The Washington herald., 1913-11-18
An Encouraged EIopement.
By JOHN DARLING.
lcopyrisht, Bay

tcopyrisht. BAY
"Egad, sir, but I'd like to see 1t, sirF,
'Tt Is the wish Of my heart"
Roland Is a young man to be proud
Of. SIR"
And Leone is simply charmingi"
It was Judge Bellaire and Maj Hardy.
and they were sitting under an apple
tree on June day in the latter's orchard.
They owned adjoining estates and. had
been friends for years.
Leone Hardy was the daughter and
only child Of the major. She was now
nineteen years old. and an aunt had
been her chaperon and her fathers
housekeeper since the death Of her
mother.
Roland Bellaire was the son and the
only child of the Judge. He was Of age
and nearly through with college
They were scarcely more than chill
dren, these two, even when they first
became acquainted, and had, grown up
the best OF friends. They had argued
and disputed and quarreied and made
up dozens OF times. and dozens Of times
each father had exclaimed to himself:
why. they are brother and sister to
each other!"
And now the two men. both past the
middle age, and both supposed to have
studied human nature, hoped that q
marriage could be brought about be-
tween them Not once in ten thousand
times does IT come to pass.
1--WE been wondering a bit, major. II
we could do anything to help the match
along" remarked the Judge
"Egad, but I'm bit troubled about II"
was the reply.
Nor
There has been a young man calling
at the house more frequently than ]
like"
But Miss Leone would naturally have
callers" ..
Sure. judge-sure; but she doesn't
blush when they are announced-only In
this one case"
"And. major. how would you interpret
that blushT'
That's my trouble, sir. A girl may
blush with indignation; she may blush
with excitement; she may blush with
anticipation; she may plush with sur
prise, Or"
60 on, major"
''or. egad, sir. she may blush with hap
pinessl''
"And you think"
81 don't think, judge-I know that she
bushes when that young scamp's card is
sent inl''
''And at no other times?'
Not that / have remarked"
you have called him a young scamp.
Haven't you been introduced to him?
Don't you know him to be all right?''
''Oh. he's respectable and all that; but
he's not my kind. believe he's q part
ner in a firm of architects in the CITY,"
''Umr' said the judge.
"Umv' echoed the major.
And each went his way, shaking his
head in a solemn way and saying to HIM
self that 1t was a sad case-very sad.
Roland BelIaire was a frequent caller
at Major Hardy's. He had always been |
welcomed. He and Miss Leone sang
songs together. played games on the Il
lawn, rowed. fished. and visited. They |
talked OF many things, but they did not |
talk Of love. With the feeling of broth |
er toward her, the young man admitted |
that there was a young lady in the case. |
He even showed her a photograph and |
praised her beauty. |
And the majors daughter spoke OF
Mr.. Lester knight. the young architect |
Of the city, with a charming blush.
And those two Ambassadors two male
idiots, were preparing a plot worthy of |
boys ten years old.
The judge had spoken to Roland as II |
his marriage with Miss Leone Hardy |
was a settled thing. and even named the |
size Of the check he would give the happy |
couple to make their tour of Europe on |
The major had spoken to Miss Leone
about what might happen when Roland |
became his son-fn-law. and thrown out
a hint that he didn't favor long en-
gagements.
Both young people had passed the mat |
ter by with seeming indifference. The |
judge and the major held another con- |
vention under the apple tree, and the |
judge whispered the words: