The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-04-27
Mr.. Tfppler was boiling with rage.

] the only sign OF eUDdrrdSstU she
showed was putting her palm to her
back hair, bur this should not be count
ed as embarrassment, for all women
do that.
Meanwhile the courtship was pro
crossing finely When Mr.. Tippler
went into the back yard he would
seize the limb of tree and pull him
self UP by his aUns to show his
strength to the girl next door. who. he
felt sure. was peepng through the
blinds at him. Then he would Toll on
a wooden bench. taking care to assume
a graceful position. All the while he
was waiting for an opportunity TO
show his contempt for the girl for
whose benefit he was posing
Finally came his chance for revenge.
One day when he was showing off"
in the back yard. while his back was
to the hOu3es. he heard something
lightly strike the ground behind him.
Turning, he saw Al little posy. Looking
up at the next door windows, he saw
no one.
But he knew.
And where was revenge? He was
supremacy happy. Why Not because
he might throw back this little token.
Instead of doing so he put it In his
buttonhole and looked up at half q
dozen windows. from one of which he
WIS sure the posy had been tossed.
His face wore n smile which he in
tended for an appreciative and tender
one. But intended smiles are always
like those people put on to be photo.
graphed, stereotyped. Nevertheless ii
was seen and appreciated by Grace
Buddington, who had thrown the posy.
It's the old story Of the alternate
claw and velvet touch. From time
immemoria women have poured wa
ter-sometimes hot water-on mems
heads and then have wiped out the
insult by posy.
This love affair had passed the ex-
cruciating first stage. Having been
begun all wrong. its earlier features
were distressing to the young man.
But as all things are enjoyable from
antithesis, he found delight in the
very unhappiness that had marked its
beginning. The girl. who at that be-
ginning had found pleasure in pour
ing water upon the adornments which
the young man-like certain birds who
disport themselves in rare plumage to
attract the female-had put on to
please her. pursued the even tenor of
her way. She was simply doing her
share in the love making on feminine
principles that are as far
hidden from men ms undiscovered nat
ural laws. Was her first communica-
ton with him stroke Of genius?
Did she reason that 1t was an eff
Client way Of snarng him? Not by
those steps which men call reason.
She chose her way instinctively
Having first made the young man
suffer and then given him sop, the
young lady proceeded to the next step.
Common usage would have suggested
an open acquaintance But Miss Bud
dington. as has been observed, was
not prone to use common methods.
Was 1t because she acted on the prin-
ciple that stolen fruit is the sweetest
or did she consider secrecy and du
plicity better suited to her purpose?
Only woman can answer this ques-
ton. and perhaps no woman could an
swer except for herself.
Miss Buddington now thought 1t
time that her admirer should do some
thing in the way of cOurtship, so she
waited The young man had learned
the whereabouts of her room and had
learned that 1t was third story back.
his own being in like position in his
own home. A window in each room
adjoined. He contrived to get Il note
to his lady love by tying a string TO
the end of his cane and the note on
the end of the string, whipping the
missive into her open window. This
led to an endless string between the
two windows. over which passed bits
Of nothings. gradually warming up
until they became words of love.
One morning Mrs. Buddlngton, who
was nourshing some plants in her
back yard. TURNING from them, hap
pened to look up at the rear Of her
domicile Her curiosity was excited
by an endless string run on two pull
leys, the one fixed to window sill
Of the adjoining house. the other to
the sill of one of her daughters win
dows The lady kept her own counsel
but the same afternoon. seeing the
young man next door come in. she
hurried out to the back yard and con
ceaed herself under tree. where she
could keep watch Of the endless string.
II was not long before it began to
move. and with II a folded bit Of white
paper. hand detached the paper.
and in few minutes another paper
was crawling along the string in the
opposite direction.
Grace" said Mrs. BuddnGtOn the
next morning at breakfast. get ready
to go to your Aunt Mary's. You will
leave on the O'Clock train
Why, mother, what's that for?'
Never mind what for And you'll
not come back here next autumn You
will go to boarding school"
But boarding school failed to solve
the problem. What there was in "A
pitcher OF cold water poured over Mr.
Tippler and his spick and span outfit
to cement him to Miss Buddington rs
mortar will unite two bricks is a mYs
terry. At any rate his love once thus