The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-01-31
~ LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY.
scopyright. 1911. by Associated Liter
AIRY Prcss.)

~ LAWNEN(G ALrH 1890
tcopyright. 1911. by Associated Liter
ary PresS.)
Because Harold Speed was twenty
four years old. and because Miss Ger
trude Rayhurn was only nineteen; be-
l cause he was rather prir1 and precise.
and she was a sort OF tcmboy: because
he was I'm love with her and because
AZ several other reasons. he had come
to speak OF her as Little Miss Chit.
she was saucy and impudcnt and In
sierenden;. and she was very demure
and deceitful and ingenious If she
loved him in return she wasn't going
20 let him Eaow IL Until she got good
nnd ready. She resented his primness
end preciseness and the rebukes he Of
Tered.
When her mother talked to her about
her wicked ways she elevated her chit
slsh chin and replied:
And who is Harold to boss me? He
4 IS only a bill older than j am, though
ne acts like an old deacon. I'm going
10 keep at him until he drops that
awful dignity and acts as any other
young man would"
"He has asked you to marry him.
presu,ne9'' qsleried the mother
YES he has, and how did he do it?
We were citing in the summer house
one evening, and | was chewing gum.
II WAS a heautiAil night. The crickets
were singing. and the night breeze was
rustifng the bis willow. 1t was tusf the
incest night In the world TO talk love,
bat did he talk 1t? No. mamma. After
we had sat there like two stupids for q
long half hour and just as ] was ex-
pecting him to drop TO his knees and
propose he said:
. DE yea think we ought to keep
cat when we are married
why. mamma. ! was SO mad that
] almost swallowed my gum! Did YOU
ever hear the like?''
Harold Is a very steady young man,
and you are hoity-h5ity." replied the
mother.
"Im not. It's just only that won't
be a grandmother till have to he.
oh. you wait I'll bring that young
man Off his pedestal IL he continues 10
hang around here. IL he thinks I'm
going 10 walk a ehalkline for him he's
very much mistaken.
Harold was expected that very even
ing and he arrived on time~-net a
minute too soon nor Il minute too late.
The butler waved him into the parlor,
according to program. and according tn
further program he expected To find
Miss Gertrude sitting bolt upright In
Htf Nilf14l dF Tfit Nd1tNb aPPtsNi dhNF.
But she wasn't In chair at all. She
was sitting on the floor like IA girl of
ten. and moreover, she was making
i. rag doll She hooked for Mr.. Speed
TO eSciainl. He might even turn and
leave the house. He did nothing Of the
kind. He simply said:
sorry. Miss Chit. that you haven't
smother little girl to play with. Ex-
cuse me- please, while look AT the lat
est magazine"
.'Oh. sure. Wish grandma was home
to talk with you"
And for long hour she sat there
and talked to her doll and sung 10 her.
self. but she couldn't even ruftie the
conservative young man. lie seemed
quietly to enjoy the situation.
On another occasion he began te
talk politics as soon as he entered her
presence. aud after standing IL FOR hall
an hour she yawned and asked II he
had any objection 10 going out and
buying n quart OF peanuts To roast IL
the Kitchen She hoped he would flush
ZIP and even swear. but he disappointed
her. He remained cool and calm and
answered that he hoped her frivolit.
would entirely disappear some day.
Again. he entered the parior To find
her walking mp and down with a cane
and her fathers silk hat on her head
She continued to walk after his en-
trance. and II was only after he hat
seated himself and began to read a let
Ter taken from his pocket that fshs
threw hat and cane into a corner and
exclaimed
Harold Speed am I nobody OF
nothing
why. yes-~you are little MISS
Chit he answered.
And YOU are Dignity on noun