Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-03-29
A SLIGHT MISTAKE

tends to propose to you tonight"
"But, mother, he is so much older
than 1 am"
WELL, child, If your heart does not
draw you to him, l will not press you,
u l think he Is q man any woman
might feel proud of, and in my marry
ing days r.
Why do you talk of your marrying
days as though they were over, moth
er? Do you never think Of marrying
again?"
my darling, you forget my age"
Whatever else she may have been
contemplating saying was cut off by
the announcement Of "Mr. James Hair
wood" a gentleman who in a short
time followed his name and greeted
the two ladies rather nervously as he
entered.
He sat down and for a little while
Sried to maintain his share in a general
conversation, but he seemed uncom-
Portable and talked in a somewhat pre-
NNNNpASo LII 10 LuOUSA SOulCIHlIe
were weighing Oh his mind.
At last Mrs. Singleton, thinking it
polite to leave the two together, made
some excuse to go out and rose from
her seat. She had reached the door
when James Harwood, with an evident
effort, leaned forward in his chair and
said quickly, "Please don't go, Mrs.
Singleton" She stopped on the point
of leaving the room and came back.
She believed that he desired her con-
sent first and thoroughly approved Of
the straightforward course. Looking
at Elsie, she said gently:
81 wish, darling, you would answer
those cards for me that are in the
drawing room. 1 feel a little fatigued
after my drive"
Without requiring a second bidding
the girl departed lightly on her errand,
leaving her mother alone with their
visitor.
Mrs. Singleton was sitting on a low
sofa, and James HARDWOOD left his chair
and went to sit beside her, his nerv-
BUSINESS becoming more marked as he
did so. He looked straight in front of
him as he said:
"Mrs. Singleton, 1 wished-rather-to
speak to you upon q subject. l trust
you will bear with me a moment
while r.
The lady noticed his agitation and
was sorry for him. She tried to help
him out.
II think I know to what you are al
luding. 1 have been expecting this,
James-you will let me call you James?
for some time. Please go on"
1T is kind of you to say that. 1t
makes what 1 have to say much cas-
Ter" He clasped one Of his knees
with both hands and for the first time
looked straight into his companions
face. II have recently had thoughts,
my dear Mrs. Singleton, though 1 feel
much %dif1dence in telling you'll have
lately been contemplating marriage"
"That is exactly what 1 expected you
to say, and I think at your age and in
your position it Is a very proper course
to take"
"Then may 1 take it? May 1 be so
bold as to assume-that you are not
averse-in fact, that you consent?"
"That is what 1 intended to convey.
I said just now that I had been a little
prepared for this, and 1 am very glad
that you have given me the opportu-
nifty Of saying, as I truly think, that
no woma could wish to find a better
husband"
She looked into his face with a quiet
smile as she concluded.
For a moment HARDWOOD shut1led
%nervously on his seat. Then, moving
closer to her, he took her hand. Mrs.
Singleton looked surprised, but she let
it remain.
"Then, as everything is so satisfac-
torily settled" he said awkwardly,
"would you mind if THAT is-it seems
perhaps a little strange at 1rst-but
may 1 kiss you?"
Mrs. Singleton was more than ever
taken aback at this unexpected re-
quest, and a flush came over her face.
Then she thought that as a prospective
son-in-law his request was perhaps not
altogether unreasonable, and she turn
ed her face to his, smiling rather con-
sc1ously as she replied:
"Oh, we'll, I suppose you may, as !
am to be your mother!!"
"My mother"
eyes; l shall be your mother, shan't
I, If you marry Elsie?
"Marry Elsie! But I want to marry
your
Mrs. Singleton jumped away from
him to the other end Of the sofa, and
her face flushed scarlet as bis meaning
burst upon her.
There was silence between them for
a few minutes. Mrs. Singleton's eyes
were bent upon the ground. and she
looked almost like a young girl who
had listened to her first declaration OF
love as the blush on her cheek grew
deeper and deeper and then moved
downward till it covered the whiteness
Of her neck. At last she spoke:
"And you have been meaning me all
this time?"
HARDWOOD, now that he saw the prize