The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-06-17
THE REJECTED
DREAM MAN
BY AMELIA TRuEsDALE.


Roy Adams. padding about among
the water lilies with Ruby Lane, had
just come near proposing to her and
she to refusing him, this being their
customary daily diversion. Now he
was watching her Iazily. That was
what irritated her so-his inordinate
laZinesS He was large and blond
with placid blue eyes like sleepy
baby's. She was little and trim as
waNwork. and her gray eyes were
clear and keen.
Il don't know what kind of fellow
you want he Grumbled amiably, with
an indolent movement of one oar
Hes brisk" Ruby replied, and en-
ergetic"
Think I've got him in my minds
eye" Roy gave the other oar an easy
touch. Small and bustling and chip
perry, like the little cock sparrow that
sat on a tree"
"He isn't like that in the least"
Ruby sat up prim and stiff and rosy
with indignation.
"Oh. isn't he? Beg his pardon.
Where is he now"
AT work." Ruby replied promptly.
her tone implying comparison be-
Z
and one who idlcd his time away at
summer hotel
'Perhaps he has an object in view"
/ Roy inSinuatcd.
'Perhaps.' Ruby admitted demurc!y
"And-um-tS the object to be at
tanned soOn?'
Ruby let her eyes drop toward the
top ruttic of her blue organdie.
"I-don't know exactly; not before
next spring" She was dabblinc her
hand in the lake. her eyelashes still!
slanting downward
"Ah! Congratulate him and every
thing. Shall We row over to that
| bunch Of willows or down to the little
cove?'
For an instant Ruby wished she
might ZIP the boat over, just to see if
his eNa$peratinG cquanimity would be
disturbed by such an emergency.
II don't believe 1t would" she de-
cided in disgust. He'd get us out if
he could conveniently, and if he
couldn't he'd drown with the content
cd smile on his face sercncly as if
he were wooden Shem out Of a toy
Noahs ark"
Mrs. Albert Lloyd was peacefully
crochctfnG when her sister Ruby whirl-
ed in upon her, cast herself into a
rocking chair and rocked ten.pestu
ously for three minutes. Mrs Albert
viewed her quietly. suspcnding her
crochet hook for Il moment
Been fencing with Mr.. Adams
aGain:' she qucricd mildly.
Yes Ruby answered. but hard
ly think he'll care about fencing any
more"
NO? Why not:"
Il practically told him I was-cn-
gagged
Dear me. And to whom?"
"a person I invented"
You unprinciplcL wretch! What
did YOU do it for:'
Just to see what effect it would
have
And what effect did it have?"
Mono at all. You couldn't stir him
up to move an cyclash whatever you
did. Hes too sublimeIy lazy even TO
lose his temper"
Mrs. Albert shook her head gently
on re OIL the track she comment
cd, unUinding more scarlet wool. He
may perhaps be guilty of always keep
ing his temper. and. let me tell YOU, n
married woman would consider that n
Very good failing. but as for being lazy
-Alberts friends say that. although
ne has that lazy way and looks as if
ne were letting things go to smash if
lheE want to, he has his eye on every
I 'hlhE ana every move he makes
counts. I shouldn't wonder II you've
put Your silly foot in it for once with
your invented man"
Mrs. Lloyd ceased her lecture as she
round herself talking to a dissolvinr
view OF blue orGandie ruf1es and a
I couple of whiSkiug sash ends and re-
turned TO her crochetinc.
Roy appeared before Ruby carly the
next day in his usual calm frame of
mind and his boating rig.
mink he'll object to your going out
on the lake with me just once more:"
ne asked I'm going away early to-
morrow morning"
What for:" she asked.
Have to- he responded. "Nacation
comes to.an end tonight. Can YOU co:''
She reflected dismally that she must
either confess her little romance of
yesterday to he an unfoundcd one or
DID C0odbE forever to this eXasperat-
Ing man, and she knew now that the
latter was something she could not do
and retain any shred of happiness.
She waited. however. until they were
out on the blue. soothing bosom of the
lake Then she rushed into it
He couldn't object YOU know" she
said. rcverting to his remark of some
time before, because he's only a fc-
ton