Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1913-12-16
EXPERT IN CHlROGRAPHY
By G 1. MEoLAR

EocSNNNCNNNNNNoNaNuNESuuaHa&
Robert WaIling was Just as thor.
oughly In love with pretty Amy Mar
tin as ever great, bashful, overgrown
man was with a 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
! encouragement-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 OPP
portunities, and Amy stamped her
pretty foot in despair and cried in
| humiliation:
'1f 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-and 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
Walling's old college chum, Barclay,
dropped in on him for few days
visit to renew old relationships. Now,
Barclay was quite a 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
nifcance Of the situation.
He had been a guest Of Walliug's
| for something like a 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 Walling. 1t
was Tuesday evening and the two
were dressing for dinner, when a
servant brought Walling in the mail.
Walling sorted 1t mechanically. Of a
sudden he gave a gasp and dropping
all the rest fell upon one little dainty,
lilac-scented envelope and tore it open
with feverish haste. Barclay selected
n clean collar with great elaboration,
and proceeded to button it to his shirt.
Great heavens, Barclay look at this
what does 1t mean?"
What is it?" inquired Barclay,
mildly, proceeding to tie a new and
elaborate four-in-hand with exquisite
care.
Listen" replied Walling, tragical.
ly, and he proceeded to read the fol.
lowing epistle:
Dearest Bob: think 1t would have
been much nicer If you had said all
those nice things to me personally in
the hammock or ON the yeranda, but
lnasmuch as you are a great goose,
| "NA O'SAiOOh ~. vi COuFSO, lOV8
you and have for ever and ever 30
long. l think you are little precipi.
tate in naming the wedding day-and
especially at SO early date Perhaps
will make you wait a bit, as you GER
tainly deserve to-. Surely, 1 will be
home tonight-and we will arrange
things-but to suit me, sir, as you
shall hear. Lovingly.
AMY.
Fine, fine!" 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 1t all about? / never wrote her a
proposal"
Barclay extended his hand.
Rob-" he said, II wrote it myself
I'm something of an expert in chirog.
raphy, you know. Forgive me, old
man, but I saw you never woodland
you wouldn't do anything else until
you got this particular girl. The end
1ustibes the means, my boy-accord.
ing to my philosophy"
For answer, Walling squeezed Bar.
clayS hand until he wrIthed.