ex-
ceedingly bored.
Permit me to say that l 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,
50 you're welcome to what encourage
ment you can get"
A hard slap, sure enough. What
| next?
After l joined the others Jerry, out
under the great oaks, began to sing
i "See the Yao under his desire tree
remarked Jenkins nervously.
The song was Il love song of renun
citation with weird words and wild
melody. Ye lovers, how that cripple
sang. AS the marvellous voice died
away Delphine, sobbing, ran down the
steps. Snatching the crimson rose
from her throat, she knelt before
Jerry and held it to his lips. We heard
the boys exclamation; then Delphine
cried out something and put her OWL
sweet mouth in the place of the rose.
It was Hathaway who broke the
spell
"We've lost, fellows" he muttereG
husIily. Jerry was in. the running
after all.