The daily Alaskan., 1913-12-04
A MOTHERS
 RUSE
By HLCISE BRAYTON

Amy" said Mrs. Stringfellow to her | daughter. "TaIter Barnard has been paving attention to you now for six months. If you were engaged I pre- sume. that you would tell me. But [ wish to know surely whether you are or are not"
 'I am not" replied Amy dOlefully. "That evidently means that Walter i hasn't spoken"
 'I think he will. mamma" Not without being brought to the ! point"
 Mamma, you wouldn't wish me to ] tell him that I am expecting him 10 ! propose to me, would you| "Certaiu,y not That would not he the part uf a girl But a girl has her privileges, and one of them is to indi- i cate to young man paying her atten- E ton that she wishes him to discon- uuuc doing SO"
 "But ! don't"
 The mo,Hrr bit her lip. but said , nothing moru Nevertheless she deter ' miuod that since her daughter had not ! the ~nuuE rr bring her lover to a pro- 5 poSa she would make the attempt her self. To interfere in such matter is [ always a -ru:'t risk. and the lady real ! i2ud that by doing so she might make a breach between herself and her daughter that might never bc healed But Mrs Su"u-fnIlow was naturally di9lomaH. amd determined that she would pursur little game of her own
 which might mean a great deal or . m.-ht wa.n "othing
 Noi .oms @.,w this little dialogue Mrs. S-mu-.a'low arranged that Amy Saa"H go sway on Q visit Amy o6- fo-.uI. uot .r.uv willing to leave Wal 2 tnr even for day. though she did not s.u nim ae..aur than once a week. En- g .na mother nrrrni'ed. and Amy de rartoI with fear and trembling that ] tac man Sar wanted would during her absence fall into the tolls of some other girl.
 One Iav turing Amy's absence Wal ] rr Harunrl called upon her mother Co z bay his respects and ask how her s Gav-a'or WIS enjoying herself Uo N WAS .Snnrw futo tho library, where
 D.. usually visited with Amy On tuc 3 table lay uiI from a prominent dry
 conIS store It WAS so plainly exposed
 that t.o caller could not help seeing it.
 6ut ae lid not make himself aclHGiu--
 oI with it's contents till 0u uurol.eI
 package on a chair attracted his u1ten.
 Gou 1t was white and of a delicate
 fabric Nrar t- was a box. in which some white gauzy substance SD loosely
 rv-.rd that g part hung over the si1e.
 There WAS s.uI another box with the
 cover au.
 Barnard while whiting for Mrs
 sr,u-Gy,Iuw had nothing to occupy
 him. so his mind became fixed on these
 articles He examined inc fabric, and
 .t -aemal to him that there was about
 enough of it t9 make a dress. Then - It occurred r3 him that the gHuzv stun
 wt.n- ua intended for 8 brides voil
 Having gone thus fn~ in his surmiScs,
 be was naturally curious to know what
 was fu taa covered box. Te lifted the
 . cover and saw that it was filled with
 . orange blossoms
 . Evidently some c0e MAS aoout to be
 mnrret
 Gut who: There was only one single
 woman ju the house. and that was
 Amy.
 l. A terrible thought entered the young
 mans brain. Could it be possible that
 wat,. ur had bcra putting off bis pro
 po.a. some other man bad come in and
 occupied ,Hn vacant place ahead of
 l. Hug His heart seemed to srop beat.
 . u- Var<r.ra.tnn stood out on his fore - head
 Q rIr u~spd the floor JrU Mrs SUiHg fellow camr down When she saw th" ! dry @aod~ she looked d!snIcasod called a matH 0ud d.rcrtrjI Ilrr u a sharp
 r0ae Ca take larm upstairs Then she . ruru.I nor attention ta nnr visitor Barnard was rOD diScoucprtcd GO talk roua.etrliy. Ur iumoed from the . waru weather to tbp news from . aD~u.G .rl from uinuows from abrald
 to th. lsr nft of Suriu' gossip Then : Gn asked fs Miss Stgmgfa..nw was en. } .uvf.- G.. visit auI vaS informed that : .-.. wns having Gnll~lrfu' Jimc -u' ], .n-s,5 when tue yUUu- ady would ry s. um. aG5 his hostess informed Fu <. ..at .g-.@.a events that had happened 5 s.u.n her departure wou0d neceSSuil, !.al..r t.r rtmu of her homecoming, bur l. .u ua- say whether tt would be has tened ar delayed
 Two o~ three times Barnard was on 5 the verge of asking whether Amy was s about to be married. but every time he 5 baked. Once he got his question part Iy ont. but Mrs. StringfeIlow looked at ] him SD ga,jiy that he turned the QUes 5 ton into something else Finally hn s arose to go. stumbled against a chairs ! back or against an open door dropped - his hat and stepped on it. finally get . ting out in great confusion. < That night he slept only few hours 2 and in the morning took an early train :. for the place where Amy Stringfellow Z was visiting She wns much surpris :. cd at seeing him and waited for him to < E,ol.rg Aha OGEaaF gP his C0minu