Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-01-20

picture ana keeping IL on my dresser,
falling gradually in love with merely
her image, till my proposal, when in
tended to make the most of 1t. Molly
accepted my attention. But most girls,
believe, like to keep a sutton In doubt,
which they can do without the slight
est trouble. All they have to do is to
frown occasionally or excuse them
selves when he calls on the plea of In
disposition and the bottom of his uni
verse drops out Immediately. Molly
played these little games on me so o.
ten that was discouraged. thought
that IL 1 could only reach a point
where could ring In my long adora-
ton of her photograph her heart would
warm toward me at once.
Meanwhile another little romance
that / cannot develop here was going
on between my sister Ruth and Molly's
brother. Molly had noticed 1t and
spoke to me about it, but was SO in
terested in my own AFFAIR that had no
thought for any others. I didn't hap
pen to meet Molly's brother, but was
not slow in making up my mind that
he was the person to whom she had
given the photograph. A brother would
not be likely to write "a peach" on
the back of a sisters picture, but the
brother in this case might have had a
friend who admired the sister.
One thing noticed In Molly's treat
ment of me that construed favorably.
Whenever she would give me the cold
shoulder she would follow up her act
by being especially gracious. After one
Of these fits of graciousness resolved
to bring matters to a crisis. did not
begin with so unromanttc a matter as
an exchange OF overcoats. / led up to
the subject by telling her that I had
been familiar with her hneaments be-
fore i had evnr seen her. She evidently
saw what was coming, not from my
words, but my manner. When a man
has proposal on his mind and trying
are few girls who do not know the In
evitable result I might just as well
have said nothing after making the
start, and what did say was not what
had intended to say. At any rate,
forgot to tell her that her likeness had
been on my dresser for a long while
before had met her. Her reply to my
was startling.
"Why haven't you returned Bob's
overcoat?"
drew aside to get better view of
her expression. She was toying with
some ornamental work on her skirt,
her eyes cast down. Nevertheless
detected slight quirk to the corner Of
her mouth.
"Wh-a-at do you mean ?" asked.
"Come; don't pretend what's not
true" she replied. you know you
have had picture of mine that didn't
belong to you"
My establishment, my curiosity, went
down before the desire of my life. 1
told her that fate had thrown into my
a picture which from the
day fist saw it had grown upon me,
had enthralled me, had been the be-
ginning of my first and only love.
Fate had thrown it I'm my way
you mean fate threw Bob's over
coat in your way, the overcoat happen
Ing to contain my photograph"
This matter Of fact reception Of my
outburst somewhat cooled me,
"How did you know about the ex-
change of coatsT asked.
Bob had his coat taken the day i
sent him my likeness. knew the pat
tern of the cloth well and have been
looking for 1t ever since. The moment
saw you at the breaking up of the
bridge party, standing in the hall with
Bob's coat on, recognized 1t at once"
"And BobT
IT saw by the way you were looking
at me that you had recognized me and
had done SO by my photograph. I In
ferred that you would seek me and
kept my own counsel. haven't yet
told Bob or any one else that you have
been wearing his coat"
/ looked at her steadily for a few
then broke out again, but In
/ different vein: !,
I've been nursing this matter for
intending pleasant surprise,
and now you've taken the wind out of
my sails. Ever since met you you've
known that had been In possession of
your picture. There's no use in a man
trying to impress a woman by chilean
ny Ok cOuCedlHueuC. 6ueL DeaL HIN
svery time. When saw you look at
ne the evening you first saw me /
'ancied that some telepathic process
had Informed you that and you were
iesttned"-
1T did. I saw admiration in your
glance"
ooh, that was i'll Anyway, the game
,as all been in your hands. count
'or nothing. am only beggar."
She was touched by my disappoint-
nent, the AFFECT position in which I
'ound myself. She felt for my hand
md drew closer to me. My victory
anne through defeat, but since had
achieved all I had set out to achieve /
lid not repine.
What was my gain was another's
oss. The mana chum of Bob's-who
lad written "A peach" on the back of
holly's photo was an aspirant for her
hand when I appeared on the scene
md was obliged to withdraw in my
avor. Bob and Ruth are married, and
Molly and I are engaged. It's all out
now, and Bob and have re-exchanged
oats. AS Molly's likeness grew on me
,afDra had seen har and 40 aho prraxv |