The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-11-11
RANLEY'S
COURTSHIP

boarded with her mother he gaze'
af her the most soulfuily and remem
bered her the most frequently will
candy and flowers.
These tributes were not bestowed
In person, but we're left at the door oI
the dark back parlor. which Leila and
her mother used as a sleeping room
II was something Of a disappointment
TO her when she FIRST realized that The
dellghtfully mysterious boxes we're the
gifts Of the exceedingly plain Ranley
for neither his appearance nor his
manner was In the least romantic.
Leila had her sentimental dreams. but
the comfortable reality OF the sweets
apss posies made up for the shy. halt.
ing speech and awkward presence OF
her admirer, 80 she accepted his at
ientions with almost as much grace
and coquetry as II Ranley had been
the embodiment Of her girllsh ideals.
One evening as Leila was about to
Join the group Of boarders who we're
trying in almost suffocated silence TO
get a breath Of air on the front steps
she was stopped in the hall BY Ranley
With one impulse the boarders
ceased tanning as they heard him say:
mis- L~Leila, m-may s-speak to you
alone m-minute in the p-parlor?"
1T has come" hissed the motherly
boarder to the vacation school teacher
BY her side. u knew he'd propose this
week"
IT'S about time." giggled the young
girl stenographer, who had often
looked enviously at the bouquets with
which Leila decorated her simple dim.
iiy frocks.
pray hush," admonished the mid
dle-aged man who prided himself upon
his courtly manner Our talk is dc
trop. We must not interrupt the
course Of loves young dream"
His fellow boarders shifted at his
words, but sympathized with his de-
sire not TO interfere with the forth
coming declaration. so they sat silent
while Ranley, behind the open
screened windows, coughed and
cleared his throat with a preliminary
solemnity which brought the bushes
20 Leila's cheeks and raised the ex-
pectation OF the boarders to fever
heat
Miss L-Leila you-you must have
n-noticed m-my attentions to y-you,
he stammered.
Yes" murmured Leila, almost In.
audibly, but the boarders somehow
knew what she was saying.
Il w-wsnted to ttell you, TO a-ask
y-you--that is, 1t m-means a blot 10
me. W-will you-oh, Miss Leila,
hesitate to ask you, b-but-" He
struggled and coughed and then. With
a supreme effort, continued, I've got
a ccold. VIII you make me minus
tard plaster?"
Tie boarders gasped. The mothe-ly
boarder, who was the first to regain
her composure, exclaimed: We'll,
never In all my born daysi"
The insurance clerk said: me, too"
For a week or 50 there was a no
ticeable coolness In. Leila manner to-
ward Ranley He, however, kept up
a campaign of chocolates and carna-
tions that melted her heart One
night the young girl stenographer
tiptoed out to the front steps where
the boarders as usual had assembled
and announced in q stage whisper to
che insurance clerk: Hes taken her
into the par1or again"
We don't wish to eavesdrop, of
course" remarked the middle-agcd
man, but # is only polite to ~ain-
tain silence"
The mid chatter accordingly 1sased
and the deprecating voice of Ranley
was heard humbly begging leave ito
tell M-Miss L-Leila something"
I'm sure III be glad to hear any
thing you have to say" brayely helped |
Leila.
-W-weli, II thought y-youd like to
know" A pause. Yes. | saw your
mothers cook washing the d-dog in
The dish pan"
The boarders looked at each other
blanKiy and the middle-aged man sur
prised them by saying: Well, upon
my word fear It's all Of"
The next night, however, when the
party adjourned from the dining-room
TO the front steps the excitement was
high
y saw It the minute she sat down
at the table," said the motherly
boarder in boastful tone.
How could you help it?" asked the
vacation school teacher. tartly. she
took every opportunity to wave her
hand in our faces. ! think large dia.
mond is fiashy and vulgar. myself"
But how did It ever happen7"
asked the insurance clerk. "Ranley
mms4 hays been going some since last
might
"D01t forget that this Is leap year."
remarked the young girl stenographer.
Just then Ranley and Leila ap-
peared, looking conscious but happy.
Ranley said: "Y-you are all s-such
x-good friends I w-want to t-tell y-you
H-that--" He looked hopeIessly at the
blushing girl beside him and she
.smiled encouragingly.
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