The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-12-27
a Lo1e Come
IOrfEtnaI.1

monty cdl1eu plnSpOnA MISS spencer
and 1 were playing on the dining room
table. A cheerful fire blazed on the
hearth. which we did not need for heat,
but appreciated for comfort.
You serve" said Miss Spencer.
/ served the ball SC that 1t fell on the
edge OF the table, very nearly before
her. She was standing too close and
missed it.
That's a horrid ball." she said.
/ served again. This time Miss Spen-
Ger stood far Jack from the table. I
erv SO lightly that the ball barely
fell over the net. She hadn't time to
move forward and missed again.
That's another horrid ball." she
said. pouting. when l play with Mr..
Austin he never gives me such balls
Mr.. Austin, being in favor, can't af-
ford TO play to win"
She was about to pass me the ball,
but at this she stopped short and look.
ed at me.
"What do you mean?' she asked
coldIy.
"The English language is not adapted
to making my meaning any palmer"
l knew perfectly well that Mr.. Aus
tin, being in possession of $4,000 a
year, was considered by the Spencer
family a suitable part for Miss Spen-
GER. Mr.. Austin was a globe t%rotter, !
a poor man of business. Miss Spencer,
fearing l would explain still further,
passed me the ball. / preferred to con-
tinue the subject.
"Men of Mr.. Austin's age 1 began.
81 suppose you consider your own
age the most desirable"
AZ would not venture at tw~enty-three
to compete with a man Of
Its ~thirty-love," interrupted Miss
Spencer. isn't it?"
Forty" I replied.
~Thfrty-eight,' said Miss Spencer.
81 was not aware that there was n
such count in pingpong.'
"Oh, pshaw! You know well enough
that why can't you play the game
and let Mr.. Austin alone?"
"VVhy can't you let Mr.. Austin
alone?'
do you mean to imply" she an
swered, bristling, that l am demean-
ing myself by trying to catch Mr.. Aus
tin?"
You don't need to do that"
Are % going to play pingpong or
continue to discuss disagreeable sub
jects?'
So the projected marriage was a dis
agreeable subject. 1 concluded to play
pingpong for awhile and think over the
situation. Indeed, L paid so much at
tention to my play hat l e three
straight games. The last ball rolled
off where we couldn't find it, and we
sat down to rest.
"I wish.'' said Miss Spencer, ito cor
rect some impressions you have with
regard to Mr.. Austin"
81 thought your love affairs were dis
agreeable subjects which you preferred
to have me let alone"
81 only referred to Mr.. Austin"
"Then the attentions of Mr.. Austin
Involve a love AFFAIR.""
"How horrid you are tonight! I
didn't say that"
you mean. after all, that the SUBJ
ject of love. or, to speak more particu-
larly, any mention of our love affairs.
is d~isagreeable to you"
"I don't have love affairs, thank you.
One can have but one love affair."
"At a time"
"I mean that when a girl has two
suitors she will only love one of them"
while her family may love the 9TH
err"
To this Miss Spencer made no reply.
She was picking at a button on the
skirt of her dress.
'"Then I am to assume that your fam
lily wish you to accept Mr.. Austin,
while you
/ left her to finish; but, since she
would not speak her part of the dia-
Iogue, was obliged to speak it for her.
Not having yet fallen in love and
mindful that Mr.. Austin is able to
make life easy for you, you are about
to yield to the wishes of your family
and accept him."
Miss Spencer was still silent. 1t is
said that silence means consent. There
fore the logical deductions were that
Miss Spencer loved no one, but b
would marry Mr.. Austin. But l felt
pretty sure that if Miss Spencer had
not yet fallen in love and was abou
to marry Mr.. Austin she would assent
to my proposition and admit the fact.
She did not admit it; therefore l took
her silence for denial. This N be a
fine distinction; nevertheless 1 acted
upon it.
Don't you think" 1 went on, that
you, being a woman of age and capa-
BILE of judging for yourself, woul do
better to choose a poor man with a fu-
ture than a rich man with none? If
you have not yet loved, 1 have. l
love-
The door opened, and Miss Spencers
father came into the room.
81 thought you two were playing
he said, going to the side
board where there was a racket. His
being turned, I darted a quick
glance at his daughter. Her hand was |
close to mine, and I clasped it. She
gave mine a pressure that sent a thrill
my arm to my heart.