The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1913-12-26
EXPERT IN CHIROGRAPHY !
BY c. l.. MEDLAn.

A2AA1NAAAAH.A2A1A2ASAGA.A
| Robert Walling was just as thor
oughly in love with pretty Amy Mar
tin as ever a great, bashful, overgrown
man was with petite and saucy
chunk OF feminine loneliness, half his
weight. He had tried to tell her about
1t many times, but, eloquent as he was
In the courtroom or at business con-
ferences, his tongue seemed to be alb
solutely tied when he attempted to ex-
plain the state OF his mind to the fair
Amy.
Nor was it because the dainty little
maiden discouraged him Not at ALL
To the contrary, she gave him every
uragement-even put forth those
clever little feminine devices which
open up inviting opportunities. But
the months passed and Robert failed
utterly to take advantage of his op-
portunities, and Amy stamped her
pretty foot in despair and cried in
| humiliation:
eff / were only a man." she ex-
claimed, viciously, wouldn't / show
them how to do it?"
Amy knew he loved her with all
the devotion of an eastern idolater.
Then, why, oh, why, could he not say
SO and let her fall into his arms with
decency and dispatch clear the
whole situation up?
Presently, however, her pride as
serted itself and she began to be an
CRY with him for his diffidence and
his stupidity.
Consequently, she treated Robert
with positive savageness and encour-
aged the other admirers to a degree
that drove Walling to the last depths
of despair.
Matters were at this status when
Wallings old college chum, Barclay,
dropped in on him for a few days
visit to renew old relationships. Now,
Barclay was quite man of the world
In his way-as a pushing, successful,
stock broker must needs be, and aft
er "a hours stop under the roof of his
luckless friend, he caught the full sig
nihcance of the situation.
He had been guest OF Walling's
for something like q week and was
beginning to chafe openly at the re-
straint and to pine for the roar of
the stock exchange, when a strange
thing happened to Robert WaIling. 1t
was Tuesday evening and the two
were dressing for dinner, when a
servant brought Wailing In the mail
Walling sorted 1t mechanically OF a
sudden he gave g. gasp aAd dropping
all the rest fell upon one little dainty,
| Glac-scented envelope and tore it open
with feverish haste. Barclay selected
a clean collar with great deliberation,
and proceeded to button it to his shirt
Great heavens, Barclay look at this
what does it mean?"
What is ft?" inquired Barclay,
mildly, proceeding to tie new and
| elaborate fou1-in-hand. with exquisite
| care.
Listen" replied Walling, tragical
~, and he proceeded to read the fol-
| lowing epistle:
Dearest Bob: I think it would have
been much nicer il you had said all
those nice things to me personally in
| the hammock or on the veranda, but
tnasmuch as you are a great goose,
/ will overlook It OF course, I love
you and have for ever and ever so
long. I think you are a little precipi-
tate in naming the wedding day-and
| especially st so early date Perhaps
| / will make you wait bit, as you Ger
tainly deserve to. Surely, I will be
home tonisht-and we will arrange
| things-bHt to suit me, sir, as you
| shall hear. Lovingly,
Fine, fne!" exclaimed Barclay,
dropping the clothes brush with which
he was completing his toilet. "Per.
NIT me TO congratulate you, old man.
She's a deuced fine girl. And I'm to
be best man, / know"
He extended his hand, which Wall
Ing grasped mechanically.
But" expostulated Walling, what
Is it all about? I never wrote her a
proposal"
Barclay extended his hand.
Rob-" he said, Il wrote 1t myself.
I'm something Of an expert in chirog.
raphy, you know. Forgive me, old
man, but saw you never woodland
you wouldn't do anything else until
you got this particular girl The end
justifies the means, my boy-accord-
ing to my philosophy"
For answer, Walling squeezed Bar
clay's hand until he writhed.