Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-01-13
LUCKY
THIRTEENTH
BY INA WRIGHT HANSON
Copyright. 1905. bv Mcclure. p.aitps & Co.


and Dorothy's eyes the fairest blue Of
all. The sand was white, the breeze
caressing and Dorothy seemed unusu.
ally susceptible. | Judged II TO be an
suspicious time TO declare my feelings.
80 began:
Dorothy dear. | have wealth through
no fault OF my own. social status ditto
and II moderately good disposition. !
love you. VIII you mar
To my surprise. Mistress Dorothy
sprang to her knees. crying. Don't,
don't. and clapped her small hand
over my mouth.
Very well, then, won't" | said to
the circumstances.
"oh, but | want you to- was the
next astounding development, while
she dropped down on the sand again.
bowed her head and wcpt.
thought | was used TO Dorothy's
moods, but realized then that my
knowledge concerning them was small.
As | didn't know what else to do.
just sat still. Finally she raised her
head from the sanctuary of her hands
and looked at me reproachfully.
"Oh. George. I've been waiting q
whole year to hear you say II, and now
why couldn't you have said 1t differ
entlyf"
sat up u little straighter. How
should you wish me TO approach the
subject" inquired coldly.
..of course you don't understand,
poor boy" she sighed. poking back be
hind her pink ear II little damp brown
curl. Il have chum at home. and
we were always thinking of something
that no one else would. One day she
said, Let's make vows So we each
took "a piece of paper and wrote on II
vow which we were bound to keep
IL we We're were-hung for 1t. Nelfs
vow was"
Never mind Nelfs VOW" l said
''What was yoursT
II vowed | wouldn't marry man
who didn't propose to me In way no
other man ever did"
Ever proposed to you?" asked jeal-
ously.
NO. no! Ever proposed to anybody.
l vowed. so have to keep it. oh.
George, I've just lived to have you say
II iii some strange wayr'
There's no law against u fellows
proposing twice. is thereY' asked.
She looked up eagerly. "Oh. you
haven't said It yet. you know. stop
ped you. DO you suppose you could
think of some original way?"
"Well. I'll try mighty hard. But what
a fool thing for you to do anyway
~ know it," she acknowledged. with
unusual meekness.
As our afternoons at Santa Monica
were devoted to the surf. we met again
fl front Of the bath house and hand In
hand walked toward the seething
breakers. She looked more charming
than ever In her black suit. banded
with scarlet. and a scarlet handker-
chief knotted about her small head.
Heavens Dorothy. how love your
I exclaimed as we emerged from our
plunge through the first swell.
And love you. too. dear" she muir.
INJURED. coloring little. You will find
some way. won't your"
Yes. II | have TO pick you up some
day and run Off with you"
''That wouldn't do Some Of the saw.
ages behave that way 1t isn't the do
ing anyway; it's the asking"
Dorothy Allen. see that swell COM
ing? When it gets here I'll hold you
under II till there isn't a breath left In
your body II you don't say you'll marry
me-
ut isn't original" she persisted. 1.-THE
man Nell's engaged to said almost
that"
"Darn the man, and Nell. too!' said
yiciously under my breath. | didn't
try any more that day. but she allowed
me one kiss as we sat on the raft. and
that was something
II would be wearisome task to re
late all the ways In which tried to
propose to Dorothy that summer. lay
awake nights trying TO think OF some
wild and woolly way to ask her 10 mar
~ me. only to face bitter defeat by be.
ing told that some other John had said
the same 10 his Joan. Dorothy's knowl-
edge on the subject seemed prodigious
II would have looked suspicious to me
had she not really felt as bad as
did over my inability to be original.
The summer was almost gone. A
certain Thursday was TO mark Doro-
thy's departure for her New York home
On the Tuesday before we, with a gay
party. were TO visit Mount Lowe.
Dorothy's pretty lips read the de
scriptlon from the guldebook as we
left Los Angeles and were borne swift
~ through suburban places toward the
fog wreathed mountains. The rest OF
the crowd was considerably oblivious
OF US two. so made bold to interrupt
Dorothy. this has got to end. am
losing my appetite. and can't sleep
nights. I have tried twelve times. II
i can't find way TO suit you on this
trip ! am or for Africa or Shanghai
next week. You needn't look incred-
ulous. am In dead earnest"
Seems as though you might think Of
- a.