Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-04-28
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
SRe Sady ofthe Rock
AAA@AA&4A NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.


9 " Q few days there with a
4 ~ friend. The reports of the
Fo~ quaint old town by the sea
fascinated him.
His friend Alden had gone to Deep
haven early in the summer, and had
written as laudatory letters as possible.
Then he began to speak of another
charm Deephaven afforded. 81 can't
help plying her little, though it's
absurd to say that about Mrs. Worth
ington. But she's so young, and has
such bright, unaffected vivacity, and
her eyes are very round, and her eye
brows so arched, and on her temnles
there is the dimmest little touch of
wandering blue vein, such as shows
sometimes through babys skin. You
can analyze, Curtis, and 1 can only
sympathiZe. She has been married
once, and lost her husband That was
over two years ago."
Each subsequent letter had some al
fusion to Mrs. Worthington. Then
there was no letter at all for q week.
Then short letter without any allu.
sion to her. But Alden urged, almost
plaintively, that Curtis would come to
Deephaven for a while.
The day Curtis arrived the two men
got BOAT and drifted around in the
little bay. They passed small prom
ontory jutting picturesquely out into
the ripping water. Alden looked glow
ering at the top of it.
You see that miserable little capeT"
he asked, indicating by his glance the
charming promontory. Ten days ago
Mrs. Worthington refused me up
there"
What shocking taste" murmured
Curtis consolingly. Not in scenery,
hut in husbandry."
My dear fellow" went on Alden i'm
pressively, "listen; the arterneon
made such fool of myself began to
skirmish about for an opportunity to
avOw my sentiments. She detected the
symptoms, and led me to the top of
that cape There is very comfortable
rock there for sitting on, and Just be.
low it small grassy shelf where
man can stretch himself out. Mrs.
Worthington perched herself costly on
the rock and looked at the sea. i
sprawled out on the grassy ledge and
looked at her. Well when l had made
the plunge she was so sorry IL her
manner had led me to suppose that l
had engaged her affection. L think
she said in real childlike burst of
innocence, that the air of this place
must have something to do with it.
You are the seventh man who has pro-
posed to me this summer on this spot!
Isn't it oddY"
II think it's a nice humorous spec
tacle," said Curtis. THE little widow
leading her victim to this rock when
she scents a proposal and giving him
his coup de grace there. But, Tom,
what a connoisseur she must be by this
time in masculine love avowals~
"She said did it very nicely one of
the best, in fact. But she may have
told each of the others something
equally flattering. The better l did it
the more humiliating the throw
down"
buL WHAT COnSOlaIlOn, though, Ill
knowing there are six others in ex-
actly the same boatp exclaimed Curtis,
cOmfortingly. Cad! am keen to see
this belle dame sans merc."
1--WE no doubt she would be delighted
to add you to her list as the eighth"
retorted Alden. This strikes me as
very pretty record in scalps for one
summer in quiet place like Deep
haven.
well, you are forearmed. When you
find her steering you toward that rock,
either change your course or your con-
versatiOn. 1t is evidently dangerous
for lovers. What triumph it would
be for her to wing such a coy old boy
as you, Curtis. BY Jove," he added,
kindling with a new idea, "why don't
you couch a lance for your devastated
sex? Go in, make the widow love you,
and then be so rorry that you could
have done anything to have aroused
such hopes Be the 'Avenger Of the
sevenp"