The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-28
: OUR DAILY SHORT STORY

at the drug store on the way back?"
Certainly, answered Arabella,
shade of disappointment in her voice.
She iikedethe broad shouldered hon
est-eyed young fellow more than she
admitted to any one save herself,
though she never had had so bashfui
a sutton f sss
And vet she knew Ellery was no cow
ard. His townsfolk had told her Of
the courageous things he had done:
how he had stopped runaway horse
at the risk Of his own life: and how,
one bitter winter day, he had craw1ed
to the edge of an Ice hole In the river
to rescue the eldest Hardy child who
chung there half frozen.
As for E1lery. he felt that time was
passing and he was no nearer the goal.
Its terrible" he mourned. ito think
I've gone this far and can't go fur
therr' Matters were getting desper-
ate.
Better hurry up, Eilery," his friends
urged him. there's a fellow in her own
town wants her just as much as you
| dor
Advice came thick and fast.
why don't you write it?" drawled
one waggish acquaintance. land then
she'll be sure to get It,"
Modern invention has done a good
ITS given us telegraphs and motor
| boats and automobiles, but there's one
| thing II hasn't done. 1t hasn't made
| it any easier to pop the question. That's
| just as hard today as 1t was a, hun
dred years ago..
Ellety groaned. Then his face bright
ened. Modern Inventions" he NUT.
tered to himself. Modern inventions.
BY Jimmy, I've solved the problem:
I'll win her vet
A few days later small crate ar
rived for him, Looks as IL 1t might
| be a typewriter said the station
agent, but as Ellery was not given to
literary pursuits this guess seemed
rather improbable.
| Late that night Eliery tiptoe1
through the Hardy's orchard, holding
tight to mysterious funnel-shaped
contrivapce. onsswhieh be had banked
| all his hopes. < The sleeping Arabella
| was awakened by s~oice beneath he
wlpdoY, Slipping on 4 kimona she
IIeaned out to listen. 4at
eEllery." She whispered, us that
your 49, ~
From the shadows beneath came his
answering tones. swift and unwaver-
| ing.
| "Arabella. I love you--I love you
more than any one in the world. I'm
not worthy of you. / know, but I'll do
everything / can to make you happy.
Will you marry me, ArabellaT'
| YES, Ellery," said Arabella, prompt
| ly. "But what's the matter with your
| voice? Mercyr she calculated, as
there came sudden whir and click,
| you aren't choking, are your"
| IF am, it's with happiness" said
her rapturous sutton. coming quickly
into view.
| That sounds more natural" said
Arabella- There was a whispered col
4 loquy, and later, in happy daze. his
tphonograph Rugged securely under his
arm She'll never know it was done
by machine he murmured, "and since
she loves me, it's all right anyhow
| though / suppose that when 1 gel
home I'd better destroy the record or
Irwin give me clean away"
At the edge of the road familiar
figure doomed in the darkness. THAT
you, Ellery?" said Jones Fert. Its
too black to see a foot in front of me
And they pretend to light this place by
electricity! / tell you modern inven-
tons
Modern Inventions" said the happy
Ellery ARE the greatest things in the
world"
I((onvrinht 1906 nv Mary Cunninghaml