Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1906-05-04
AN UNUSUAL
THING
by VIRGINIA LEILA wENTz


>@~%>@>@%@>@~>@>@~@>@~%~@A
The truth about the whole matter
WAS that while Doris loved Jack she
didn't want to marry him vat Eraa-
dom snelled "funn-travel admirars-
oh. I'm short evervth,np nice and ex-
citinpl She simniv couldn,t hear the
thought Of "settlinr down.
And lack was 40 ardent so hnv,shly
innetuons Tint sbe n,uat nareotl /, lrean
him at arms length ar ali v.s,lh he
over Therefore her promise h, give
hin, 4 STRAIGHT aa4rrar e,.,s,,i = a4ai
some unusual thing" was merely a sub
terfuge 10 gain time. which 81 had em-
ployed at the beginning OF the summer,
And now the summer and the last
rose OF it had rown. IL was October.
And Jack hadn't done anything I'M
usual yet-nothing but be his nice,
dear, wholesome self! The October
days were full Of elixir, and the tread
of beauty was on the hills and the
fields of grass and fodder, ripened by
August suns and tanned by early Sep
TENDER frosts to a mellow autumn
va
With the passing Of summer almost
all the boarders had left the pretty lit
tie Berkshire resort except Doris Dud-
ley and her invalid mother, who were
to remain there some weeks longer. 1t
was Jacks custom, since he had been
obliged to return to town, to run down
on Saturdays and spend Sunday with
than I'd
This particular Sunday morning Dor
is and he were crossing the sloping
meadows, blowing through the tangle
Of withered sedge and brown grass,
when Jack suddenly broke out bitterly,
II don't believe you care for me at
all-or ever havew a.
"Really?" said Doris indifferently.
She rested her white sunshade far back
over her shoulder and looked dreamily
across the meadows to the purple hills
beyond, but there were dimples In her
cheeks and multitude Of little curls
blowing In her eyes.
"Why are you SO provoking, dsar2
You've all but given your promise, and
yet you keep putting me Off and lead
ing me along as If / were a pet animal
with no will of Its own. Well, I'm a.
q foolp' he repeated, fisrcely suppress
ing the expletlve.
Goodness, no, Jackr drawled the
Doris. mot so bad as
thatp'
Jack cooled a bit and renewed his
pleadings.
But do be reasonable, Doris. II you
don't intend to throw me over, tell me
when you'll give me positive answer,
and
when you do some unusual thing,
you know" interjected she sweetIy,
the curls out of her eyes.
Jack, who had been carrying his hat,
slapped IT on his head with an excla-
nation of disgust. He was certainly
vexed and took very long strides.
Hello, Jackp called Doris daintily
after him as he far outdistanced her.
THAT'S not the way I'm going. Pm
going down by the bridge. Want to
comeY It CHANGED that he did.
Now. the path to the bridge was
rather a pretty path, running through
q small wood, which In summer time
was full of shade and woodbine and
foxgloves and ferns. These had van
Ished. but the glory of the wood, the
stream. remained.
SPANNING the stream was the bridge.
II was tiny and not particularly sery-
with glngerbready treIliswork
at the side for the tickling Of unartis-
tic tastes
LETS rest here" suggested Doris. |
sitting down comfortably on the fiImsy |
aide rail of the bridge. With one hand |
she held bunch OF ruffly skirts. and
with her other sbe balanced berseIf on
The handle of her sunshade.
"Isn't the purply haze on those hills
remarked she poetically
II was only some belated cricket. for.
rotten nv .JuIv that chjrned an annreci.
tive renIv IN this noetic observation
A. to lack. he was silent for a few mo.
nents; then with coarse masculine di.
.ectness he went straiebt to the spot.
But what in thunder can a chap like
ne do. Doris that would he .unusualT
Pm dacant enough sort racLon
,ood family wholesome instincts and
IN that with enough money to live on |
md n reasonable amount OF industrv--
,ut as FOR doing ANYTHING unusual
,sbawp, he broke OF irascIbIv.
Doris hummed an air from Little
Iobnnie Jones" ana gathered her skIrt
,rllls a bit closer AnnarentIv ahs
vasn,t giving bis recital tho cloaaat 81 /
entIon.
Jack a,cked a heat,a from tho ra,,,no
md changed his tactica
"Isn't It enough for your purpose. lit
lie girl to be sure that love you" he
Isked
Doris shot a lightning glance at heI
zig lover from under her dark lashes.
"still," she said musingly, II should
Ike you to do some unusual thing"
lack passed one hand over his swarthy
row and took hurried review Of hii
esources
Possibly" observed he oddly al
ength. Il might write book"