Middletown transcript., 1911-03-11

was raCueF prlm anu pTecIses bHl
she was q sort OF tomboy; be
cause heswas in love with bel
and because of several other
reasons, he had come to speak 81
her as Little Miss Chit.
She was saucy and impudeni
and independent, and she was
very demure and deceitful aud
ingenious. If she loved him in
return she wasn't going to lei
him know it until she got good
and ready. She resented bis
prinness and preciseness and
the rebukes he offered,
When her mother talked to
her about her wicked ways she
elevated her chittish chin and
replied:
And who is Harold to boss me.
He is only a bit older than I am,
though he acts like an old
deacon. I'm going to keep at
him until he drops that awful
dignity and acts as any other
young man would.
He has asked you to marry
him, presume? queried the
mother.
Yes, he has, and how did he
do it? We were sitting in the
summer house one evening, and
/ was chewing gum. It was a
beautiful night. The crickets
were singing, and the night
breeze was rustling the big will
low. 1t was Just the incest night
in the world to talk love, but
did he talk it? No, mamma.
After we had sat there like two
stupids for a long half hour, and
just as I was expecting him to
drop to his knees and propose,
he said:
Do you think we ought to keep
q cat when we are married?
Why, mamma, I was so mad
that I almost swallowed my gum!
Did you ever hear the like?
Harold is very steady young
man, and you are hoity-toity, re,
piled the mother.
I'm not. It's just only that |
won't be o grandmother till I
have TO be. Oh, you wait. Ill
bring that young man off his
pedestal il he continues to hang
around here. If be thinks I'm
going to walk a chalkline for
him he's very much mistaken
Harold was expected that very |
evening, and he arrived on time
not a minute too soon nor a |,
minute too late. The butler
waved him into the parlor, ac-
cording to program, and accord
ing to further program he ex.
pected to find Miss Gertrude
sitting bolt upright in her chair
as she waited his appearance.
But she wasn't in a chair ut all. !
She was sitting on the floor Ii se
a girl Of ten, and moreover she
was making a rag doll. She
looked for Mr.. Speed to exclaim.
He might even turn and leave
the house. He did nothing Of
the kind. He simply said:
Sorry, Miss Chit that you
haven't another little girl to play
with. Excuse me, please, while
I look at the latest 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 to herself, but she couldn t
even rufie the Conservative
young man. He seemed quietly
to enjoy the situation.
On another occasion he began
20 talk politics as soon as he en-
tered her presence, and after
standing it for half an hour she
yawned and asked il hehad any
objection to going out and buy.
ing aquart Of peanuts to roast
in the kitchen. She hoped he
would flush up and even swear,
but he, disappointed her,. He
remained cool and calm and an
swered that he hoped her
frivolity would entirely dis
appear some day.
Again, he entered the parlor
to find her walking up and down
with a cane, and her fathers silk
hat on her head. She continued
I'd walk after bis entrance, and it !
was only after he had seated
himself and began to read a
letter taken from bis pocket that
she threw hat and cane into q
corner and exclaimed:
Harold Speed, am I nobody or
nething?
Why, yes-you are little Miss
Chit, he answered.
And yon are Dignity on d !
mountain! Say, would you jump !
IL D street car was coming al
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