The Somerset reporter., 1908-08-27


how he had managed to raise the cash
for the trip. There are money lenders
in London who will take long chances
His love had not grown cold with the
departure Of Miss Deland
Just as the mother had figured on.
young Lee had not followed the cou-
pie abroad. There are postofiices all
over the civilized world, however, and
a slangy girl might have said that II
was a cold week when Clara didn't
receive and answer letter from Il
certain New England college town.
She may have even met young Lee
after her return. They may have met
aud strolled on the broad highway
leading to the vlllage-Just little
stroll and just little talk. If so, the
mother didn't know anything about 1t.
Milford had arrived to renew his pro-
posal and not three days had passed
when the mother wanted to know
what the daughters answer was to be.
"If he proposes to me again | shall
accept him." was the prompt and I'M
expected reply.
No more arguments, no more prot
estations no more tears. The moth
er simply threw her arms around her
daughter and murmured that she was
the sweetest, dearest daughter In the
whole world and then went off to In
form Milford that he had cinch. A
cinch, 1t may be explained, means a
good thing-you are the only iceman
on the route.
Nothing has heretofore been said as
to Miss Deland being the sole owner
and chauffeur of an electric runabout,
and even now the name of the maker
will not be announced except at regu-
lar advertising rates.
When she realized that a second
proposal from MILFORD was inevitable,
she chose her own ground to receive 1t.
That is. she invited the living remains
to take a trip with her over the high
ways. Had he been a young man of
thirty he would have scented dew ,ry
in the air. Had he been a few years
older he could not have managed to
climb into the vehicle
For the first mile of the trip he hung
on with death grip and said nothing
Then as no calamity happened, he got
over his scare a bit and proceeded to
observe:
MY dear and charming Miss Deland,
you remember that In London
The dear and charming one steered
the vehicle over the humpy ground be-
side the track, and the bumps and
bounces that followed kept MILFORD In
terror for the next five minutes He
had not been smashed up or thrown
out, and he began again:
81 make no excuse for following you
to America. AS told your dear moth
er in London
The electric started for the ditch, and
Clara screa med. and for few seconds
there was every promise of tragedy
Milford gasped a prayer and dug In his
toes, and when the vehicle was once
more In the straight and narrow path
Its conductress said:
81 think 1t was your talk that con.
fused me, but | will do better hence.
forth. You were saying that you told
or | told or mother or some one else
told somebody something In London"
Yes. Is 1t positively necessary. my
dear Miss Deland, to drive this vehicle
as II we were racing with a loromo-
tive?'
"Oh, not at all. my lord You were
saying
81 was saying to your mother that |
had met my ideal at last and that
This time the electric left the road
and brushed the hazel bushes. and no
man would have kept his nerve and
made a marriage proposal then. Mi.
lerd thought IT WAS all over, and 1t was
fully FIVE minutes before he could
swallow the lump 10 his throat and
gasp out:
"My dear. IL we we're to take a
slower pace I believe I should enjoy
the ride more. | felt 1t my first duty
to let your mother know what my feel.
ings were toward you. and them
"Why. you don't call this fast go
ing, do you?" interrupted the girl
I'VE have simply been lingering. I
will now show you the speed | gen
orally ride at"
She showed him. He figured 1t out
that It was a thousand miles an hour
but of course 1t was only twenty He
needed encouragement to go on. and
Miss Clara gave 1t to him by observ-
Ing:
Yes. you spoke to mamma. and
then
Then. my dear, had the courage
to-
Away went the machine for tele-
graph pole and the living remains for
got his dignity and cried out In appre-
hension. He was gathering himself
for jump when the vehicle missed
the pole by all Of three-eighths OF an
inch and was guided back into the road
running on two wheels.
'You had the courage Toto
queried Clara when things were going
right again
Yes. my dear girl had the cour.
age as well as the honor to ask for
private interview with you. and when
1t had been accorded r.
At this point the runabout shot to the
right. shot to the left jumped ahead
and then made a sudden sweep and
headed for home. 1t came TO halt
for just three seconds, but that was