The Prescott daily news., 1913-02-06
What the
 Man Said

Waters approached within hailing dis tance of each other they were instant ly plunged into panicky, embarrassed silence. It was such an assertive si- lence that it drew the attention of everyone within sight. The knowledge of this added to the misery of the two principals.
 It was remarkable that two persons who were so shy should have fallen in love with each other. Not that they precisely knew they were in love. They merely realized that it was impossible for them to stay away from each oth- CT, and that 1t was an agony to be in each others presence. They suffered because they never had anything to say to each other
 Sometimes Millie in sheer despera- tion would carefully rehearse a con- versation for the next time she saw Ralph, but If she remembered her part Ralph, of course, was not aware of the part she had assigned to him, and nobody can carry on a conversa- tion without at least little assist ance.
 While carefully tying his necktie and brushing his coat preparatory to calling on Millie, Ralph frequently fix ed in his mind some joke with the in- tention of repeating 1t to Millie and thus making himself appear perfectly at ease and indeed bit of wag. All the while he was laying these plans he had the hideous certainty in the bottom of his soul that when he ar rived at Millie's he would be seized, bound and gagged by his unconquer- able diffidence, and would sit squirm- ing in silence, with his lips as immov- able as though padlocked.
 IL is impossible for two persons, however shy, to sit staring at each other in silence for two or three hours at time. So it had grown to be the habit of these two to play two-handed cribbage. The necessary remarks of "Ffiteen-two," "A pair" Sequence of four,' and the like had to them the reassuring effect of brilliant repartee. Occasionally these remarks so braced theu up that they smiled timidly, fieetingly at each other, thus making their hearts thump tumultuously and nopelessly confusing their game.
 The exasperating part of it was that they were not troubled in this way by the presence os other people. Neither of them was vivacious, yet they found not the slightest difficulty in express iDO their fhnt.yhtC fa oth IA was necessary. The pail of silence af- hicted them ouly when they were with each other.
 When Ralph vas seized by jealousy at the sight of Millie talking to au other man he began to have an ink ling of how things stood with him. The thought of telling her that he loved her sent him into a cold chill. And the idea of some other man mak- ing love to her successfully gave him another chill. Altogether he was very unhappy
 There were times when MiMe thought darkly of the situation and decided athat Ralph cared nothing for her except as mere friend, yet when she weighed against this decision the fact that he called four or five times a week and endured the anguish ..r tbeir ''l't oi ei '''''on"l r.vnlngs her melan- C."'' 0o-,Iction was shaken. He must axe to come. Still, if he did, why didn't he say so?
 Ralph did try once, deliberately. It was just after he had said "Fitty-four" one evening in their third game of cribbage, and he hurried on without taking breath. Before he realized it he had said: T want to tell you some thing, Millie-I-er-think it's going to be a nice day tomorrow" After this tremendous speech they had both sat in electrified silence, not daring to look at each other. If that fellow wants to ask you to marry him. Millie.' said her father. who was blunt and impatient, "and if he can't say it. why doesn't he sing it?'
 Thereupun Millie wept and said that her father had no sympathy and be- sides 1t was perfectly ridiculous to as- sume that Ralph cared a single thing about her.