The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-06-16
HER LUCKY MISTAKE,
ev OSCAR cox.
Copyright. 1903. BY American Press Asso
ataftou


Miss Buckingham took up two notes
and read them with a bored expression
on her beautiful and aristocratic coun
tenance. Then she threw them down
and on her crest stamped paper wrote
two replies One was a declination tc
q proposal Of marriage. the other an
invitation for a proposer 10 call, init
mating that he would be accepted. Ad'
dressing two envelopes, one to Hamll'
ton Gnlls, No. east Torty-eighth
street; the other to George b. Hilliars,
Union club. city, she laid both notes
and envelopes on the desk before her
Then she darkened the room 80 that
she could not see any Of them, mixed
them, took up one Of the notes, put i
10 one Of the envelopes, sealed and
stamped IL, tore up the other note and
envelope, threw the pieces into a
wastebasket and sent the other to the
mail without looking at the address.
Her intention was to remain ignorant
OF the man she had chosen till he pre-.
scented himself.
This was a dangerous thing TO do,
for the reason that Miss Buckingham
had a number Of suitors. and she
wrote an illegible hand.
The next evening a card was handed
to her bearing the name OF G. B. Hi.
lier. She glanced at 1t. gave a slight
shrng, fingered her back hair before O
glass and descended the stairs. On
entering the drawing room she found
a very different man from either Of
the two to whom she had written.
A great many things flashed through
her mind in an infinitely short space
Of time. First, she had written one Of
the notes evidently the one that had
been nailed to George b. Hilllars, and
It had fallen into the hands OF Gusta.
vus B. Hitler. This was not remark.
able. since both men belonged to the
same club. Second, how was she TO
escape the results Of her blunder7 Mr..
Hitler was one Of her many suitors.
sutton she loved and by whom she had
supposed herself to have been Tilted.
Her pride rebelled against admitting
that she had sent for him to eat bum.
BILE pie, and she did not wish him to
know that she had intended to accept
another.
'MarianP' hs said, advancing, but
stopped repealed BY her expression.
Marian" be began again. "what
does this meant Have you led me to
believe that you had seen your glazing
injustice only to give me additional
painT
How did you happen toto get"--
"Your letter. / returned today"
mo. no. | didn't know you were
away. mean What right have you
to- She baked again.
'Marianf' he exclaimed.
'sNo, no; didn't mean that"
There was a short pause. after which
he said. "When we parted last / told
you that | could not brook
Brook! II was ! who could not"
"Youi The Objectionable words were
spoken to me-"
'sWhat wordsT
'what words7 why, in reference to
that note wrote you to which you
deigned no reply. sent another ask
ing for the cause Of your silence. You
replied that you would not address
note to a man at his club because a
friend Of yours had done 50 and her |
note had been shown to others"
"And do you mean to tell me that a
trivial thing like that caused you to
refrain from favering me at the next
cotillonT
"A trivial thing like that"
Eyes. Shouldn't have pro1ted by
my friends experienceY
He stood looking at her in astonish-
nent-
aThen the next time" she added. Il
met yOu on the street you didn't speak
% me-
How could I when you walked by
ne with your-without looking at
mel"
Judging from your previous treat.
nent Of me. supposed you intended
o cut me-"
did you expect me to bow to your
ihadow? Gould / speak to girl who
would not even look at mel"
"You men are so''-
$50 whatY'
Irritating"
Anything else1"
stupid"
There was long silence. which was
'roken By the man: Il believe you are
light I've been stupid. There Is
about the feminine makeup
hat renders a woman oblivious to the
rightful imputations she casts upon a
nan. You argued that, because some
cad had betrayed con-
dence. under the same circumstances
n honorable man would do the same"
Miss Buckingham was silent. A
amt glimmer Of the fallacy Of the
began to dawn upon her.
I suppose | ought to apologize" she
aid, but I'm not going to do 1t after
be way you treated me-"
my apology would be in order after,
OF before, yours"
Il prefer It should come first and
line shouldn't come at all" If