The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-05-16
Coming to a Decision.

[Original.1
81 can't give you any answer today.
Charlie"
you've been saying that for three
months"
"And suppose I'll continue to say 1t
till make up my mind to-
"Be married"
ooh, no; I've decided upon that"
"You mean you haven't decided Oh
the man you will marry"
To this the only reply was far
away, dreamy look.
"How many of us are there?"
slow dlsagreeable of you! You seem
TO intimate that there are large num-
Der, whereas there are only two"
''That simpllfies II immensely. I In
fer from your putting me off rather
than refusing me that I'm one of the
two Now, how would It do to decide
between the two by tossing coinT
Again that faraway look, then Sup
pose you loser
~ shall have to bear my disappoint-
ment like n man."
A dissatisfied look passed over her
face. She was silent.
"what's troubling youT
81 was thinking of my own disap-
poIntment I'm case the coin fell the
wrong way"
But thought there was no wrong
way for you"
No reply.
"Does the other fellow possess an ad-
vantage that has nothing to do with
love?"
"No."
"Then. II you can be happy with
either OF us AID can't decide between
us, why would you not be satisfied with
the decision of toss?'
"Why. because-how stupid Of you
the coin might decide the wrong way"
1t was his turn to pause. He was OF
n scientific turn of mind and had a
fancy for paradoxes, but here was one
that balled him.
81 have It," he said finally. "Well
toss the coin, and IL 1t falls the wrong
way you are TO have the privilege of
lut IlEHl NNgs
She neither assented nor dssented,
and, taking quarter from his pocket,
he said: 81 choose this eminently re-
spectacle head with q serious face, q
wreath and the motto, In God We
Trust I'm perfectly willing to trust
In God"
"You said that just as If you had
no confidence whatever In me-"
"You. not being able to choose be-
tween two lovers. are not to be relied
on by either. having chosen heads.
there remains for my rival the spread
eagle with an olive branch in one
claw and a bundle Of arrows in the
other, by which he means, IL you
marry me I'll love you; II you don't
III shoot you There's ribbon In his
mouth. which means, You shall al
ways be dressed up mighty fine,' or, in
other words, III give you everything
you want"
"Thats just what makes me hesl.
tate. You coolly arrogate everything
to yourself. You choose the head and
the motto In God We Trust leaving
for-for the other-a spread eagle, as
you call 1t. with your own interpreta-
tion of the emblems."
I'm going to put an end to your
hesitation. Up she goes!"
He fllpped the coin. and as II came
down he put his hand over 1t.
Before you know who has won,"
he said, 81 want to know If you intend
to abide by the decision"
81 suppose so-that is"-
She got no further. He tried In vain
to get more definite reply. At last
| he took away his hand and showed
the coln-tails up.
"lIe has won" he said coolly. put.
ting the piece in his pocket. Permit
me to congratulate you"
"On whatT
ION getting spread eagle husband
who Will love you when you are good
and stick arrows into you when you
are bad and clothe you with silks or
| satins."
Her eyes wandered all over the room.
| lighting nowhere.
"Tell Inc plainly" he said. without
beating around the bush. are you satis-
fed or dissatisfied with the result Of
the toss?"
81 might not be satisfied if-that
is"-
She paused and looked out OF the
window. on her fair young brow were
the gentle corrugatlons OF perplexity.
| "Well?"
"You seem 10 be satisfied"
81" whht hns that 10 do with M"
'If you Ind shown even tiny bit OF
dissatlsfuctlon"--
"you would have been satlslcd?"