Bisbee daily review., 1913-08-08
What the
 Man Said

Whenever Millie Kasper and Ralph Waters approached within hailing dis tance of each other they were instant. ly plunged iISo a panicky, embarrassed silence. It was such an assertive si- lence that 1t drew the attention of everyone within sight. The knowledge of this added 10 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 1t was impossible tor 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 10 each other.
 Sometimes Mlllie in sheer despera- ton would carefully rehearse 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 converse ton without at least a little assist ance
 While carefully tying his necktle 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 10 Millie and thus making himself appear perfectly at ease and indeed a bit of a wag. All the while he was laying these plans be had the hdeous 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 dlfidence, and would sit squirm- ing in silence, with his lips as immoy- able as though padlocked.
 It Is impossible for two persons. however shy, to sit staring at each other In silence for two or three hours at time. So 1t had grown to be the habit of these two to play two-handed cribbage. The necessary remarks of 'Fffteen-two," "A pair" Sequence Of iour." and the like had to them the reassuring effect of brilliant repartee. Occasionally these remarks so braeed them up that they smiled timidly, ieetingly at each other, thus making their hearts thump tumultuously and hopelessly confusing their game
 The exasperating part of it was that they were not troubled in this way by the presence Of other people. Neither of them was yiyacious, yet they found not the slightest difficulty in express ing their thoughts to others when it was necessary. The pail of silence af- ficted them only when they were with each other.
 When Ralph was 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 be 1 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 Milne i thought darkiy of the situation and 1 decided that Ralph cared nothing for ] her except as a mere friend, yet when | she weighed against this decision the | fact that he called four or five times a week and endured the anguish of their unconyersatlonal evenings her melan- ! choly conviction was shaken He must like to come. Still, If he did, why ! iidn't he say so?
 Ralph did try once, deliberately. IL was just after he had said ''FIfty-four-' one evening in their third game of i sTibbage, and he hurried on withouI taking breath. Before he realized 1t ne had said: T want to tell you some thing. Millie-I-er-think it's going 70 be a nice day tomorrow" After this tremendous speech they had both sat in electrified silence, not iaring 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 fl be can't say it. why doesn't he sing lt?
 Thereupon Millie wept and said that her father had no sympathy and be sides 1t was perfectly ridiculous to as. sume that Ralph cared & single thing about her.
 The family always considerably de. parted when Ralph arrived, so that no alien presence might distract him. bu; nothing ever happened. Afte. ali this thoughtfulness. 1t seemed odd that when Ralph finally made himself un- derstood to Millie 1t was in public.
 Millie and he had been to the thea, ter. In the crowd coming out man tauchad hfa arm