The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-07-01
Her Gift
BY r. A.4MTTCEEL

A g1fi was Sitting On the porch OF
her home thinking. Five years before
on thatsvery day ofsthe month she had
refused Henry Macmillan she was
then eighteen years esd, and the in
irecttmethod in love affairs appealed
to her. II asmar proposed to her and
che refused him she expected him to
return thesnext day and the next and
so on till she accepted him. MacMil-
han had no conception Of this sort of
lovemakng. He never said anything
he didn't mean and co0ldn't under
stand anyone else doingfso. But his
experience with women was not ex-
tensive.
On this summer afternoon Lueila
Travers YVES thinking Of Henry Mac
Milan She had not intended to refuse
him more than ,once. When he came
back the second7 time-which she nat
urally expected he would do--she in
tended to accepts him and at the same
time show him5how long she had loved
him by giving shim a smoking cap, on
which she hadaembroidered a wreath.
He had no useffor smoking cap and
no ambition to wear a wreath about
his head but Luelaa couldn't think of
anything else TO do for him.
Henry was as stupid about some
things as he was wise about others.
If dozen personsahad witnessed the
refusal he received Severy one Of them
would have known that Lucia was
refusing him with her tongue while
she was accepting him In her heart
Henry heard her words, but saw not
their denial He had received bust
ness offer in distant city and wished
to learn If Lucia would marry him.
If so he would consult with her as to
its acceptance; If not he would accept
1t without consulting her and go where
he would not be near her and conse-
quently the better able to recover from
his desire for ther.
Luella was bit surprised that
Henry should shave taken rNreply SO
seriously, should have bowed, though
reluctantly, to what he considered the
inevita bic. Hesleft her without muir
muir, and she was somewhat fearful
that he might mot give her. an oppor-
tunity to recall her refusal. She had
half mind to call him back But half
a mind Ia not q whole mind, and she
let him go, expecting the next time she
met him to draw him to another pro-
posal by those winning ways she I'M
derstood how 10 apply
She did not see Henry for several
days, then she was greatly shocked to
hear that he had gone to another city
to engage IN business and make it his
home, Why she did not write him to
tell him that her refusal of him was
only temporary does not appear. Per-
hapS 1t was for 1.-THE same reason that
the myriadS Of other temporary re-
fussls are not recalled. A woman must
wait for a first proposal, and 1t is equal
" obligatory for him to wait for a
second.
And now LueIiaA on the anniversary
of her refusal-the date was as well
fixed in her mind asher birthday-was
sitting on the porch wondering -as she
had wondered constantly since her low
er's departure-what could have made
him so stupid. And yet had he seen
through her game what would have
been the pleasure in her playing iti 1t
had not occurred to her that she had
better have refrained from the fun
and acted ON the principle that a bird
In the hand Is worth two In the bush
Who is that tall figure coming up
the road? There is something familiar
in the walk, something in the outline
something intangible, indescribable
about the whole. Luella's heart stood
stil. Yes, it is Henry. He is heavier
than he WIS, his step is a trihe less
quick than 1t used to be, but it is
Henry, the man she refused FIVE years
ago, to her regret ever since.
Was he coming to renew his propo-
sal?
LueIla had had fits OF anger against
her lover for being so stupid. Now. in
stead Of hope springing In her heart
that he was coming to tell her that he
could not live without her, with a con-
sequent throwing herself into his arms,
she was seized with a desire to punish
HIM. For what? For having taken her
refusal seriously.
Henry came on. Luella, presenting
she did not see him, looked up at the
sky. He stopped before the house.
then mounted the steps. Luella fore
ed smile. He looked as gloomy as
the day he had left her.
'Why, Mr.. MacMilanF' she exelain,-
ed. What long time since I have
seen your
Tive not been in this town since 7
saw you last" he said
Game back to see your mother, /
supposeT
yes; to see my mother, but to see
you, too. I've passed an unsatisfed
five years since left here. I've come
back 30 try to persuade Won to recall
what you said to me just before left
YOU"