The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1910-05-19
RANLEYS
CoURTSnIP

boarded with her mother he gazed
bered her the most frequently with
candy and flowers.
These tributes were not bestowed
in person, but were left at the door of
the dark back parlor, which Leila and
her mother used as sleeping room.
1t was something of a disappointment
to her when she first realized that the
delightfully."- mysterious boxes were the
gifts of the exceedingly plain Ranley,
for neither his appearance nor his
Leila had her sentimental dreams, but
the comfortable reality of the sweets
and posies made up for the shy, halt
ing speech and awkward presence of
her admirer, so she accepted his at
tentions with almost as much grace
and coquetry as if Ranley had been
the embodiment of her girlish ideals.
One evening as Leila was about to
join the group of boarders who were
trying in almost suffocated silence to
she was stopped in the hall by Ranley.
With one impulse the boarders
ceased tanning as they heard him say:
Mis- L-Leila, m-may | s-speak to you
alone m-minute in the p-parlor?"
1T has come" Kissed the motherly
boarder to the vacation school teacher
by her side. Il knew he'd propose this
week"
It's about time giggled the young
girl stenographer, who had often
looked enviously at the bouquets with
which Leila decorated her simple dim
ity frocks.
pray hush" admonished the mid
dle-aged man who prided himself upon
his courtly manner. Our talk is de
trop. We must not interrupt the
course of loves young dream
His fellow boarders shifted at his
words, but sympathized with his de-
sire not to interfere with the forth
coming declaration, so they sat silent,
while Ranley, behind the open
screened windows. coughed and
cleared his throat with preliminary
solemnity which brought the bushes
to Leilas cheeks and raised the eX-
pectation of the boarders to fever
heat.
Miss Leila, you-you must have
n-noticed m-my attentions to y-you,"
he stammered.
,,,nrp,ura5 ola almost in
audibly, but the boarders somehow
knew what she was saying.
81 w-wanted to t-tell you. to a-ask
y-you-that is, it m-means a l-lot to
me. W-will you--oh, Miss Leila, |
hesitate to ask you, b-but-' He
struggled and coughed and then, with
a supreme effort, continued, I've got
a c-cold. Will you make me minus.
tard paster?"
The boarders gasped. The motherly
boarder, who was the first to regain
her composure, exclaimed: We'll, |
never in all my born days."
The insurance clerk said: me, too
For a week or so there was a no
ward Ranley. He, however, kept up
campaign of chocolates and carna-
lions that melted her heart. One
night the young girl stenographer
tiptoed out to the front steps where
the boarders as usual had assembled
and announced in a stage whisper to
the insurance clerk: Hes taken her
into the parlor again
we don't wish to eavesdrop OF
course" remarked the middle-aged
man, but it is only polite to main
tain silence"
The mild chatter accordingly ceased
and the deprecating voice Of Ranley
was heard humbly begging leave ito
tell M-Miss L-Leila something"
I'm sure I'll be glad to hear any
thing you have to say" bravely helped
Leila.
"W-well, II thought y-youd like to
know" A pause. Yes, | saw your
mothers cook washing the d-dog in
the dish pan"
The boarders looked at each other
blankly and the middle-aged man sur
prised them by saying: We'll, upon
my word, / fear it's all off.
The next night, however, when the
party adjourned from the dining-room
to the front steps the excitement was
high.
Il saw it the minute she sat down
at the table" said the motherly
boarder in boastful tone.
How could you help it?' asked the
vacation school teacher, tartly. She
took every opportunity to wave her
hand in our faces. | think large dia
mond is hashy and vulgar, myself"
but how did it ever happen
asked the insurance clerk. "Ranley
must have been going some since last
night"
Don't forget that this is leap year,
remarked the young girl stenographer
Just shen Ranley and Leila ap
peared, looking conscious but happy
Ranley said: "Y-you are all s-such
& -good Friends ! w-want to t-tell y-you
THAT" He looked hopelesSly at the
blushing girl beside him and she
smiled encouragingly.
Il was just ggoing to s-say that
w-want to t-tell you I'll take my WA
cation next w-week If | get over mmy
p-prickly h-heat." - Chicago Daily
News