The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-01-18

ant voice, an honest smile. and when
her face lighted she was very differ
emit person from when her face was at
rest. While she was sedate rather than
frivolous, at times she was merry.
From the moment i saw Molly In the
flesh / resolved to win her II possible.
and wished to withhold any mention
of having fallen into possession of her
picture and keeping 1t en- my dresser,
falling gradually in love with merely
her image, till my proposal, when l 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 Of
i ten that was discouraged / thought
that If could only reach point
where l could ring in my long adora-
ton of her photograph her heart would
warm toward me at once.
Meanwhile another little romance
that l cannot develop here was going
on between my sister Ruth and Molly's
brother. Molly had noticed 1t and
| spoke to me about 1t, but was so In
terested In my own affair that had no
| thought for any others. | didn't hap
pen to meet Molly's brother, but | WAS
/ .lo IL = mind that
| he was the person to whom she mad
/ given the photograph. A brother would
not be likely to write "a peach" on
/ the back of 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. l did not
/ begin with so unromantic matter as
/ an exchange of overcoats. | led up to
the subject by telling her that l had
been familiar with her lineaments be-
| fore | had ever 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
to find words In which to make 1t there
are few girls who do not know the in
evitable result. l 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. l
forgot to tell her that her likeness had
been on my dresser for a long while
before | had met her Her reply to my
proposition 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 O 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. sYou know you
have had picture of mine that didn't
belong to you"
Ny establishment, my curiosity, went
down before the desire of my life. l
told her that fate had thrown into my
possession picture which from the
day / first saw it had grown upon me.
had enthraled me, had been the be-
ginning of my first and only love.
Fate had thrown 1t In 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 coats?' asked.
Bob had his coat taken the day
sent him my likeness. l knew the pat
tern of the cloth we'll 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 it at once
"And Bob?"
81 saw by the way you were looking
at me that you had recognized me and
had done so by my photograph. in
ferred that you would seek me and
kept my own counsel. l haven't yet
told Bob or any one else that you have
been wearing his coat"
| looked ut her steadily for a few
moments, then broke out again, but in
a different vein:
I've been nursing this matter for
months, 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 man
trying to impress woman by chican-
cry or concealment. She'll beat him
every time. When l saw you look at
me the evening you first saw me
fancied that some telepathic process
had informed you that I and you were
destined'-
1T did. l saw admiration In your
glance"
"Oh, that was it! Anyway, the game
has all been In your hands. count
for nothing. l am only beggar."
She was touched by my disappoint-
ment. the abject position In which
found myself. She felt for my hand
and drew closer to me. My victory
came through defeat, but since had
achieved all had set out to achieve |
did not repine.
What was my gain was another's
alx, 80 Dol, he,