The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1913-10-03
A MOTHERS
RUSE
By HELOISE BRAYTON

Amy" said Mrs. Stringfellow to her
daughter, "Waltc. Barnard has been
paying attention to you now for SIX
months. If YOU were engaged / pre-
sumo that you would tell me. But
wish to know surely whether you are
or are not"
Il am not" replied Amy dolefully.
THAT evidently means that Walter
hasn't spoken"
II think he will mamma"
"Not without being brought to the
point
Mamma, YOU wouldn't wish me to
tell him that | am expecting him TO
propose TO me. would youF'
Certainly not. That would not be
the part of girl But girl has her
privileges, ana one of them is to indi-
cate to a young man paying her atten-
ton that she wishes him To discon-
tinuc doing So
but / don't"
The mother bit her lip. but said
nothing more. Nevertheless she deter
mined that since her daughter had not
the spunll TO bring her lover to a pro
poSal she would make the attempt her
self. TO interfere in such Il matter is
always a great risk, and the lady real
lied that by doing 50 she might make
breach between herself and her
daughter that might never be healed
But Mrs Stringfellow was naturally
diplomatic and determined that she
would pursue Il little game of her own
which might mean Il great deal or
might mean nothing.
Not long after this little dialogue
Mrs StringfelloW arranged that Amy
should go away on Il visit. Amy oh
iectcd not being willing to leave Wal
ter even for a day, though she did not
see him oftCner than once Il week. Bnt
the mother prevailed. and Amy &c
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 Amy'S absence Wal
ter Barnard called upon her mother t.
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 n prominent dry
goods store. 1t was so plainly exposed
that the caller could not help seeing it,
but he did not make himself acquaint-
ed with its contents till an unrOlled
package on chair attracted his attcn
ton. 1t was white and OF delicate
fabric. Near i was box, in which
some white GaLZy substance so loosely
rested that part hung over the side.
There was still another box with the
cover on.
Barnard while waiting for Mrs
StrngfelloW had nothing to occupy
him, so his mind became fixed on these
articles He examined the fabric. and
it secmed to him that there was about
enough OF it to make a dress Then
it occurred to him that the gauZy stuff
might be intended for brides veil
Having gone thus far in his surmiscS,
he was naturally curious to know what
was III the covered DOX. lie Ill(eu tne
cover and saw that it was filed with
orange blossoms.
Evidently some one was about to be
married
Gut who? There was only one single
woman in the house, and that was
Amy
\ terrible thought entered the youn-
mans brain. Could it be possible that
while he had been putting of his pro
poSal some other man had come in and
occupied the vacant place ahead Of
him? His heart seemed TO stop beat
ing. Pcrspiration stood out on his fore
head
He paced the floor till Mrs. String
fellow came down When she saw the