Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-12-02
From Lucille S
Diary

very much, and / never supposed he
could be as unreasonable and domi-
neering as he has proved himself re-
Gently. .
: Monday evening of last week when
we were coming home from the thea
ter he said he was tired of dilly-dally-
ing.
"Dilly-dallying," l repeated. what
do you mean?"
II mean," he answered in a voice
sterner than l had ave. dreamed he
could speak to me, that you must
either say yes or no-that / am
through with this uncertainty, I want
to know, Lucille, If you care for me
enough to promise to marry me-"
DO you call that pretty lovemak-
ing?" I asked, laughing a little nerv.
ously.
You know what 1 want, Lucille. 1
want you, and you have known it a
long time. have tried pretty love-
making, and, 40 matter what l have
said or done, you have always put me
OF with a laugh or some other means
OF keeping me or tenterhooks. Lucille"
his voice fairly thrilled with emotion,
I'm not going to wait any longer for
a definite answer. Is it to be yes?"
II don't see why we have to be en-
gagged" I said, poutingly.
1--WE don't have to be-" he replied
in a sort of doomsday voice that fright
ened me into slipping my hand into
his and murmuring. "But we shall
be, Malcolm"
OF course, after that he was much
happier and began at once to talk
about a ring.
Although / had never been very
keen for being engaged, since an I'M
engaged girl always has more fun, I
thought at first it was not going to be
so bad after all, especially the next
morning, when mother woke me about
nine o'clock, bringing into my room a
box OF lovely roses which Malcolm
had sent me on his way downtown.
But my hopes of peace and harmony
were dashed that very night when
Malcolm came to the house right after
dinner, frightfully out Of humor.
"You know" he said, 81 asked you
last evening if you had any engage
ment for this afternoon, and you said
you hadn't. So when l found I could
get away from the Office I phoned to
ask you to come down for afternoon
tea with me and 1 was told you were
out. That was disappointment enough
without my seeing you. as I did, in
Knights automobile
II think you are very foolish and
quick tempered, Malcolm, to be vexed
at such a little thing" 1 said. "When
Arthur came for me / could hardly
say, No, thank you; there's a posi-
bility of some n else asking me out
this afternoon could II"
"You could have told him of our en-
gagement and then he would not have
expected you to go in his car"
why, Malcolm! I don't want to
tell anyone now. Let's keep it a
secret for a long time yet"
II should much prefer to tell every
body to-day
"Oh, no; let's have it a secret for a
little while at least. That's the dear
boy"
"Well, just as you say, Lucille" he
acquiesced with quite good grace.
Gut now, what shall we do this eve
ning?"
81 can't do anything this evening
Malcolm" 1 explained. 'sThat is, with
you. I've already accepted an invi-
tation to go to the theater with Ned
Bartlett" Malcolm scowled, so that
fastened to add: HE invited me a
week ago, so you mustn't mind"
"But I do mind he grumbled.
well, how about tomorrow EVENING""
II have to stay at home tomorrow
evening, because that delightful Mr..
RAYMOND knew in Europe is coming.
He wrote me that he was to be in
town just n evening on his way
west and he wanted to pass it with
me talking over the good times we
had abroad. Of course you can come,
too, Malcolm. though it might be a lit
tie dull for you"
II shall not want to intrude upon
your duet of "reminiscences" Malcolm
said, in the glummest way. "If by any
chance, Lucille, you find yourself dis
engaged any evening this week we
might arrange to pass it together"
Certainly" l answered, generously
overlooking his sarcastic manner.
How will Saturday do? This is Tues
day and tomorrow Mr.. RAYMOND will
be here. Thursday l promised to go
to the country club dance with Arthur
knight, and there's a possibility of
Candy Fuller's coming Friday evening.
But Saturday I'll be free to go out
with you"
You're very kind" he said, laugh
ing ungraciously.
He was positively rude. The very
moment mentioned Mr.. RAYMOND he
became annoyed and spoke in the
most unreasonable tanner. Then he
cut the conversation off in the middle