The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-08-17
II MAKING SURE. 0z


Aduy NleibAt tA4DdIIdSStu lOI Inc mo
ment. Perhaps a little bird whis
pered 1t to me, as children say"
''But they don't have little birds
on ships at sea-" responded the
young woman with a pensive air.
on don't they! Why, every
woman aboard yourself excepted, Of
COURSES a littletbird Of gossip II
you could only evoke the confidence
of Lady Louisa or Mrs. Martin
though / don't mean to imply that
either dear lady constituted the little
bird ia this case; that might be a
breach Of faith ON my part she
would tell you things about yourself
which, would literally amaze you.
Habitual globe trotters of the gentler
sex and distinctly uncertain age are
the most vicious gossips between
heaven and the axis Of the earth.
you are cynical" she remarked,
leaning her pretty chin in the palm
of her hand and gazing at the vast
waste Of waters stretching away
from the side of the vessel.
Women always think a man is
cynical if he happens to have dag
nosed correctly nyoutstanding char
acteristic of her sex" he answered,
aeprecadngly. Say I was indiscreet
snd III admit it, for ! have given
you the opportunity to evade my
question"
(Which was--?" she inquired,
with an exaggerated air Of WEAKNESS.
(Which was that you are going out
to marry a fellow you engaged your
self to so many years ago that you've
forgotten what he's like. /"
CHATS not a question; that's an
assertion. And I'd ask you to reflect
before you apply reference to
many years in relation to myself
How many feet in the grave would
you estimate / have?'
"Still overwhelming, he muttered
sadly. "But seriously he added, q
should like to know if that is really
the reason YOU are going out alone?'
Eyes, She murmured, The corners
OF her mouth dropping for moment.
"And yeu have not seen him for
many for some little time? I had
hoped that-tb that is to say, Il
we'll"
She waited for him to clear away
antiquities. There was a singularly
attractive droop to her eyelids, and
slight suggestion OF determination in
the pressure of her lips.
i. You had hoped?" she said tenta-
lively.
81 checked my words" he replied
quickly. please recollect that ]
checked my words! And it must be
obvious to you that | did so because
they would have been ineXcusable in
the circumstances"
"How tantalizing you are, to be
sure!" she exclaimed. After half
an hours talking and pausing-
chiefly pausing-you arrive at the
point Of saying something compli-
mentary and then, by way Of
change from pausing, l suppose, you
check yourself. Could you reach my
book, do you tbink?'
He shot a quick side glance at her,
and his eyes cleaned angrily as he
leaned forward and picked up the
volume.
MAY I, then, tell you that hoped
the rumor was not true?"
"Did you?" she inquired, a gentle
smile ripping her pretty cheeks,
'But it is, !" she added softly, with
modest sigh.
Perhaps the prospect is not alto
gether inviting to you?" he hazard
ed, with insinuation.
Then why put yourself in such a
lottery?" he asked, after stided
gasp for breath.
ooh" she responded, in far
away tone, a promise is a promise.
isn't it? And he is awfully fond Of
me, or Of his recollection Of me as he
knew me
"And," he said, after biting his
mustache yiciously, you are pre-
pared to fulfill your promise even at
She risk of spelling your whole life,
and rendering his unutterably
Wretched with the knowledge that
you have done 500"
Yes, she responded, with a little
sigh of resignation, Il suppose !
shall run the risk, hoping for the
best, as everybody does hope You
see, when a woman has waited SO
long as l have she-well, she be
comes shop soiled, so to speak; the
gloss goes off her, and she gets
faded in parts. / am not as young
as was five or even three years ago
and there is not much demand fol
unreasonable goods
The man opened his mouth to