Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1916-11-16
A DIFFICULT MISSION
BY NAPOLEON S. ZARICK.

Both ROwley and Hart have long
honored me with their condolences
Even when we were chums at school
was the repository of their secrets, the
mediator in their quarrels.
1t was one day when l sat by my
studio window that Rowley and Hart
arrived together at my door. They sat
down. Rowley looked at Hart. Hart
returned the compliment. Silence en-
sued.
"Boys," said I, at length, "you had
better toss up for who speaks first"
They grinned uneasily and then Row.
ley, who Is, perhaps, just q thought
quicker than Hart, opened the conver-
sation.
Jack" he began, "you know Miss
Annie SEYMOUR"
l nodded affirmatively.
"Well,' he continued, Its about her.
You see, we're both very much in love
with her."
"And she?" I asked.
Hart took up the thread. "She has
been nice-very nice to both Of U.S." he
said. "In fact, Jack, we cannot decide
which of us she prefers. And we don't
want to take any unfair advantage"
But l began.
"You don't see what we're driving at,
eh? Well, I'll explain, if Hart will al
low me. We just want you to be the
same kind old Jack you've always
been. We want you tO-to-well, dash
it alive want you to find out for us
which of the two she really does want
to marry
sat up, and lit cigar.
You see, boys" said l. there's
little difficulty in the way which you
don't seem to have considered. Miss
Annie Seymour barely knows me-"
"Oh, but she does, and likes you,
too" This from Hart.
Boys" said l, ''it's ticklish mis-
sion, but l promise you I'll do my
best"
-.
"Dear me, Mr.. Winton! You have
been an unjustitiable time about call
ing"
my dear Miss Seymour, one cannot
set lightly about important functions"
You call on the muses. daily, l am
told"
'But they are never at home, I as
sure you"
II wish | were muse" remarked
Miss Seymour, with an adorable smile.
'But you are" I protested. "You
certainly are-the tenth muse. The
muse Of"
"Of afternoon tea, of course. Won't
you have some tea, Mr.. Winton?"
''By the way" was my first shot, Il
saw John Hart yesterday"
Indeed? Sugar, Mr.. Winton"
"And Bob Rowley, too. Saw them
both together"
Really! Cream, Mr.. Winton?'
Both of my shots had failed! For
young woman supposed to be deeply
interested in two young men, Miss Sey-
mour's matter-of-fact reception Of
those young mems names seemed sim
gular indeed.
1t were useless to detail our cOnver-
sation. Suffice it that, although l re-
turned again and again to the charge,
l failed to arouse in Miss Seymour the
slightest evidence of interest either in
Hart or Rowley.
And the odd part Of 1t was that she
changed the subject from my friends
affairs to Misunderstanding, indeed,
flattering, if unaccountable interest In
all my humble doings. In the end, I
became desperate. Daring tactics,
felt, were the only means ut hand.
Miss Seymour" said, you do not
seem to be enthusiastic over either
Bob Rowley or Jack Hart"
Up went Miss Seymour's eyebrows.
"Well, hardly" she exclaimed. II
don't see why should be-"
"Now suppose-just suppose-that
one of them were to fall hopelessly In
love with a certain Miss Seymour,
would there be any hope for him?"
Miss Seymour set down her tea cup
and looked at me sternly-that is to
say, as severely as she could. "Mr.
Winton," she remarked, "you were
asked to come here and put that ques-
tion to mel"
mo" I said, mot that one-I have
overstepped my mission"
l began studying the shape of my
boots, and wondering which was the
foot l had just put into it."
Then there was little final chat
INV I
know how it came to pass, but just
before l departed Miss Seymour asked
me, you don't read your Longfellow,>
do you Mr.. Wnton?"
"Well-no," | replied; mot Shakes
perially, as one might say"
"rhere is some really excellent COM
mon sense in Longfellow. Good-by, Mr..
Winton."
About half way down the street
stopped suddenly.
"Longfellow!" remarked to myself.
"Longfellow? Now what has Long
fellow got to do with my little
schemes? She Is not n young woman
who makes remarks without reason or
connection. And then her look when
she said! I'll swear there is some
consoling message for poor Bob and
John concealed between the covers of
Longfellow"
And then, all of sudden, pre-
sumptuous thought set my mind
awhirl.
l hastcned home and took down
copy of Longfellow's poems from my
library shelf. AS fate would have it,
| opened the volume at the line, "Why
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