The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1907-07-05

wildly, II love you, l love you! ]
have loved you ever since l saw your
picture last night, but it seems to me
now as if / had always loved YOU"
The girl arose from the grass with
an expression of profound disgust
upon her features. We'll, of all in
comprehensive things!" she ex-
claimed. "You are certainly the most
impudent man l eve saw. How dare
you say such a thing to me? What do
you mean?"
II mean," said Hepburn desperate
ly, that l don't care what things you
say to me now, if only some time you
will marry me-"
The girl of the double negative
spoke never a word, but with tight
shut lips gathered her skirts in both
hands and began to walk rapidly
away.
For over a week he saw nothing OF
Miss Darlington. That young lady re-
manned in her room nursing a nose,
formerly of classic proportions, and
an eye which resembled a boiled
gooseberry, sunk deep in the brilliant
and varied hues of a summer sunset.
Her indisposition did not, however,
prevent her from inspecting that hor-
rid man" from behind her curtains,
and secretly commenting upon the
facts that he was certainly very good
looking, and that he took sly peeps at
her window as he passed.
If she had expected a repetition of
Mr.. Hepburn's former frenzied con
duct when she again appeared in the
corridors of the hotel she was disap.
pointed. At first he seemed not to
even see her. Then after they were
introduced by a mutual friend, he
treated her with the grave courtesy
which a happy instinct told him would
be most pleasing to a young lady with
a high regard for the conventionali-
ties of polite society.
1t vas only towards the close of the
season, and when preparations were
being made by her family to return To
the city that, piqued by his indiffer-
ence, she began to unbend a little.
They met often, then oftener, then
walked together. They discovered
that they had many points of interest
in common, although photography WIS
not one of them.
You see," explained Miss Caring
ton, my brother takes pictures, and
one crank of that kind is enough in a
family"
One warm September evening they
walked upon the almost deserted pi-
it seemed to Hepburn that the hour
was ripe at last. Ardently, but this
time with dignity and decorum, he
told her again of his love. Memories
of that other proposal must, however,
have returned to the lady's mind, for
she drew herself up haughtily and
said:
Il am surprised and sorry, Mr.. Hep
burn, that you should so have misun.
derstood my sentiments toward you.
I esteem and respect you, but I do
not love you. l cannot marry you, but
| will be a sist-' Miss Darlington
paused and blushed. 1t was the regu-
lation formula which she had rendered
to more than n callow youth, but it
was too obvious a chestnut to offer to
a man of Mr.. Hepburn's character
and experience. To her utter amaze.
ment, he seemed to entertain no SEN
sation of chagrin or disappointment.
Instead, he drew her only half-resist.
ing form into his arms, and for the
second time in their short acquaint-
ance pressed a kiss upon her brow.
Again she intimated angrily, as she
had once before done: "You are cec-
tainly the most presumptuous man I
ever heard of! Don't you understand
me? I said no."
Hepburn's face beamed with icy
and satisfaction. my sweetest girl"
he said, gayly, repeating the oscula-
ton, Il hear you. But don't you re.
member that you learned long ago
when o were in school that a double
negative is always equal to an affirm
alive? This is the second time you've
turned me down. What other con
clusion can l draw"
That evening, when the happy man
was again alone in his room, he found
in close proximity to the fateful piece
OF glass a letter placed there by the
bell-boy, and bearing a special deliv-
cry stamp. 1t read az follows:
Dear Hepburn-Did you take awav
with the rest of the stuff you bought
of me last summer an opened box of
4x5 dry plates? If So, for heavens
sake, return them at once. i hone
you haven't monkeyed with and
spoiled them. They were left here
by a young fellow-Billy Darlington
to be developed, and he is re,lding the
earth because they can't be found
Wire if you have them. Yours.
SANFORD"
Hepburn smiled, with some concern
on his features, however. "What a
careless fellow Sanford u.s." he said:
Il always insisted that he would never
make a business success. Still" he
admitted. without a shadow of reluc-
lance, "he does keep pretty good
plates"
To Preserve Hoods Birthplace.
A meeting convened by the Leyton
Ratepayers' association, held at Lev.
tonstone, has decided tt appeal for
funds with which to secure Lake
House estate. Lake House, in which
the poet Hood was born and lived