Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-12-04

masked pirrot ball, and I'm dining there
first. Too bad leaving you, isn't it,
mummys But you'll sit up for me, won't
you?"
Eyes, III sit up
That's first rate"
He was tall and strong, blue-eyed and
bronzed, and she was proud of him. She
was little, very slender, and for all her
forty three years had figure like a
girls. But there was hard look at the
determined lines about her mouth that
made the likeness to girl 60 no further
than her figure. Her inordinately jeal-
GUS nature went far to spoil her own and
her sons otherwise happy existence.
'Yes. that's first rate" he repeated,
because tonight's most important. I'm
going to propose to Marjorie Fairfield
It's been going on all the summer you
must have seen it-but somehow I've
not liked to say anything to you.
Thought you might be jealous; con-
ceited chap. wasn't /? But wish me
luck, mother dear; | never thought any
to me as this.
isn't masked ball rather danger
Gus place for a proposal2 How do you
mo fear about that. She's promised
to wear my flower. I've given hel one
of those funny mauve-colored carnations
out of the greenhouse, and you know
there's not another of them in all Mel
chester"
Four hours later Ronald was dancing
the first waltz with little white pier
rette and she had a large mauye carna-
ton stuck into her eorsage.
He found Marjorie strangely quiet;
she had hardly spoken a word to him,
but it was enough for him to have his
arm about her waist, to be dancing with
her, to feel instinctiyely that she was
glad, too, although she said nothing.
They danced to the end of the waltz
and then he took her into the garden.
They found a seat on the lawn near
the sundial.
1t was an ideal October night, warm
and still, and not a sound save every
now and then a falling leaf telling its
sad little tale of approaching autumn.
Ronald had made up his mind to have
Marjorie's answer tonight. He never
hesitated over his fences; it was not
his way, and he plunged boldly into the
subject that occupied all his thoughts.
"Marjorie, it was sweet of you to wear
my flower. Do you know, it makes me
very bold to see you've put it on. 1t
makes me say what l have longed to
say often before, but haven't dared, that
| love you, Marjorie, and | want you for
my wife,
Il like you very much,' she almost
whispered.
Il like you, Ronald; I've always done
that, but II couldn't marry you'll
don't love you that way-I mean, not
enough to marry you. You must please
never think of me that way again"
"Oh, Marjorie" he murmured, "did
all this summer mean nothing to you
then-those days that meant everything
to me? Was it only just because you
liked me you were so divinely kind
All. you've hurt me, you've hurt me.
FL 90 away, never fear that | shall
worry you again, butt is a blow!"
He stood for two or three minutes,
motionless, leaning over the old sun
dial, his figure expressing utter dejec-
ton.
When he turned to take her back to
the ballroom the garden seat was empty.
He strobe back to the house, but the
wild fun of a masked ball had no more
charm for him. He stood at the door
of the ballroom and for some time
watched the little pierrette with the
mauve carnation-who also appeared
distract and anything but amused-and
then he turned and went out of the
house,
1t was a. m. and the mother sat
waiting for her son. She had sat so
since half-pas TO-
Il don't understand" she unused. Il
thought he would be back here nearly
as soon as | was. He's proud; that re-
fusal hurt him terribly. thought he'd
come straight back. He wouldn't go
near the mauve carnation again--no, not
even if she beekoned him, little hussyl'i
"Ah, I'm a jealous woman / was
jealous of his father, and now I'm jeal-
Gus of the son, but I've stopped that
affair-if it's only for a time, it's a
spite
He'll come home soon, and we shall
| be all in all to each other He'll tell
me all about it. / shall he sympathetic;
what glorious hour Wen have to-
gether. But it's late--or rather, early,
All, there he is, but what a noise he is
making with the latchkey, and, why,
he's actually singing to himself, and his
voice sounds joyous"
"Ah, Ronald, there you are" as he
burst into the room still humming the
tune of a gay two-step.
Here / am, dearest mother. and here
you see the happiest, luckiest chap in
/ all the world
What do you mean? Has Marjorie
accepted you?'
Promised to marry me not two hours
ago. Poor little girl, she had her
mauyais quart d'heure, too, but it was
nothing like mine. Oh, that little
wretch"
"0h, Ronald, do you mean Marjorie :"
Marjorie, no; some other girl /
thought was Marjorie. But don't ask
me to tell you, mother; man who has
made fool of himself doesn't care to
, talk about it, but that little minx--if /
could get hold If her"
Ronald, Ronald stop. YOU don't know