The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1912-10-24
the
Man Said

Whenever Mile Kasper and Ralpl
Waters approached within hailing dis
lance Of each other they were instant
ly plunged into panicky, embarrassed
silence. 1t was such an assertive 81
lence that it drew the attention o
everyone within sight. The knowledge
of this added 10 the misery of the two
/ principals
! 1t was remarkable that two person:
who were so shy should have fallen il
/ love with each other. Not that they
precisely knew they were in love. They
merely realized that it was impossible
for them to stay away from each 9th
er, and that it was an agony to be in
each others presence They suffered
because they never had anything to
say 10 each other.
Sometimes Mile in sheer despera-
tion would carefully rehearse a con-
versation for the next time she saw
part Ralph, of course, was not aware
of the part she had assigned to him,
and nobody can carry on a conversa-
ton without at least a little assist
ance.
While carefully tying his necktie
and brushing his coat preparatory to
calling on Mile, Ralph frequently fix
ed in his mind some joke with the in
tention of repeating it TO Mile and
thus making himself appear perfectly
at ease and indeed a bit of a wag. All
the while he was laying these plans
bottom of his soul that when he ar
rived at Miles he would be seized,
bound and gagged by his unconquer
able ditfidence, and would sit squirm-
ing in silence, with his lips as immov-
able as though padlocked
1t is impossible for two persons,
however shy, to sit staring at each
other in silence for two or three hours
at time. So it had grown to be the
habit of these two to play two-handed
cribbage. The necessary remarks of
"Fiiteen-two" "A pair" Sequence of
FOUR and the like had to them the
reassuring effect of brilliant repartee
Occasionally these remarks so braced
them up that they smiled timidly,
leetingly at each other, thus making
their hearts thump unanimously and
hopelessly confusing their game.
The exasperating part of it was that
they were not troubled in this way by
the presence of other people. Neither
of them was vivacious, yet they found
not the slightest difficulty in express
ing their thoughts to others when it
was necessary. The pail of silence aft
ficted them only wh.n they were
with each other.
When Ralph was seized by jealousy
at the sight of Mile talking to an
other man he began to have an ink
ling of how things stood with him
The thought of telling her that he
loved her sent him into a cold chill
And the idea of some other man max
ing love to her successfully gave him
another chill. Altogether he was very
unhappy.
There were times when Mile
thought darkly of the situation and
decided that Ralph cared nothing for
her except as a mere friend, yet when
she weighed against this decision the
TACT that he called four or five times a
week and endured the anguish of their |
evenings her melan-
,holy conviction was shaken. He must
ike to come. Still, ii he did, why
1idn't he say so?
nj -
vas just after he had said "Fffty-four"
one evening in their third game of |
,ribbage, and he hurried on without |
aking breath. Before he realized it
lie had said: Il want to tell you some
hing, Millie-I-er-thin it's going
o be nice day tomorrow"
After this tremendous speech they
lad both sat in electrified silence, not
laring to look al each other.
IF that fellow wants to ask you to
marry him. Mile said her father,
Who was blunt and impatient, land if
10 cant say it, why doesn't he sing
t?'
Thereupon Mile wept and said that
Ter father had no sympathy and be-
ides 1t was perfectly ridiculous to as
ume that Ralph cared a single thing
bout herl
The family always considerably de-
arted when Ralph arrived, so that no
lien presence might distract him, but
othing ever happened. After all this
1t seemed odd that
hen Ralph finally made himself un-
erstood to Mile it was in public.
Mile and he had been to the thea
er. In the crowd coming out a man
ouched his arm.
Your wife,, said the man quite
usually, handing over the article,
dropped her handkerchief
"Ah-thank YOU stammered Ralph
/ perfect blaze of joy and hor-
Or. Sh-she would hate to lose it.
hank youi"
They walked on, not looking at each
Their Then suddenly Ralph squeez-
/ Miles arm that rested on his
Did you hear him. he asked And
ia Won hear Ina2 YOu cant pO hack