The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1909-07-08


The Disadvantage Of Misuzl- !. )
! Outstanding Among /
: Three. !
++++++++~ $%&i
BY A. b. SsEARLE.
copyright. 1903. by American PresstAsso.
ciatton.l
II anything goesi wrong among as.
sociates the more 1 persons in 1t the
worse the troubletand the lessichance
of an explanation and reconciliation,
In the most Important episode OF nv
life I became involved with two other
persons to my permanent discontinue.
If my dealings had been with one the
trouble would not have occurred.
1t was the very common case OF two
fellows after one girl, and the two
fellows were friends. l was one Of
the fellows, and Bob Hoyt was the
other. Eileen Gilbert was the girl. II
was Bob who introduced me to her.
but he didn't tell me that he wanted
her, so I wasn't obliged to keep OF on
his account. Bob was a quiet, back
ward sort Of fellow, while I natter
myself / have that gall about me
which wins with a woman.
There are several principles that I
considered. The first is, Don't show
your hand to Others" the second, IF
you want anything don't make 1t ap-
pear valuable" I determined to keep
Bob in the dark as to my intentions
and to lead him to believe that Eileen
was no great catch. OF course this
was difficult for me to do and at the
same time see enough Of her to win
her. But I handled the matter SO well
that l got in a number Of visits with
out Bob knowing anything about them.
How far I succeeded In leading him to
believe that she was not worth trying
for I couldn't find out. He wasn't
much Of a talker. l knew very wen
he admired her and that I'd better do
what I could to head him of.
Eileen for quite awhile was on the
fence between Bob and me. I had
some property, while Bob had nothing
but pluck and energy, and I'll do him
the justice to admit that he had plenty
Of both. There's nothing mean about
me even in speaking Of a rival. Bob
showed no disposition to win the girl,
but I didn't know whether this was
because he didn't fancy her or because
I had intimated that she was not es-
pecially to be desired. This gave me
every chance, and I awaited myself Of
the position.
Eileen lived at her fathers country
place, about fifty miles from the city,
and during the summer I made hay
while the sun shone, spending a num-
Der Of week ends in the village near
her home %ostensibly for the fishing,
which vas good in the neighborhood.
Finally I sounded Eileen sufficiently
to discover that a proposal was liable
to be accepted. This was by letter,
and I resolved to go to her and close
the matter. AS luck would have it,
who should be at the station to see his
mother off on a train but Bob. I had
to confess where l was going and
whom I was going to see, but I init
mated that l had promised to 60 to
make n Of a house party and ex-
pected to be much bored. Bob told
me he thought I'd have a good time II
I only made up my mind to do so, but
I refused to be convinced.
I made my proposition to Eileen, and
it was %graciously received. But girls
never like to give an answer on the
moment. They like to keep a fellow
worried. It's an awful suspense to a
man, and the more feverish a man is
under it the better the girl likes 1t. !
told her that I wouldn't go back to the
city without an answer. I remained
two days, but the answer didn't come.
I wished l hadn't said what I did
about waiting for it and began to
think of an excuse for breaking the
embarrassing position. Besides, !
couldn't remain away from my duties.
I hit on what seemed an excellent
plan. l would telegraph Bob to call
me back ION business" This would
convince him that I was being bored
and enable me to await my answer in
the city. / sent a message to Bob az
follows: "Insuferably bored. Get me
out of this by wiring me to return on
important business"
I directed the telegraph operator to
send the reply to me at the Gilbert
residence. l told Eileen that I would
go on a tramp during the day and
hoped that by my return at evening
would receive the long deferred an.
swer She would not promise definite
", but gave me to understand not only
that I should have 1t, but that it would
be favorable. l hoped to find my re.
call at the house when I came in from
my tramp and get away on a night
train.
I tramped all day, returning about s
o'clock. I expected to see Eileen on
the piazza dressed for the afternoon
and hoped to be made happy. But al
I approached I saw that the piazza
was vacant. I went up to the front
door and rang for admittance. A maid
came, opened the door and poked q