The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-07-05
A MODEST
MAID
Nv o. W. SPRINGER
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1871
" .. W. SPRINGER

was, So one midsummer morning |
took train to make the visit. On
reaching the station--l was not ex,
pected till an hour iater--not fluding d
conveyance to meet me. concluded to
leave my baggage at the station and
walk. Never having been to Mrs
Southwick's place before. was obliged
to inquire the way and was put on to a
short route, at the end of which lcould
enter the grounds at the rear ON
arrival climbed a fence and walked
some three or four hundred yards to
a clump of trees. which was SO invit.
ing that concluded 10 penetrate it.
Right in the middle there was swung
hammock, and In the hammock lay q
young girl asleep.
Now, a young girl asleep in ham
mock Is pretty sight at any time. but
If pretty and in shaded nook she
is tempting This one was very pretty.
There was about her that relaxation
artists love to get in their pictures and
statuary. There was slow heaving Of
her breast. Her mouth was partly open,
showing a narrow line OF ivory be
tween pair of pink coral lips.
Well. though the natural conse,
quenee OF a young man seeing girl
thus defenseless before him is that he
cannot resist the temptation to kiss
her and get his ears boxedvnoti for
his pains, but his pleasure will en-.
deavor to describe what happened !
advanced step at time. aud with
every step forward took ten back
ward In my resolution not to dishon-
estly steal what did not belong to me
I reached point but yard from the
sleeper without waking her. She was
slumbering so calmly that for some
time I dared not proceed farther for
fear of awakening her Had she slept
more soundly might have been
holder. But while hating l was grad
ually filing with bravery-or reckless
ness. AS soon as had gathered
enough courage for the purpose ! adj
vanced another step or two. halted.
then bent down to see how near
could bring my face to hers without
Weakening her. then touched my lips
lightly to hers.
Beyond slight spasmodic move
ment she remained the same, Within
a single moment | experienced dread
and reinsurance. The girl slept on. and
I, having achieved my purpose. be-
came suddenly conscious Of the
frightful risk had run and was
seized With a desire to escape the con
sequences of my offense. withdrew
as stealthily as possible and proceed
ed to the house.
/ was received by Mrs. Southwick
with a hearty welcome, and we 81
down together on wicker chairs on the
piazza. "And now that you are here.
she said, land while we are alone !
will give you my reason for inviting
you down. 1 have wife picked out
for you"
"a wifep'
"Yes. very lovely girl. modest. un.
assuming. pretty-indeed, everything
that is maidenly."
"And all this is for me?'
Eyes, but you must proceed with her
very slowly. She is sensitive, pure
The least advance before an offer Of
marriage would undeniably shock her"
"For heavens sake!'' | exclaimed in
wardly. Suppose she should be the
girl asleep in the hammock
1T is this maidenly modesty," con
tinued the go-between. that is Edith's
chief charm. am sure that alone is
enough to make you love her."
81 dare say" replied, with proper
politeness.
When ! was presented to Miss Edith
Greer felt the guilt of Judas Iscariot
welllng up In me. grew red and pale
by turns. ] stammered out few
words that didn't mean anything. l
sat down before she or Mrs, South
wick had seated herself and jump
ed up as II had encountered tack
on the cushion. Meanwhile Miss Greer
stood with her eyes bent on the floor
as IL were the first young man she
had ever met. Mrs. Southwick came
to the rescue by inviting us into the
dining room for luncheon
The fact that the young lady dis
played no such embarrassment as she
might have done had she been sensi-
BILE of the kiss bad stolen, that she
neither appeared shocked nor indig-
nant. brought return Of confidence.
found he~ rather too unsophisticated;
but, as Mrs. Southwick had said. her
modesty was her chief charm. AS |
noticed this | shuddered at the enor-
nifty of my offense in pressing those
pure lips with mine and gave frequent
thanks that the piracy had not been
detected.
Mrs. Southwick made the match she
intended. The only difficulty In the
way was that the young lady was so
sweetly innocent that 1t seemed a
sacrilege to me to propose to her ]
finally got out proposition. and.
though at first she said she was too
young and too inexperienced to trust
herself to any man, since she regard
ed me the soul of honor she would
commit herself to my keeping.
The denouement Of love story
usually comes with a wedding. In
this case 1t comes at a tin wedding.
"What modest little thing you