The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-02-23
THE FLIP
OFACOIN
By LUCY K. wYNKooP

Murlel BeakeS was born, so 10 speak
in the swim. When she was eighteen
she was given coming out party, there
by being launched in society as one OF
the buds of the season. Her father had
means just sufficient to maintain the
family social position, but when his
children married they must either have
fortune or sink beneath the golden sur.
face
Muriel was sufficiently forethought.
full to understand this and that she
must make choice between dropping
out of society upon her marriage or
sharing a fortune.
Toward the enI of her first social
season she had done considerable an
Cling. but had caught nothing worth re
tanning She had thrown them all back
into the swirling waters. In February
her father decided TO go for trip to
Mexico and TAKE her with him. Balls,
dinners. operas and theater parties had
taken the bloom out of her cheek. and
she was glad to recuperate and bring it
back for the summer campaign.
Those were the days when Mexico
had begun to develop under the stimu-
lus of capital from the United States.
Mr.. Beakes was interested in the i'm
provements being made tl.are and went
over the line of railroad in process of
construction the shares of which had
been recommended TO him as an in
vestment. : A young civil engineer
from Pennsylvania was assigned to the
duty of conducting him and explaining
the advantages that would accrue to
the road upon its completion.
Now. though love laughs at lock
smiths. he laughs at goldsmiths as
we'll That is, he has no respect what
ever for matrimonial advantages. This
young man-Denton Brown was his
name-and Muriel Beakes had scarcely
met before they loved. The route
they travelled over was some 200 miles,
and they used all sorts Of convey
ances. from donkey to caboose car.
The journey was veritable picnic,
and everybody knows that the little
god gets in more work In these UNI
conventional affairs than I'm all the
social functions in the world. Whether
the party were journeying in a mule
wagon, on handcar or locomotive.
Cupid was firing arrows at them. Ii
was summer in that latitude, and the
region through which they passed was
clothed in verdure. Their route, too,
ran through a mountainous country,
and the scenery was very beautiful.
Murie strove with herself to throw
off the spell under which she had
fallen What would be her fate to
marry civil engineer, whose pay was
probably not over 500 month"; She
shuddered at the thought, not so much
of dropping out of the social swim as
of living life of poverty. She was
so badly hit that she was ready to re-
linquish the first, but could not make
up her mind to accept the second.
All things have an end. and the ter
minal to which the party journeyed
was reached at last. Just before Mu- |
riel was to part with the young en-
gineer the two walked out to point |
where below a broad view was spread |
before them. 1t was that witching |
hour of evening, twilight, when the
glare of day is softened by the coming |
night. There the man told his story.
The girl listened and would have glad
~ yielded but for prudence. She con-
fessed to the dictates of her heart, but
other considerations stood In the way.
When she returned to the north she
would give him her decision.
She had not been at home a week
before she was surprised at receiving
call from her lover, His arrival
caused fiutter within her, for she
had not come to decision. She told
him plainly that 1t was case between
him and a life far different from that
which he could give her.
lin such cases." he replied. Il merely
toss coin and abide by the result. l
would recommend that course to you
now"
There was something so coolly DELHI
crate in his recommendation that it
won her completely. Half in jest. half
in earnest. she gave a tacit consent
He took a coin from his pocket and
handed it to her.
Heads l win. tails lose" he said.
BEST two in three"
she tipped the coin and heads turned
up. He was watching her closely and !
saw that she was secretly pleased.
her the coin, she tipped it
again. This time 1t was tails. This
line she showed disappointment. His
manner changed as he laid a hand .
Upon hers and said impressivey:
81 am willing. when there are two '
.qual sides TO question. to permit a
)it of inorganic metal to decide for me:
,ut. the decision once made, 1t must
lold. Do not flip the coin again unless .
'ou understand the matter as j do
Muriel sat for long while. her ell
lows on the table where lay the silver.
Ter head resting on her hands. Her |
over did not attempt to hurry her. S
he took up the coin and toyed with 1t y
while: then a sudden resolution came J
o her. She tossed the coin high in the Q
fl, and, coming down on the table, 1t
ounded to the floor. She was bending
own to pick it up when he eagerly !
aught her In his arms and begged her !
0 decide for herself without the coins {
ssistance. c
mo" she said "I have resolved to a