The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1907-03-14
The Bashful Man.

other men II hard to explain. Thor
II no accounting for 81 and, appar
entity, NO cure. I may reach 4 poin
where l can deceive my friends. bul
my consctence-never.
. Still, conquered this timidit,
lsuniciently to propose to the dearest
gira In tho world. When I think Of I,
] am astounded At my bravado. Many
. time I had thought, IF she would
only, help mel. Bvt, she never did.
"a Ono evening We were ApsakiHs Of
love in the. abstract and she asked
me. Were you ever In love!"
lam now" I replied, looking aa
her. felt that all the red corpusciea
In my body had gone to MY face. 4
man feels idiotic when he bushes.
Why don't you tell her that you
love herr" asked the dear one.
II can't. I Am 4 coward and
and she never could care for such &
worthless creature. I an rot At to
kiss the hem sf hsr gdrmsat-"
Nonsense! Don't try. KISS hsf
fair and square"
il Never! II would be sGcfiisGe."
Well, II q man loved me I should
want him to say So.
But you would refuss him"
mo, I won't
Then somehow We became On
.aged. After that I had to gather
o'rass to buy the ring. did not
.hink It would be such . difficult
ask
J.. stood looking In Q jewelers. win
low for 10 long, trying to get up my
courage to - inside, that q police
nan looked At mo suspioiously. So I
rent to the noxt diamond merchants
and gAxed In at the window.
looked 80 longingiy ut . case Of rings
hat another policeman, just ~
lad got my courage to the sticking
place, told mo to move on.
Why should task - dear to the
heart be 30 dificu1tf At last q brill
liant idea came to me that gave me
courage. 1 would 90 to Z large de-
partment store, whore the crowds
would furnish cUHoeaimsnt for me.
With defiance In my heart threw
out my chest and Assumed 4 bold
front-which aid not ftsl~-and on
tered the store.
A hoorwalker approached and
asked what he could DO for me.
.elt my nerve leaving me, 30, lest 1t
al forsaks me, said quickly, in =
loud, vibrant voice, II vant-to
look at-er-engagems rings" He
smiled and I added in q louder voice,
"fof-my sister" II vas ont ut last.
But what Z result! Every shopper
and cierk was smiling at me. Az the
noorwalker started away saying.
This way, please" I felt that thsro
was q procession of customers and
cash girls following Us. 30 ied-
isnominiously fed out of . side door.
After . hasty walk to cool on
tried another store. Hero I squelched
the hoorwaiker, which was one point
gained. But II was largo store and
time was money To me. for must be
ut the once By : o'clock.
Where are your-ciocksi" I
asked q cash GIRL :.
Annex" She answered.
> Pat 1 found that the 1sweiry was
In a different department. Then I ap-
preached clerk and timidly asked:
where are-gold pinsf" =
"Notions."
This was not making progress.
TITS jsweiry I want" I ventured.
why didn't you say sol Next
counter"
I rushed there. ;.
A mild, bius-syed man inquired:
Watches, sirf"
mo. II want-necktiss." l fall
tered.
Not hsrs-but We have scarf
pins -
II will look 1T them" -,
How 1 hated myself for this sub
stitution! All the time my syes were
glued on 4 case Of rings. The clerk
selected the pin and said 'Yes. !" all
the time keeping my eyes on the
rings. :.
As he handed me my change he
said: Perhaps you would like to
look at some ringsr"
l could have embraced him for
those words. I wondered dimly how
no knew. Unfortunately. . woman
rustied into the scat next to me. /
did not dare turn, but knew she
was looking. Il felt that ! simply
could not 90 on with the purchase.
The blood rushed to my face when
the clerk said: I'VE are having q
special sale to-day in rings"
mo, II think l will look at
alarm clocks now"
Again I had failed. What an idiot
I was!
perhaps I can assist" said .
sweet voice at my side. What the
gentlemen really wants 10 an engage
ment ring-my size"
How easy II IL to buy . ring with
the help of the sweetest woman In
tho world!