The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1914-05-11
Observation-Disclosures.
UTTERLY IRRESPONSIBLE
sy HARTLEY 8. ADAMS.
ssessssssssssssssssssssses

ranoa rail
IT'S no use, Peter she said. you
Just waste your breath asking / like
you awfully well-that goes without
saying. or I'd never spend SO much
time with you. But as to marrying
you-nol You're too much Of a child;
you've never grown up. And one
doesn't marry children"
Peter Glover grinned down at her
with that great patience Of his. which
at times she found most exaaperating
Il am an awful kid. Cicely." he con.
fessed. But that doesn't hurt me
does it? l read somewhere once that
the sort Of man to trust was the
man with the heart OF little child"
1T makes you irresponsible. Peter. .
said the girl quietly. Il couldn't mar
ry an irresponsible man"
Peter sat swinging his long legs and
thinking deeply.
SO far as money and family go, I'm
a good match-eh?" he asked at
length.
"A perfectly good match. Peter"
she agreed sweetly.
And there isn't some other chap, is
theTe?" he asked.
You know there isn't" she replied
Again Peter cogitated
IF ! wasn't such frightful kid-ff
was a little more responsible, as you
call It, not quite so light-headed and
little less careless about things, |
might Just barely possibly have a
show with you. Is that right?" he in
quired
"You might under those conditions;
but you never will be any different,
Peter. You're so utterly irresponsi-
bic
Say, would you put me on proba-
tion for year?" he asked suddenly.
= will, for just one year." said she.
But If at the end Of that time you
haven't made good, you're never to
speak Of marriage to me again.
Peter let out a whoop, stopped to
brush her soft hair with his lips and
went down the steps.
whole months Peter had not failed
punctually to keep his appointments,
Cicely began to think he was really in
earnest at last.
It was June day-just such a per-
fact June day as that one a year ago
Wien he had urged his probation pc
riod upon cicely.
Tomorrow said Peter. "the year
is up. You haven't any excuse, now,
have you2'
None Cicely laughed softly.
May ! bring you the ring say at
three tomorrow afternoon"
Yes" said she.
At quarter of three next afternoon
she went out on the veranda to wait
for him The minutes slipped past.
Three o'clock came, but with it no
Peter. Quarter past three, half pastl
And still he did not come
Cicely took the runabout and
whisked angrily out Of the yard. 1t
was all one to her now whether he
came or not. This was the first ap-
pointment he had failed to keep in
long time-but it would be the last
with her. He was just the old irre-
sponsible Peter after all.
She was passing farmhouse on the
outskirts OF the village. She saw a
big black racing car drawn up to the
fence. 1t was Peters car Then from
an apple tree near the stone wall she
heard voices, two childish voices and
another, which was Peter Glover's.
She slowed down the runabout.
Through the thick foliage Of the tree
she caught sight of three figures In
the branches, Peter Glover perched
there with two thin-faced little girls.
And this" Peter was saying, indi-
eating limb above his head, lis the
upstairs bedroom"
The runabout came to full stop.
Peter" said Cicely, 'it's five min
utes past four"
Peter snatched his watch from his
pocket. He looked at II ruefully.
Good heavensl" he said, and slid
out of the tree
It'd no idea It was so late" said
he, coming out to the car, and today
of all days. or course" he fished in
his pocket and drew out a small mo-
rocco case, there's no use Offering
you this-now?'
None whatever" said she coldly.
You're just the same utterly ire
sponsihIa kid
Peter gulped
Il don't know how came to stay
here so long" said he. you see,
those two up In the tree are fresh-ajr
kids staying at the farm here. The
people in the house get SO a week
apiece for boarding EN-. They don't
do anything else for 'em. but just feed
and house 'em.
They we're sort Of ltjt and fright
ened out here in the country. They
didn't know how to play, either. I've
seen EN- as ! passed In the car. So
today stopped just for moment to
show 'em how to play house In an
apple tree-just to make 'em a little
happier and contented They look as
II they needed It. / didn't realize /