The Falls City tribune., 1909-11-26
TAKING HIS
TIME

year tA6l SlDCt iu3i HlSnN INlH III
expectedly passed through the door
way where he was lazily leaning, wait
ing for something interesting to hap
pen.
Who is she?" asked Bobby, sud.
denly alert.
MY cousin Beth" said the hostess.
Introduce nae at once" said Bobby.
~ want to ask her to marry me-
The hostess laughed. She was used
to Bobby's eXtravaganees.
Bobby met Beth later in the even
ing. Her eyes shene on him mis-
chievously and her mouth curved as II
she expected to laugh at any moment.
Are you going to ask me to marry
you at once?' she inquired of him
sweetly.
Bobby smiled. 81 nm glad YOU over
heard What l said to your cousin he
replied. Nov you ere prepared for
the inevitable"
That was a year ago and the in
evitable, in the shape of a proposal OF
marriage from Bobby, had not come.
lie knew he would become engaged to
her eventually. but or the time being
things were very conf table just as
they We're.
lie monopolized Beth's evenings
when she stayed at home, He was
her constant escort when she was
out. He felt all the satisfaction of
proprietorship. Still he was not bound.
He could come and so as he pleased.
He took time for his club. He could
pass an occasional leisurely evening
at home with his pipe.
One night, however, he met with re-
verses. Beth wore a cream lace gown
that night and-was ravishing. They
had been invited to meet an eastern
man who was being introduced to a
good many persons. That is to say,
he was introduced until he met the
cream lace gown containing Beth.
Then he ~courteously declined to be in
PRODUCED any further. He remained
beside the cream lace gown for the
rest of the evening.
you had every appearance of liking
it," said Bobby in a rage as he was
taking Beth home.
Il did like it very much. I have
asked him to come to see me"
For some time after that Bobby's
club knew him not. Until the eastern
man departed he passed no leisurely
evenings at home with his pipe. In
fact, the eastern man gave Bobby
what is sometimes called a run for
his money.
II am glad he's gone" acknowledged
Bobby, one evening about a week after
the eastern man had departed.
Are you?' said Beth softly. Then
! am glad too
But Bobby did not take warming
from the eastern man. When Beth
said that soft little Then | am glad,
too he did not ask her to marry him
and save him further alarms. He only
relaxed, with great tranquility of soul
and continued to monopolize her even
ings when she stayed at home, to be
her constant escort when she went
out, to give the world to understand
that she was his property-to be very
comfortable, in a word, with the idea
of eventually asking her to marry him.
Bobby took a fishing trip, For six
weeks he flshed. He did not write
to Beth very often; it was too hard to
write when one was roughing it.
Il should have to write her every
day if we were engaged" thought
Bobby.
He sent her his biggest catch, how
ever, and felt considerable surprise
and some resentment when she did
not write enthusiastically to thank
him.
At eight o'clock the first night after
Bobby's return he rushed up Beth's
front steps. He wanted to see her
very badly. He had been gone six
weeks.
Beth's mother was sitting alone on
the porch.
How is Beth?" eagerly asked Bob
by. And where is she?"
"She was married last night" said
Beth's mother, quietly. They left on
a late train. They are going abroad
for their honeymoon
Married. exclaimed Bobby DULY.
"Married;"
ut was all very sudden. Beth met
him the week you left. He was ex-
ceedingly eager. Think of it, Mar
ried six weeks after they first saw
each other
Tears stood in Beth's mothers eyes.
She was not thinking of Bobby. She
was wishing that daughters did not
have to grow up and get married.
Alone in his room that night Bobby
smoked long and hard. He thought of
many things. When he finally shook
the last ashes out of his pipe he said
n word to himself.
Fool" said Bobby.
He was feeling very wretched.-Chi-
cago Daily News.
Not Qualified.
The two men were getting warm