The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-03-06
IT WAS A COLD DAY
BY ELIZABETH ALLEN,

/ CAit W dSl lGtu lut
young woman with savage politeness,
as she made for the open fireplace.
Still, you can talk till you're black in
the face about the joys Of snow and
ice and ruddy cheeks and all the rest
OF that rubbish. but as for myself give
me thermometer that is climbing to
the top like a new-rich family on the
social warpath. You might throw In
a few palm leaf fans and a case OF
sunburn into the bargain-Ill take
them ALL"
What has happened" inquired the
hostess. You are SO violent, dear"
Violent" echoed the young woman
who had just come in, hurling her muff
at the Pekinese spaniel and dashing
her gloves into a thcket of Boston
fern. I'm a mild ethereal zephyr
compared with what I'd have to be If
| expressed the sum total OF my emo
tions! In fact, | have so many emo
tions that | feel like the person who
lives in two-by-four fiat with folding
beds squeezed into one corner and has
her grandmother's mahogany four
poster bestowed on her! I've got to
move, that's ALL Violent! Come here,
Chow and let me bite you"
Leave that poor, innocent dog
alone!" ordered the hostess, hurried
ly. is your new velvet dress spoiled,
or what?"
The young woman sank into a chair
and groaned as she regarded the fire.
Worse" she related Beyond the
limit of the impossible! You know
Winston Wilder, don't you-the one
we all call Winnie because he looks
like it? Why, once when we were hav-
ing conundrums somebody asked,
why is a Winston Wilder" and the
answer was, Because he was out when
the fool-kller called!' | don't know
why any of us have tolerated Winnie
all these years except that he is gen.
orally harmless, in spite Of his super
natural conceit
Then, too, as for myself, | always
was interested in counting the six
hairs of his mustache and seeing il by
chance there were seven, but there
never were. ! think he has those six
glued on, and even they are kind of
pink. He isn't even decorative at a
tea, because he insists on talking and
that shrill voice of his sends every one
home. We have accepted him as one
of the drawbacks to existence. Well,
when Winnie appeared yesterday aft
ernoon and said he had come to take
me skating he seemed so sure about it
that | went. Besides, | had nothing
else to do and like to skate and /
thought l could forget he was along.
I'VE had lovely time at first, until
| noticed that it was frightfully cold.
When | get chilled my face always be-
comes so frozen that the muscles
won't work and can't talk. It's just
as though they were set in wise
didn't know it had happened until Win
ME began to propose to me-"
"Propose!" shreked the hostess.
well, perhaps you wouldn't call 1t |
proposing If you are finicky about |
words" admitted the young woman |
who had dropped in. Rather he be- |
gan to inform pe that he had decided |
to marry me- 1t never would occur to |
Winnie to ask girl about a little
thing like that-his idea is that she
would hurl herself at him in hystercal
tears OF joy should he but mention
that she had chance to get him. As
soon as ] realized what he was doing
turned upon him with a chilling SEN
tence on my lips-where it stayed
couldn't get out a word, so ! sawed
the air wildly and protestingly with
one hand.
"I know what | have said has
startled and overcome YOU remarked
Winnie as he grabbed my hand and
pulled 1t down, but try to be calm!
Try to control yourself! 1t isn't so
strange when you come to think of 1t
you are very attractive girl If you
aren't beauty and never would mar
ry for money anyhow | want my
wife to be girl who has been brought
up frugally, so she won't expect dia,
mond tiaras and ten servants to wait
On her. A woman's place is the home,
making things cheerful for her hus-
oand. don't you think?'
Il made some strangling, cultural
sounds and Winnie beamed at me
'oothingly. 4 knew you thought so,
le said. You can trust to my judg- |
nent. knew you cared for me. dear,
wen though you were at such pains
o conceal it. The knowledge that
'ou did so was what first touched me
1T would have been unmanly to
purn your affection!
Il stopped short at this and pound
d on the ice with one skate and
Jared at him and waved my hands
nd tried to talk and my face simply
'ouldn't work,
Poor girl,' Winnie said, still sooth-
ngly. I shall take you home to recov-
r from the excitement of the mo-
lent III have our engagement an
ounced at once
Il live only tive blocks from the
I