The Lakeland evening telegram., 1914-03-12

lent even when they parted at th'
gate.
We'll, is the bashful man still bash
full" asked the mother of the cir
next morning.
Hes improving q little. but I can
make him out"
How"
He wants to say something to me
but he's so slow about Il that some
thing always happens to interrupt"
He can't be going to propose?"
why. we are hardly acquainted"
"But some men are In q dreadful
hurry"
A few days later as Miss Fanny
was walking by the river she ran into
Mr.. Shoemaker. who was out for {
couple Of hours with rod and line
She sat down upon the log beside him
and they passed a few sentences
when he said:
Miss Fanny, I have been waiting
an opportunity to
"Yes." she queried as he stopped
there.
IAN opportunity toto"
Hello, folks!" saluted the owner ol
the sawmill as he came strolling that
way.
or course what the bashful mar
wanted to say was postponed. Miss
Fanny's curiosity was piqued, and she
said to her mother when she reached
home:
Mother, Mr.. Shoemaker wants tc
say something to me. but can't"
Does he keep trying?"
HE does
Then why can't he say it,"
Because he's so slow Of speech that
before he can get the words Out
something or other interrupts
We'll, it must be painful for him
He ought to get shock, like the man
l was reading about, but goodness
only knows If 1t will ever come. He
might write what he wants to say in a
letter, but 'spose that idea has never
occurred to him"
A Sunday or two later the bashful
man sat in church when 1t began
raining Miss Fanny was there, and
she had no umbrella He made a
sneak and returned with his, and
when the service closed he was at
the door to offer his shelter. On the
way home he remarked:
This rain'll help 'taters"
And string beans" she added.
And five minutes later, after several
preliminary coughs, he began:
Miss Fanny, what | want to say to
you is
yes"
What want to say"
"Ah, George" said the minister as
he overlook them. "You are also one
of the lucky ones to be prepared for
the storm"
AS he continued to walk their way,
poor George hadn't another opportuni-
ty to say what he wanted to say
Two weeks later, without having got
the matter off his mind he started to
walk over to the village of Hudson,
four miles away, on business. Half
an hour after he had started Miss
Fanny was driving over the same road
with horse and buggy. OF course
she overlook him. and Of course she
gave him lift" They had logged
along for half mile when he began
to hitch around uneasily. and after a
time 1t was the old story over again:
miss Fanny, have been trying to
tell you that-that-
"Yes."
81 have waited for an opportunity to
say"
Neither heard the honk of the auto
coming up behind on the sandy road
The first they knew of its presence
was when the buggy was lften ten
feet high, the horse knocked down,
and themselves went sailing into a
thistle patch. The autoist didn't stop
of course he didn't; but, aside from
the buggy, no great damage was done.
"Hurt?' asked George, as he scram-
bled up.
Got bruise or two"
Then, Miss Fanny, what I've want
ed to say, and what will say now If !
die for it is that love you and want
you to be my wife, and I'll knock the
head Off'n any human hyena that
comes along and interrupts before you
can answer"
"And what did you say" asked the
mother of the daughter.
why, the shock had changed him
so that in my surprise guess ! said
yes!'
Copyright. 1914. by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate)
"S'Matter, Pop"
Though not considered ahaolutalv