The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-10-10
Love In a Dictionary

I peceived an Invitation from him TO
make his house my headquarters. Had |
been older I might have declined to |
place myself under obligation, but in |
youth one is not so likely to refuse
favors.
Nor is one at that age overscrupulous
I'm love. Don Jose had a pretty daugh- !
ter. Dona Ysabel. who was heir to !
considerable portion of his estate. l, |
who had nothing but my profession
and not much income even in that,
should not have listened a moment TO
the temptation TO make love to this
helress. When youngster wishes TO
do the right thing in such a case he Is
apt to beat the devil about the stump
by showing his heart TO the girl in
some covert way. | beat the devil
around the stump not only as a salve
to my conscience, but because ] was
not afforded an opportunity TO make
love openly. Besides, had no reason
TO suppose that the young lady would
respond. and to think of receiving n
snub from her for proffered love quite
took my breath away. Prudence die
tated n plan that was noncommittal
never saw Dona Ysabel alone, but
I passed many evenings at the house
in company with the family. One even
ing took a dictionary from the library
OH pretense of looking for the Spanish
for word wished TO use. Don Jose
was in the room with others, and Dona
Ysabel was looking over my shoulder.
There is a story that a courtier who
aspired to the favor Of Queen Eliza.
beth of England wrote his aspiration
and his fears on window pane with
diamond and received his reply in
the same way. The message and re.
ply constitute a rhyme and are famil.
| far TO most people who have received
| n finished education. Whether Dona
| Ysabel had ever met with them | did
| not know. While turning over the
leaves OF the dictionary | stopped and
held my thumb for awhile on the
! word "faln" Then. careessly turning
over the leaves. | suffered 1t to remain
on the word would" In this way
/ | indicated the line:
Fain would climb. but fear to fall.
had reached the word "clmb" and
was looking for "but' when Dona
Ysabel walked away from me. In.
| ferred that she had not seen through
my device. for II she had natural
feminlne curiosity would have led her
70 remain where she was TIL ! had
finished. Replacing the dictionary In
the library. | began conversatiop
with her father about the location OF
the railroad through his hacienda. 9
subject In which he was Interested.
The next morning arose and break
tasted, as was my custom. long before
| the family were downstairs and was
going to my work when, passing
through the library. was surprised
to see the dictionary Hing open on
table. Going to IT, ny eye rested OF
the pages before me. which included
words beginning with the letter 81
Under tie word "if'' / noticed ligh
pencil mark.
MY heart jumped. "If" was the be
ginning Of Queen Ellzabeth's reply t
the aspiring courtIer. Rapidly turning
over the leaves to words beginning
with 1f' looked for you" There
was a pencil mark under 1t. "Are'
was the next word in the queens reply
and this, too, found underscored.
had seen nll required to convince M
that not only had reply to my mes
sage. but the reply desired. 1t wa'
this:
II you're afraid, climb not at all,
completing the famous rhyme:
} Fain would | climb but fear to fall.
II you're afraid, climb not at all.
} 1t was so well known TO Dona Ysabe
, that she did not need to see 1t com
pleted after the word "climb."
, On the surface, from this time TIL
! had finished my work, Dona lsabe
ana were merely acquaintances. w
did not even use the dictionary or an!
other means of communication, bu
the night before | was to take my de
parture. again making a pretext o
] finding word, withdrew the volume
from the library and began hunt
: Ysabel stood over me, and l pointe'
TO the following words:
| Inc way II uhIh' ihO ioah AaH " oSS
AS soon as | had completed my mes
sage Ysabel left me and. taking u
some embroidery, devoted herself to II
ijut / watched ner and saw that sh
was in deep thought. After awhile sh
laid aside her work and. turning to TIN
dictionary that lay on the table, begal
TO turn over the leaves. l went ant
stood over her. She pointed out tn
following reply:
Make your demand and leave the res
TO me.
After the family had retired for tn
night and | was having a few fina
words with Don Jose about the seetiol
of the railroad | had located ! sud
denly astonished him by asking 70
his daughters hand. 1t was not onl
! my impudence that startled him, bu
wonder that | should have made sue
a demand without something of
,ourtship as is customary in the Unite
)tates. Before he could make any re
ply | said that, of course, he and hi
daughter would together agree upon
reply which could be sent me and mad
my exit as rapidly as J could wlthou
appearing preclpltate.