Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-03-21
n r. aIiSTfc
interpretive Tale.

curtains looking out on the falling
that evening to propose to her. he
had not said this In so many words,
but he had been attentive to her for
long while and had said, This even
ing l shall call to ask you very i'm
portant question" There was but one |
Of two explanations to the announce
ment-either he intended to propose !
marriage or he was fool.
Was he a foolT 1t had never before |
occurred to her to ask such a question, |
but Miriam was a girl who followed |
things out to a logical conclusion. |
Were her premises correctly laid? She i
doubted II they were. Might he not
call, ask a very important question
other than the one she supposed and
yet not be a fool? What would con-
stitute fool in his case? That he
was honorable she did not doubt
Could an honorable man be attentive
to a girl and make such statement
as he had made, leading her to suppose
that he intended to propose to her, yet
not meaning anything of the kind.
without being fool?
After all. what Is a fool?
Meanwhile Donald Forsythe was put
ting his sleeve buttons in cuffs fresh
from the laundry. They had been pol
iished. not washed. Either the dirt had
been driven In or vanished over, for 1t
did not appear. The cuffs were as
white as snowdakes.
He, like Miriam, was thinking.
He had been graduated at two uni
versities In America and three In Eu-
rope He had delivered a lecture be-
fore the ladies of the Woman's club, OF
which Miriam Swift was secretary, on
the influence of Egyptian inscriptions
on certain Greek roots. His thoughts
were therefore on a plane with hers.
What view would she take Of his an
nouncement that he would call to ask
very important question? He was
putting ON sock when the proposition
occurred to him and, seeing hole in
the heel, was diverted for a moment to
different train Of thought-an unholy
train. But Forsythe was man to fin
. ish one subject before entering fxedly
on another. His brain saw things as
through an inverted telescope, in
groups rather than as parts of groups.
Would Miriam expect from the con-
: ditions under which his announcement
: was made that his question would en-
t body proposition of marriage? Was
l it not possible that a man, even II he
had been attentive to a girl, might
make such an announcement and not
] mean that he intended to ask her to be
e his wife? He thought of many ques'
0 tons that would not in any way refer
to love or marriage. Therefore, II
Miriam expected that he would call fol
a the purpose of making proposal
+ would she not be a fool2
J, His meditations were again diverted
l. temporarily at the discovery that Their
o was an ink stain on the bosom Of hi
b shirt. He was obliged to change thu
e shirt, after which he resumed his trail
4 of thought-this while he was putting
It bit Of polish on his boots.
l. Would the question as to Miriam
d should she assume that he intended t
|, ask her to be his wife-be affected b!
!. his intention? That Is, If she assumes
x it and he did not so intend, would sh'
p be any more of a fool than she woul'
d be If he did so intend? He divided tn
= supposition into five heads and wa
!. disposing of them consecutively whe
he didn't hear the clock strike In tn
d neighboring church tower, for Their
n was neither clock nor tower near-h
J. looked at his watch and saw that
was twenty-five minutes past s. Ii
a hastily finished his toilet and, boardin
lie a trolley car, soon found himself
=. Miriam's home
n, Miriam as soon as she heard the rim
Of Of the doorbell snatched a book o
IT psychology from the library and, hui
1t. riedly seating herself by table, undo
to a light with a rose colored shade, ha
Id only time to open the book when he
in lover entered. She could not look u
a from it, for she had not had time
look down at it. She looked at Dol
be aid. a sweet smile lowering about hi
IS lips.
lis Don't rise" said Donald as 81
l." made move to do so. He seated hiI
lie self in a blue damask and gold chat
1T, Miriam, who had pronounced tas
i
position for him, since he was blon
i'd Then he opened the conversation.
Id. This new theory from Germany
he said, has upset all our psycholo
n ical platforms"
ed Miriam, who was expecting the
In important question, had cast down D
vat eyes and seen that the book In her u
ad was upside down.
'as His words, under the circumstance
ire were unfortunate. Were they satirics
He saw color rising in her face al
In hastened to correct the contretemps.
cd 81 told you," he said, when l SO
you last that / would call tonight
o." ask a very important question"
She bent her bead over the book.
sT did not turn the volume right side
Was she listrait, or did she hope IL
| - ho-a .aay, That xuao