The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-18

| this planning was wondering which
| one of the trio he should honor with
| his company.
I'm in the deuce of a fix, three nice
girls, all Of them more than pretty and
all in love with be! Pity I can't take
/ all three. Guess TIL have to let the
| dice decide, no hurry though they'd
/ wait till the last minute" Then with
grin, the other fellows are not in
| 1t with me- -
Three days before the ball Adams
came to the conclusion that Laura
should be the favored one and dis
| patched note, asking for the pleasure
| of her company to the ball.
| Much to his surprise and chagrin
came the following reply:
! Mr.. Chas. Adams:
Your note received and in reply
would say that it will be impossible
for me to accept your invitation, as
my company is engaged.
Sincerely,
LAURA HOLT"
Thunder" he calculated.
| But nothing daunted he sent a note
to Emma.
She replied in the same words as
did Laura.
We'll, I'll be blowed!" he snorted
| and then he sent a request for Ma
| bel's company.
| When Mabel replied in the identical
| words of the two former notes, Adams
| was dazed for a moment and then ne
! said angrily, I'll be damned"
OF course such a fascinating young
man as Adams had no difficulty in
| finding hartman opd Iod 20
whom he had paid little attention
was made supremacy happy and very
| proud, by being selected, above all
others, by this popular young man,
and it was with quite a condescending
air that she greeted tho three friends
| when they met at the ball.
| When Adams saw that Emma, Laura
| and Mabel were escorted by the for
mer devoted fellows" who were not
| in it, with him, he supposed they had
| plucked up courage to get ahead OF
| him and that the girls were too polite
| to refuse them; but there was a mis-
| chievous sparkle in their eyes when
| they glanced at him, that made him
uneasy.
| If they were not enjoying them
| selves, at least, they made a most
I
| and the three escorts grinned ma
/ Iiciously as they greeted him with,
Hello, Adams, jolly night, en-"
While dancing with Laura, Adams
said in his old time assured manner,
TN coming to see you tomorrow even
| ing"
ooh, too bad, but have an engage
| ment"
| Next evening then"
All right"
I'll have to ask the question then,
for that old lover of hers was entirely
too devoted tonight" Adams NUT
! tered as he went to his room after
| the ball.
AS he went up the steps of Laura
| home, he heard merry voices and
| laughter and he saw that the house
was brilliantly lighted, Unexpected
company" he said, as he rung the
| bell.
When shown into the room where
he had spent so many evenings with
Laura, Adams saw the three friends
and the gentlemen who had been their
| escorts to the ball.
Adams was i'll at ease and could not
understand the situation; he had
| pTOugnL some new music TOT Laura
| and asked her to play 1t.
As her hands swept the keys he
| caught the sparkle Of a new ring. a
solitaire-and he had one in his pocket.
He concluded that he would come
| again, when he could see Laura alone.
AS he started to leave, Mr.. Alcott said.
| oh, by the way, Adams. I know you
| will rejoice at my happiness, you know
| Laura and have always known each
| other and when she was six and
was ten, asked her to marry me
/ and she said Yes and she said yes
! again last night and I have her per-
mission to announce the engagement.
| Before Adams could frame a reply
| the gentleman with Emma said, AL
| low me TO introduce my future wife. y
! MabeFs companion s8id, "Congratu-
| late me, also. for we expect to have A
/ triple wedding in a few weeks and
| then Mabel viii be my wife.
| Poor Adams"
| The merry crowd was sorry, Just i
| little sorry for him, as he mumbled
/ some incoherent congratulations and
! %-I- l.