The Prescott daily news., 1913-02-05
What the
 Man Said

Whenever Millie Kasper and Ralph Waters approached within hailing dis tance of each other they were instant lv plunged into panicky, embarrassed silence It was such an assertive si- lence that 1t drew the attention oi 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 it 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 it to Millie and thus making himself appear perfectly at ease and indeed a bit of a 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 Millies he would be seized, bound and gagged by his unconquer- able difdence, and would sit squirm- ing in Silence, with his lips as immov- able as though padlocked
 IL is impossible for two persons, how ever 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 Eli. teen-two," "A pair" Sequence of four" and the like had to them the reassuring effect of brilliant repartee Occasionally these remarks so braced them up that they smiled timidly, leetingly at each other, thus making their hearts thump unanimously and .-orelessly confusing their game.
 Ite eXasperating part of it was that they were not troubled in this way by the presence O; other people. Neither of tpem was vivacious, yet they found not the slightest difficulty in express ing rheir thoughts to others when 1t was necessary. The pail of silence af- flicted 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 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 MiAe thought darkly of the situation and decided that 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 of their nneouversatlonal evenings her melan- choly conviction was shaken. He must like to come. Still, If he did, why dicn't he say so?
 Ralph did try once, deliberately. It was just after he had said "Fifty-four" one evening in their third game of crlbbage, ard he hurried on without taking breath. Before he realized it he had said: T want to tell yod some thing, Millie-I-er-think it's gxug to be nice day tomorrow" " After thib 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 cant say it. why doesn't he sing it?"
 rhereupUn 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!