Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1910-07-06
SHE TOOK
A CHANCE

"Clarice." cooed the brides dearest
girl friend. you've never told me how
yon and Jack happened to ct en-
gagged"
The bride held back her head and
studied the effect of an embroidered
initial on something white and funny.
I've never told a living Soul" she
said.
Goodness. How exciting. What
in the world"
Not one living soul, But if you
promise you'll never tell anybody"
'"Ciarice, You know me better than
to think Id ever breathe a word
Well. il was one night last spring,
I'd been writing letters in my den and
was bored to death. I'd just broken
off with Howard and l hadn't any
hopes of a caller. for Tom was in
Canada and Martin was working
nights on his law cases and Herbert
was out of town and that nice Mr.
Selbert you kris We're all crazy
over"
Il wasn't, if you mean me, Clarice.
you horrid thing | didn't think he
was nice at all. and ! always said he'd
turn out something we didn't expect"
Well. he did, when they arrested
him for bigamy But. then, that hasn't
anything to do with how Jack and
got engaged.
1T was one of those lovely spring
nights, all lilacs and full moon, and
people out walking, and | was cooped
up in my den all alone, with every
blessed man l knew out of the ques-
ton and nobody at home except
Mabel studying her Latin on the
porch You know my den opens right
off the end of the front hall"
The bride paused.
I'D just fixed up that den" she
went on, and | felt so proud of it
that l had everybody come in there.
So when l heard somebody mount the
front steps as if he belonged to the
family, and they say something to
Mabel, didn't bulge.
when Mabel called, Somebody you
know TO see you. Clarice, l just said,
Tell him TO come straight TO the dem
I thought maybe Martin had got tired
of his law cases and come over for a
few minutes
Whoever it was walked in as con
fdently as if he'd been to see me the
day before liked his step. Don't
you think there's a lot of character
in the way people walk? This mans
walk was firm and even, just as if he
knew what he wanted and never would
stop until he got it if it took him
years and years.
Then, what do you think? You'd
never guess in thousand years"
How perfectly romantic" muir
INJURED the girl friend. Il never could
guess, so hurry and tell me"
He came right into the den and
before l could turn around he put his
hands over my eyes and said in the
incest voice. Guess who!
Il racked my brain for minute, for
] knew Id heard the voice before.
though whom it belonged TO l hadn't
most anybody, but knew he was nice.
just the way he walked and the way
his voice sounded. Besides, l was half
crazy for some excitement, and
think il was Just direct Inspiration
l said softly:
There's only one man in the
world who has a right to do that, and
I'd know him among a thousand
What do you think OF that for
nerve But, goodness, l didn't have
time TO reflect on what I'd done.
Things happened too fast.
The next thing | remember is that
| was all punched up in Jack Phelps
coat collar and asking him why he'd
never written me from Colorado all
these years. He'd been away ever
since he left college, you know, and
he was my fiNt sweetheart-in fact,
We were about half engaged when he
went away.
When l saw how perfectly dear he
was and how handsome he looked
don't you think he has the loveliest
nose?-why, never said word; any
way. | was in love with him before
/ knew what was happening
He still thinks remembered his
voice and knew who he was when /
said that-he thinks it's perfectly
wonderful Maybe. when I'm an old
married woman and Jacks baldheaded
I'll tell him about it,
,.D,,. not ,O1u," murmurpd the girl