The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-09-22
A MOTHERS
RUSE
BY HELOISE BRAYTON

wish to know surely whether you ar
or are not"
II am not" replied Amy dolefully.
THAT evidently means that Waite
hasn't spoken"
Il think he WILL mamma"
"Not without being brought to tn
point"
Mamma. you wouldn't wish me t
tell him that l am expecting him t
propose 10 me, would you?
Certainly not. That would not b.
the part of girl. But a girl has he
privileges, and one of them is to indi
cate to Il young man paving her atten
ton that she wishes him to discon
tinuc doing so"
but | DON'T
The mother bit her lip, but sale
nothing more. Nevertheless she deter
mined that since hei daughter had moi
the spunk TO bring her lover to a pro
posal she would make the attempt her
relf To interfere In such matter Is
always a great risk, and the lady real
iZed that by doing so she might make
n breach between herself and her
daughter that might never be healed
Eut Mrs. Stringfellow was naturally
diplomatic and determined that she
would pursue little game of her own
which might mean great deal or
might mean nothing
Not long after this little dialogue
Mrs. Stringfcllow arranged that Amy
should go away on q visit. Amy OBJ
5ected, not being willing to leave Wal
ter even for day, though she did not
see him oftener than once week. But
the mother prevailed, and Amy de-
parted with fear and trembling that
the man she wanted would during her
absence fall into the tolls of some other
girl
One day during Amys absence Wal
fer Barnard called upon her mother to
pay his respects and ask how her
daughter was enjoying herself. He
was ushered into the library, where
he usually visited with Amy. On the
table lay bill from prominent dry
goods store. 1t was SO plainly exposed
that the caller could not help seeing 1t,
but he did not make himself acquaint
ed with its contents till an unrolled
package on chair attracted his atten-
ton. 1t was white and of delicate
fabric. Near it was a box, in which
some white gauzy substance so loosely
rested that part hung over the side.
ett xxyft h.
cover on.
Barnard while waiting for Mrs
Stringfelow had nothing to occupy
him, so his mind became fixed on these
articles. He examined the fabric, and
It seemed to him that there was about
enough of 1t to make dress. Then
it occurred to him that the gauzy stuff
might be intended for brides veil
Having gone thus far in his surmises,
he was naturally curious to know what
was in the covered box He lifted the
cover and saw that 1t was filled with
orange blossoms.
Evidently some one was about to be
married.
But who? There was only one single
woman in the house, and that was
Amy.
A terrible thought entered the young
mans brain. Could 1t be possible that
while he had been putting Off his pro-
posal some other man had come in and
occupied the vacant place ahead Of
him? His heart seemed to stop beat
ing Precipitation stood out on his fore
head.
He paced the floor till Mrs. String
fellow came down. When she saw the |
dry goods she looked displeased, called
a maid and directed her in sharp
tone to take them upstairs. Then she
turned her attention to her visitor.
Barnard was too disconnected to talk |
He jumped from the
warm weather to the news from
abroad and from the news from abroad
to the last bit Of social gossip. Then
he asked Ii Miss Stringfellow was en-
joying her visit and was informed that
she was having a delightful time. He
asked when the young lady would re-
turn, and his hostess informed him
that certain events that had happened
since her departure would necessarily
alter the time Of her homecoming, but
Gid not say whether it would be has
tened or delayed.
Two or three times Barnard was on
the verge of asking whether Amy was
about to be married, but every time he
baked. Once he got his question part
" ont, but Mrs. Stringfellow looked. at
him SO coldly that he turned the ques-
ton into something else. Finally he
arose TO go, stumbled against chairs
back or against an open door, dropped
his hat and stepped on it. finally get
ing out in great confusion.
That night he slept only few hours
md In the morning took an early train
FOR the place where Amy Stringfellow
vas visiting She was much surpris
ID at seeing him and waited for him to
ieclare the object of his coming.
"Are you going to be marriedY' he
asked in tone to warrant that IL she
we're he was ready to kill the groom.
''No Why do you ask ?"
There was an embarrassed silence for
few moments, when he spoke again.
"Well, then, ! wish TO put in my
lain for you. | don't want any more
cares like this"
When Amy returned to her home her
h0,. rtsosn InI |