Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-08-09
TAKEN AT
HER WORD
bu JOANNA SINGLE


Rosalie She was watching his depar-
tire from the window, and he was an
(rily conscious that she knew he
would, as usual, return in few days,
although she had said she hoped she
would be rid of him for awhile. She
was so young and so beautiful-and so
provokingl
At the entrance to the little park, al
ready growing green in the April sun,
he met her sister. He did not know
Anne very well-he had been too busy
with Rosalie. He wished now that he
had made friends with her; her blue
eyes We're so like and still so unlike
RosaIic's. Anne stepped in front of
him and stopped him unceremoniously.
Been trampled upon again. she OBJ
served John Mason, for so clever a
man generally you're sometimes an
awful - foolr' She submitted this
thoughfully, In q voice too gentle to be
insulting.
"Then you and Rosalie are agreed,
and / suppose you are expert testi-
mony. May l turn and walk with
youf"
She nodded and then asked matter
of fact question. How many times
has she refused your"
Il had not thought to keep count.
Rosalie just now informed me that this
was the last time. 1 didn't know had
been the same sort of a-fool so often.
But don't you think she ought to give
me credit for my persistence7 Not ev-
cry man proposes so many times-to
the same girl"
Anne laughed dryly as he continued:
Il would have given up long ago If
/ were not uneXplalnably sure that she
does-care for me. In fact, she never
has said directly that she does not. Sic
simply says she won't marry me.
What's the matter with me? Am too
rich? 1 can give away the stuff If she
likes. Am l too successful? I might
lose a case 10 please her. should l be
as ugly as Satan? Perhaps she would
like a Beauty and the Beast effect!
What does she want? I've said and
done everything under heaven, and she
walks on me-she trails mer'
Precisely. That's why 1 called you
what / did 4 girl likes to trail n
man, but hates the man that will be
trailed. Not logical, is itf To use her
own words. you are always around
underfoot You give her no time to
want you or miss you or think about
you. She's too sure of you. She
knows just where you'll be. You never
let her want anything hcd enough to
appreciate it when IL comes. she has
always had her own way. She needs to
be bit afraid of you. She needs to be
bulliedr'
He frowned. 81 am not brute. That
is not my way"
mo? Well what has your way ac-
complishedf"
He tried to laugh. "Oh, I'll take your
advice I'll do anything you say. II
can't be worse than it is now"
"Well, l hate the responsibility. If
you get her you'll fight; if you don't,
you'll both be miserable anyhow. You
must get her-and then work out your
own salvation. In the first place, you
must give her shock. Write her
note and accept your dismissal. Tell
her you begin to see that she is right
and that you wish TO be friendly with
her and the family. Then call some
tlmes-on the father or on me. Don't
stay away Absences of that sort are
fattering; you must be quite unaffect-
ed by her presence"
You know that is impossible. You
know how the sight of her.
you've got to do it! And you must
take another girl out occasionally. Be
ing naturally modest, I dislike to sug-
gest that you send Inc flowers some
times and come for a walk with me.
That will bring things home to her. A
girl hates TO have an admirer transfer
himself bodily to any one, but espe-
clally to her sister"
When they had planned their cam
paIgn and he left Anne at the gate
she had him laughing. Rosalie saw
them and shrugged her shoulders.
While removing her hat In the hall
Anne remarked to her sister:
well, dear, John tells me that you
have dismissed him for good. You
know l never would have interfered IL
you had wanted him, but / am glad
you do not Now you may find time
for your music. Your talent Is too
marked TO be neglected. 1t will be
relief for you to have him out OF the
way awhile. You're too young to leave
father and me, and, after all, i think
you're right about his not being the
right man for you"
Rosalie shrugged her shoulders.
The next day Rosalie, without COM
ment. handed Anne this note:
Dear Miss Carleton-I want to thank
you for your frankness Of yesterday. and
I assure YOU that 1 shall not annoy you
again as have in the past. Can you for
give me for having troubled you SO much
and SO long? You are probably right In
deciding that i could not make you hap
py as 1 hoped 10 be able to do. May
hope TO continue my present friendly rela-
tions with you and the rest OF the family?
II / may, l will not again trespass on
your kindness. 1t will be, as you said,
the last time you shall have the pain OF
JOHN MASON.
well, like man to know when
he's had enough" remarked Anne.
Again Rosalie shrugged her shoulders
and made a wry little face.
For q week Rosalie was blithe and
busy with her music. The second week
Anne observed that the gayety was a
Dit forced and that during the third
she moped little. John had somehow
kept the other men of her set away
from her, and flowers and drives and
theaters were less frequent She had
no time 10 miss him.
In the fourth week he called-while
she was out. or course she could not
know that Anne had phoned him TO
come. He was leaving just as Rosalie
entered and shook hands with her cor
daily. He did not look broken heart
ed, and he seemed to be on very good
terms with Anne, to whom next morn
ing he sent some violets. Rosalie saw
him out walking with Mary Dye. Then
he took Anne driving. She began TO
realize that Anne was very pretty II
she was year or two older than John.
Rosalie's Irritation reached its climax
one morning at the breakfast table
when her younger brother Ted remark
ed in teasing drawl:
John seems to be taking his medi-
cine like n man, Rosy! He's all right,
and am glad Anne seems inclined to
keep him in the family. He probably
appreciates being treated like a human
being after the way you always walk
ed on him The fellows say he's the
4 In i