The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-11-08
Game for Two

Now, as he entered the parlor he
gave the ~impressioa of a young gen.
tleman whose hands were empty, and
no matter how he was viewed the gaze
Jew back to the emptiness of his hands.
oh, most Enthusiastically empty were his
hands, and absolutely innocent of eth.
er candy or flowers. Most conscious.
ly empty, too, they were, blushing a
dull red as they hung by their thumbs
from his waistcoat pockets in a sheep
ish sort of way, hanging in shame, as
1t were, and yet with a sort of sullen
bravado, as though saying:
"Well, what Of it,"
Yes, even thus u hero entered the
parlor and said:
"Hello!"
And as his salutation is subdued
into silence, let vi look at the lady
In the ase and see whether the eye OF
circumspection can come to rest on a
matter so mobile. Plump and coy
and divinely short was the lady in
question, with a pert, quick manner OF
movement and eyes that were alter
nately bright with speculation or
brighter yet with conviction.
How late you are!"
"Yes," said he, Il made up my mind
that, beginning with the new year, ]
was going to work hard, and that's
what kept me-"
"Gracious!" said she, and again she
looked at the emptiness and the sheep
ishness of his hands.
IL didn't bring any flowers to-
night" he said. "I'd been thinking it
over, and it seemed such a-such a.
such a-such a-that, anyway, I swore
or"
"My!" said she, and swinging her
foot, she asked, in a careless a
ner: did you swear anything else
of, John?"
"Well," he said, avoiding her eye,
candy"
and brighter grew her glance.
"And concerts" he continued, his
voice dropping a note and hanging
over the edge of the tragics.
And even brighter grew her glance.
"And all sorts of shows" he con-
cluded, far, far down the keyboard.
"My!" said she. You were busy!"
"Yes," he said, trying to look at
her in a significant manner. And
now I'll be able to save a little money
and then"
Flowers" she said. raising one
finger.
He nodded.
Candy" she said. raising another
He nodded again.
Concerts"
Again he nodded.
"And all sorts of shows" she con.
cluded.
And, nodding again, he drew a long
breath and made room for her on the
sofa, saying:
"Grace!"
NO." she mournfully made answer.
tive sworn of"
"Sworn of what?"
Sitting on the sofa like you meant
I made up my mind that beginning
with the new year, l was keeping you
away from your work too much. So,
I just swore of" And, shaking her
head, she sighed: mo. No more,
John"
Whereupon he went over to her
with considerable velocity of locomo-
ton, holding out his hand and crying
with emotion: :
"Grace!"
NO" she murmured. putting her.
hands behiud her and shaking her
head. i've sworn that OFF, too, joint"
"Sworn what OFF," demanded John.
Holding hands," she murmured
again.
"You have, have you?"
"Oh, dear, yes!" And still keeping
her hands behind her, she looked up
at him and pleasantly remarked what
a beautiful day 1t has been, joint"
!, But as for John, he marched out into
the hall. jammed his hat on his head,
and laid violent hands upon his coat.
She followed him.
"Goodby!" he muttered.
"Goodby, john" she pleasantly an.
swered him.
Goodby ~forever!" he said, Furnishing
his coat.
ooh, that's such a long time!" she
said.
$50 it's all wei between us!" he
scowled, turning up his coat collar and
looking ferocious.
And as for John, John slammed
the door open, passed out into the ves
tibule and banged the door behind him.
From the hall inside she pleasantly
waved her hand at him and turning to
annihilate her with an awful look his
eyes fell upon the solitaire that CLEAN.
ed from one Of her fingers.
"Here. I want my ring. back!" he
pantomimed to her through the glasa
Of the door. Z.
To which she pleasantly pantomim,
ed back:
aT've sworn OF giving rings back
john"
And pleasantly drew down the blind
And 10 for John. John sat down on
the top step buried In thought, from
which he emerged at last, saying to
himself: