Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-03-08
LUCKY
THIRTEENTH
By INA WRIGHT HANSON
copu,gllt. 1906. by Mcclure, Pamfps d: c.

HI Copyright. 1906. BY Mcclure, Phillips q Co. 1
The sky was blue, the ocean bluer
and Dorothy's eyes the fairest blue oI
all. The sand was white, the breez'
caressing, and Dorothy seemed unusu
ally susceptible l judged it TO be al
auspicious time TO declare my feelings
so / began:
Dorothy, dear, have wealth through
10 fault of my own, social status ditto
and a moderately good disposition.
love you VIII you mar
To my surprise, Mistress Dorothy
sprang TO her knees, crying, Don't
don'tw and clapped her small hand
over my mouth.
VERY well, then, 1 won't" ! said tc
the circumstances.
"Oh, but I want you tor was the
next astounding development. while
she dropped down on the sand again
bowed her head and wept.
/ thought | was used to Dorothy's
moods, but / realized then that my
knowledge concerning them was small
As | didn't know what else to do,
just sat still. Finally she raised hei
head from the sanctuary Of her hands
and looked at me reproachfully.
ooh, George, I've been waiting
whole year to hear you say it, and now
why couldn't you have said it differ
entlyT"
l sat up a little straighter. How
should you wish me - approach the
eubject:" / inquired coldly.
"Of course you don't understand
poor boy," she sighed. poking back be
hind her pink ear little damp brown
curl. Il have a chum at home, and
we were always thinking Of something
that no one else would One day she
said, Let's make vows SO we each
took a piece Of paper and wrote on II
O VOW which we were hound to keeT
If we were-w were-hung for 1t. Nell's
vow vas
"Never mind Nelrs vow." / said
"What was yoursT
who didn't propose to me in a way nc
other man ever did"
Ever proposed to your" asked jeal-
ously.
mo, no. Ever proposed to anybody
vowed, SO | have TO keep ii. Oh
George, I've just lived to have you say
1t in some strange way"
There's no law against a fellows
proposing twice, IS there?" | asked.
She looked up eagerly. "oh, you
haven't said 1t yet. you know. stop
ped you. Do you suppose you could
think of some original waylD
"well, I'll try mighty hard. But wba,
q fool thing for you TO do anyway
III know IT," she acknowledged, with
unusual meekness.
AS our afternoons at Santa Monica
were devoted TO the surf. we met again
In front Of the bath house and hand IN
hand walked toward the seethinp
breakers. She looked more charming
than ever in her black suit, banded
with scarlet, and scarlet handker-
chief knotted about her small head.
"Ieavens, Dorothy, how love your
/ exclaimed rs we emerged from our
plunge through the first swell.
hAnd / love you, too, dear" she muir
INJURED, coiorine little. you viii find
some way, won't youT'
"Yes. If l have TO pick you up some
day and run off with you"
"rhat wouldn't do. Some Of the saw.
ages behave that way II isn't the do.
ing anyway; It's the asLlGs.3
;,Dorotliy Allen, see that swell com
ing? When IT gets here I'll hold you
under 1t till there isn't n breath left In
your body II you don't say you'll marry
mew
...It isn't original - she persisted "The
man Nell's engaged 70 said almost
that"
Darn the maa, aud Neil, tool" | said
Yiei1usiy under my breath. | d'dn't
try any more that day, bat she allowed
me one kiss as we sat Oh the raft. and
that waa something.
1t would be "A wearis3mc tass 10 re
propose 90 Dorothy that summer lay
awake nights trying 70 think Of some
wild and woody way 10 asll her tn mar.
ry me. only 10 face bitter defeat by pc
ing told that some G,hei. John hn1 said
the same 10 hia Joan D9rouiy's fnowl
edge on the subject saemad proaisious
II would nave looted suspicious 10 me
had she not really felt ns bad as !
did over my inability to be original.
The summer was almost gone. A
certain Thursday was TO marx lIoIo.
thy's departure f0r ner New York home
On the tuesday before we. with a gay
party. were 10 visit Mount Lowe.
DorotlIy's pretty lips read the 9c
scription from the guidebook as we
left Los Angeles md were borne swift
ly through suburban places toward the
fog wreathed mountaina The rest u
the crowd was considegately obliyioua
0f US two - 1 made bold TO interrupt
dorothy, this has got TO end, { ans
losing my appetite, and I can't sleep
nights. | have tried twelve times. II
1 cant find way 20 suit you on this
trip / am Off for Africa or Shanghai
next week You needn't look incred
ulous. am in dead earnest"
'Seems ns though you might think OF
xaneihlns," she replied.
"And II do you are going 10 marry
me right away and let me 20 home
with YOU" l went on. ignoring the re,
proach OF her remark, II deserve some
thing for all I've gone through"
she didn't say yes. but, on the other
hand, shc didn't say no, 40 I felt fairly
confident.
hEebo mountain" called the conduct
or. "Change cars for Alpine tavern
Five minutes wait"
On the right were the ruine Of u ho
tel. which we went over 30 observe
Here we found a cannon, mounted anc
ready for business.
THAT" said the man who had been
there before, "is fred OF occasionally
10 show the marvellous power OF echo
II rcyerberates here, yonder. 10 Tho
right, the left, many times over"
/ graspcd Doroiby'r heea and drew
her away uom the crowd.
; Darling" | whispered. I'm goinl
back on this car, and I'm going 70 mar
~ you tonight Wait here or at ~,
observatory yonder. Wh~n you sc
tired ~ observing. pick your weddini
bouquet. for you VIII need II as sooI
as ! get back. Goodby sweetheart
And before she could do anything bu
.l.... IL -. q 4. LII a,-InL4n,.Ld ...LnII.