The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-01-20

'lu lhlHAlhS uO" W.! u'"i 'l-''
method would be at our unil crsi'i
where athletics are so mu' y il y";.2.
Every undergraduate would be G.,t
ried before the end of his course
1t was Il month after this that. haY
ing got all out of SpitHburger in THE
line of my studies that desir d ! l''
gan to think of leaving. A Sineu,a
something there was in Irene had coI
tinued to grow upon me, and-wcll
wanted her. Remembering what Ii u
father had said on the subject, ! wen
to him and asked him for his dauGhtcT
81 will inform her of the honor you
do her." he said.
/ waited a day for q reply, and as J
received none the suspense threw uc
into an awful fret. At the end Of the
second day, the situation being tn
same, l was almost demented. On the
morning of the third, determined to
have the matter out with Irene. |
asked her to gQRfor walk with me.
the last we would take together befo"'
my departure. She assented and weni
up to her room for her wraps. She
W tlS SOIllt lllut StliliiS lilNlli' anu " ilN4'
she came down what was my surprise
to see that she had put on a skirt
reaching but little below the knees, AM
instead of hat she had wrapped q
veil about her head.
| didn't dream for awhile what thi ,
meant, but when she led me along 9
path and across a stile to a space used
Ia, I cI1sIpgtp1 O.
once that she proposed TO satisfy q
whim by giving me an answer to ny
proposal after the Lapland custom. J
was too hungry for it to object to the
terms and was quite ready to run for
my answer. Indeed, so impatient was
that l opened the subject myself
"a good place for a race" I re.
marked
Splendid"
"And fine morning for it too. The
air is crisp and full of ozone
81 love to snuff it in and get the
odor.'
do you see that tree yonder"
1.-THE oak split into two trunks near
the ground?"
"Yes. have a mind to race you for
it,"
How much advantage will you give
me?"
What you like"
She pulled off fur jacket and threw
it ON the ground, and l saw at once
that she had divested herself of hel
corsets-indeed, there was nothing tc
interfere with any movement. Hel
short skirt, a tight fitting jersey ant
the veil about her head made an eX
cellent racing costume.
But these preparations appalled, ne
What could they mean but that SHE
desired every advantage that she miSh
surely beat me in the race?
Il wish no handicap" she said. :"
think l can beat you on equal terms
/ will go over to that stump, which i.
about the same distance from the tree
as we are here. One race would b.
| little fun. Let us make it the best tN
in three You give the signal"
agreed" said. and she went off /,
! the stump.
zone, two, three-gor' | cried
She ran like Il deer; but, spurred b,
love, ! kept an equal pace with hoi
| won that race.
The second race was very differen,
Irene permitted me at first to gain ;
few yards on her, but before we h&'
| traverSpd tWothirds of the distan
she forged ahead and reached the tr"
full ten feet ahead of me.
! knew now that she could beat III
If she wished Nevertheless / deem@
it my proper part to do the best
could in the third and deciding race
Burning to know my fate, | wished
start at once But she declined to g
until she got her breath. While W
waited endeavored to see somethin
encouraging in her eyes-something I
indicate that these races were the M
swer was expecting. But there wa
nothing in her expression to indiCat
that we were running for any purpoS
except pastime. She studiously IL
nored every other consideration.
Finally when my patience was neal
ly exhausted, she signified a willing
ness to start. I gave the signal, an
for the first half the distance sh
seemed determined to win. Surely sh
could not have put forth greater ei
fort. saw her glance aside to Sc
where was. and she dashed on, seen
ingly bound to reach the goal befor
me- But when within ten yards of i
my distance being twenty, she trippr
and fell. | ran on to the tree, touchr
1t and then back to her, Raising he
l said impatiently:
81 suppose we must try this on
over" ....r ,......
mo" she said; 81 couldn't III
again" L
l still held her in my arms. anC
taking this for the answer l craved
wound them about her. covering he
face with kisses.
Supposing that my love had bee
injured by her fall, proposed to ca
ry her home. but she stepped out quit
readily.
) "How about that trippingY l askc,
She looked at the ground but mad
no reply, and l knew she had trippc
]