The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1912-09-20
What the
Man Said
&c 4 - - ~ :,

Whenever Mile Kasper and Ralph
Waters approached within mailing dis
lance Of each other they were instant
" plunged into panicky. embarrassed
silence. It was such an assertive d.
lence that It drew the attention Of
everyone within sight The knowledge
Of this added to the misery of the two
principals. !;
+; It was remarkable that two persons
who were 30 shy should have fallen in
love with each other. Not that they
precisely knew they were in love. They
merely realized that 1t was impossible
for them to stay away from each 9th.
er. and that 1t was an agony to be in
each others presence. They suffered
because they never had anything to
pay to each other.
Sometimes Millie in sheer despera.
ton would carefully rehearse con.
Rersation for the next time she saw
Ralph. but II she remembered her
part Ralph, of course. was not aware
Of the part she had assigned to him,
and nobody can carry ON converse.
lion without at least q little assist.
hnce. .
While carefully tying his necktie
end brushing his coat preparatory to
calling on Mile. Ralph frequently FIX.
ed in his mind some Joke with the in.
IGNITION of repeating it to Millie and
thus making himself appear perfectly
at ease and indeed bit Of wag. All
the while he was laying these plans
be had the hideous certainty in the
bottom Of his soul that when he ar.
rived at Miles he would be seized,
bound and gagged by his unconquer-
able diffidence. and would sit squirm,
ing in silence. with his lips as immov.
Pble as though padlocked.
1t is impossible for two persons,
however shy. to sit staring at each
Dther in silence for two or three hours
pit time. So 1t had grown to be the
habit Of these two to play two-handed
cribbage. The necessary remarks Of
sFifteen.two." "A pair" Sequence Of
Jour-" and the like had to them the
reassuring effect OF brilliant repartee!
occasionally these remarks so braced
them up that they smiled timidly,i
aeettngly 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
Df them was vivacious, yet they found
not the slightest difficulty in express1
ing their thoughts to others when Il
was necessary. The pail of silence al
hicted them only when they were
with each other.
When Ralph was seized by jealousy
ut the sight of Mile talking to an
pther 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. y
There were times when Mile
thought darkly of the situation and
decided that Ralph cared nothing for
her except as mere friend, yet when
she weighed against this decision the
fact that he called four or five times a
week and endured the anguish Of their
unconventional evenings her melan.
choly conviction was shaken. He must
like to come. Still, II he did, why
didn't he say so?
: Ralph did try once, deliberately. II
was just after he had said "Fifty-four"
one evening in their third game of
cribbage. and he hurried on without
taking breath. Before he realized ID
he had said: Il want to tell you some,
thing, Millie-I-er-think it's going
to be nice day tomorrow"
After this tremendous speech they
had both sat in electrified silence, not
daring to look at each other. 4
III that fellow wants to ask you ia
marry him, Millie," said her father.
who was blunt and impatient. "and Il
he can't say 1t, why doesn't he sing
it,"
! Thereupon Mile wept and said that
her father had no sympathy and be
sides it was perfectly ridiculous to al.
sumo that Ralph cared q single thing
about her!
The family always considerably de-
parted when Ralph arrived, 60 that nd
alien presence might distract him. but
nothing ever happened. After ali this
thoughtfulness. 1t seemed odd that
when Ralph finally made himself unI
derstood to Mile It was In public.
Mile and he had been to the Thea.
ter. In the crowd coming out q man
touched his arm. II
your wife, said the man quite
casually. handing over the article
dropped her handkerchief"
"Ah-thank you" stammersd Ralph
IN 9 perfect blass Of Joy and hor
ror. sh-she would hate to lose it |
Thank you!"
They walked on, not looking ut each
othsr. Then suddenly Ralph squees'
Cd Miles arm that rested on his. H.
did you hear himl.' he asked. .And
did you hear met You can't 70 hanh