The Owosso times., 1916-04-28


my college course sitting round trying
to look pretty. Mamma has directed
me to invite you to spend a part of
your vacation with us at our country
place. and we shall look for you at an
early date"
The invitation was followed up by
one more specific. ana In July Profes-
sor Poland found himself at Morning
Glory-Beile had named the place from
flower she especially loved-a mag
nificent place In the center of spacious
grounds and commanding fine view
of distant hills and nearby lakes. While
Miss Halliday was in college she, like
other students, was under his author
ity. 1t seemed to him now that the
conditions were inverted. He appeared
to himself nothing more than a peda-
gogue with so little income as to be
barely able to tip the servants, while
his former pupil was arrayed In ''pur-
pie and fine linen" and occupying So
cial position to which he could never
hope for an entree, and II he was
granted an ertree he would not be able
to support 1t.
Miss Halliday's treatment Of Profes-
sor Poland was calculated to throw him
into a fever. She was not only gra-
cious; she was as devoted to him as he
would have been glad to be devoted to
her were their positions reversed, Law
ishing on him such delicate attentions
as a woman will lavish on q man she
feels privileged to favor. In other
words, a courtship was going on. In
which the woman was doing the court
ing. The professor sometimes drifted.
resigning himself to this delightful
spell she was throwing about him, and
sometimes suddenly came to a realiza-
tion that he was standing on the brink
Of precipice.
Now, If women were the privileged
proposers they would doubtless acquit
themselves far better than the men,
At any rate, they are by asuperior del
icacy far better fitted for the purpose.
To Miss Halliday what she was en-
gagged In was as simple to her as the
reconstruction of the Roman forum
would have been to Professor Poland.
When she was ready for his proposal
she took him out into the garden and
began to gather bouquet of flowers
Are they for me?" asked the pro-
fessor.
For you? No. I'm going to be mar
ried''
The professor felt as if some one had
knocked the lifp ,OIlt of him
"Who is the fortunate man?" he
gasped.
I'm not going to marry man. I'm
going to marry these flowers"
Several months had passed since
Professor Poland had mentioned the
Indian custom to his class. and 1t did
not occur to him that Miss Halliday's
words referred to what he had then
said. However. he was not afraid of
such a rival and somewhat recovered
his equanimity.
'Ohr' was his sole reply.
Belle went on collecting flowers for
pOsy and when she had done so
made a dumb show Of affection for
them There was stable on the place
and well from which to draw water,
which was brought up by pump.
Belle went to the well, lifted q trap
door and threw her bouquet down into
the opening. Then, without remark,
she sauntered back to the garden.
Now, Professor Poland was not quite |
SO stupid about the art Of love as
might be supposed. He attended Miss
Halliday on her visit to the well, and
when she led him to vine clad recess
and sat down on q rustic seat vague !
connection between what she had done |
and the Indian custom he had embod- |!
led in his lecture found lodgment in
his brain. He realized that this might |
be in lieu of q proposal. Surely 1t was
not encouragement for him TO pro- |
pose. 1t was either a proposal or 1t |
was nothing. If it was a proposal it |
was incumbent on him to respond. If !
he responded and Miss Halliday's act |
meant nothing he would be in an un-
fortunate position. If she meant what |
he suspected and he made no response |
he would still be In an unfortunate !
position. What should he do?
His inclinations decided him.
1.-The honor you do me IS, ! assure
you, fully appreciated. Since / love
you and have loved you for some time |
It is not an absence of love that causes
me to hesitate. 1t is the disparity Of |
our incomes"
"That, think, can be easily arranged |
to your satisfaction. i am ready to |
settle upon YOU
Pardon me; cannot accept q set |
tlement. If marry you l shall do so
with the expectation of always re-
self supporting. II am to be |
a rich woman's husband you must be |
q poor professors WIFE"
81 shall be very proud of your stand |
ing in your profession and shall do |
nothing to turn you away from 1t and |
your enjoyment Of It,"
And so 1t was arranged that the pro- |
fessor should still occupy his chair at |
the university. This be did for time. |
Then his wife was calling on him con-
tinually for some duty in connection |
with her estates, and at last, finding |
that such duties took up the principal |
part of his time, he resigned his pro- |