The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-28
ELLERY'S DILEMMA:


nv Constance darcy Mackas.
..what have modern inventions done
Tor us. I'd like to know? SAID Jonas
Fert, the village philosopher, lron, nls
.grhev've made life easier" answered
Eilery Brown. 1t was an old alscus-
lion of theirs--a topic they 1eh pacn
x, when all else failed. Jonas dwet
IN the numerous accidents that Were
unknown in leisurely stage coach nass,'
EIiery talked of the wonders OF ma
shinery and ELECTRICITY. .xvna.s snv
hatter off for the shocks kilograms
bring 'em? And as for electric agnls-
! nretty girls face used to look twice
Is well when there were only canoies
( shining. Not that you'd care ABOUT
hat he added slyly, and Eiiery rcu-
aened. Every one knew that ne WIS
he shyest man In all Elmway village,
a. child he became speechless with
nonfusion when any one noticed MINI
be stammered and suffered MS way
through the gawky age, and when ne
,rriyed at young manhood, tthrougn
eonular among his own sex, the signt
pf girls face, particularly charlh-
ing one. would send him into an agony
N seIf-conciousness. so much SO tnae
s1wava he took the opposite side OF
lba road when he saw a feminine ae-
nuaintance approaching. He Stunned
nicnics and sociaIs as If they were
sastilence. He would rather have dieu
Ehan taken a girl rowing or driving;
His neighbors laughed. and Wonuere,91
what would happen should Ellery Ril
4 love Eliery himself never constd-
AIRED the subject, and that may havo
been the reason why love took him un-
hwares. S 49, hr,sh.
sunday in Summer when his attention
mas arrested by the sight Of q stranger
in the Hardy's pew. a slip OF q glrl N
blue muslin, with wlde pictufe mar
Hl From where he sat he could see the
deliberately tinted oval OF her cheek
md the pale gold Of h her way snS t hs.r
syes met. Hers were dark gray tring.,
Ia with heavy lashes: EilerYs heagl
began a ridiculous tattoo. the nahos
hat were holding his book trembied
hnd he coiored to the roots OF his
hair.
"Trs Arabella Hawkins" whispered
home one behind him. Every now ana
shen E1lery ventured a glance In her
Erection. The sun, slanting through
Sne of the small stained glass windows
kouched her with rainbow coiors utter
4. dazzling. 81 wish / could walk home
with her." sighed Eilery; but do ]
HareT
.Tf Won don't some one else will, :
his common sense said, and when the
asst hymn had been sung and the peo-
bie were moving slowly down the aisle
EIIery pressed forward. his courage az
white heat He spoke a word OF greet
ing to Mrs. Hardy, and then was pre-
Sented to Arabella
How It happener he scarcely knew.
hut soon he and his divinity were
Itrolling along toward the Hardys. and
Inc was telling him that she had come
rom Centreville for a two weeks WIS.,
n She was as talkative as she was
hretty. and had a faculty of putting
him at his ease. To Ellery 1t was an
Experience as delightful as II was nov
IL, and he resolved to repeat 1t by can
ing the next evening.
And though, in the days that fol-
lowed his footsteps were not the only
pnes that wendell their way to the
Hardy gate. he managed to monopolize
The greater share of Arabella's time
His shyness was gradually wearing
pway, but there was one question he
longed to ask and could mot
In vain he rehearsed 1T. Alone In ms
room 1t was easy enough to say Ara
bella. will you marry me-" Yet when
he was with her the words seemed to
rIeave to the roof of his mouth. over
md over again he led up to 1t only TO
halt miserably when the crucial mo-
meht came
y. Gould you-could you--' he STAN
nered on one of these occasions
could what. Ellery?" querried
Arabella. (They had gone as far as
christian names)
could you-go driving with me to-
morrow" 1t was not in the least what
be had meant to say, yet as he mopped
his brow it vaguely occurred to him
that perhaps in buggy 1t would be
kasier.
hide. words failed him.
.syVilI you-will you" he began.
..Wiu / what. ElleryT said Arabella,
very sweetly and patiently
: Twill you-have an ice cream soda