Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-10-14
ray9 Fl g7a Mi ga "a Hs Fl Ea IT sa As Vl|p ..PEGGY'S PROPOSAL.
 m - a. By E. HOLLAND. n nm Tl{y
W Ea es Es En nH Wn na Hs Re Hzl E W
By E. HOLLAND.

tain Neelys offer?" was screeched by bevy of ycranda beauties as Mlr' garet Randall joined them.
 "Offer of what?'
 "Oh, gracious, girls, tel. her"'
 Why, the captain has offered--," began one of the damsels.
 You mistake my dear young lady" interrupted the captain. 'T offer noth- ing But l have signified my willing ness to consider any or all offers made me. You see, Miss Peggy" said he, turning toward the late arrival, who, although far from being beautiful, ruled them by right of brightness, her wit and her inexha ustible resources as m entertainer. "I am disgusted with the way you young ladies are neglect ing your leap year advantages, and 1 will wager that not one of you has made an offer of marriage this year, Have you nOw?'
 "Nothng but the awful dread of be- ing refused has deterred us, captain answered Miss Randall. '"Think of our feelings, when after laying our hearts and fortunes at your feet you refuse to listen."
 That's just the contingency I have been providing for. The very point we were discussing when you joined us and said that to every girl refused this year I would give Jersey COW. I've a fine drove of them, you know. and it's no more than right that there should he some little consolation prize offered"
 "That's not so bad but great heav- ems, captainn' exclaimed one of the younger men. "Have you the least idea of what you are liable to get into?'
 The group on the veranda broke up and Peggy, together with half dozen of the young people, went outside to arrange for the theatricals leaving to the rest the discussion of the eccentric bachelors latest
 The end of the season came and found the captain still open to engage ments and he confided to one of the young ladies that he was thinking se- riousIy of settling down lest he might make the mistake of walking clear through the wood and then at last pick ing up a crooked stick.
 'sYou accept whatever offers tonight captain" said she mischievously. It was the night of the last dance of the season.
 Captain Neely, who was not q danc- ing man, promenndeG the veranda with q combination of blonde hair and pink muslin on his arm
 "Well, Peggy, why don't you begin; surely you have heard this thing done times enough to know how?" l She had dropped his arm and the joke as soon as f11ey were out of sight of the group on the veranda. but he in- sisted on keeping up the conversation as it had started out. Miss Randall was generally regarded as a young woman without a vulner- able point; stone-hearted in fact. In reality she was a girl of unusually high ideals and probably because she had so much to give she expected much Tn return. Not perfection but her ideal 1 If manhood was noble one and Cap tain Nicely at times seemed to her to fulfill it morc than any man she had yet known.
 | It always seemed to her that she meyer appeared to such poor advantage ! nS when with him, for then all tho ability as q conversationaliSt with which sine vas credited. seemed to de- sart her and she felt that to him she must appear a most uninteresting per son.
 Now she dared not let him see that she was afraid to go on with the farce, so in the gayest manner she began again just as they came upon seat among the trees into which the cap tain deliberately threw himself, leav- ling her standing: "My adorable James isn't that the way they usually be- gn?"
 "Very good" was the answer, "but I positively refuse to listen to any pro- posal unless the suitor gets down on his lnees.'
 You base man. you evidently mean to luxuriate in the situation. but can't eo down on my knees here. I'll soil my dress"
 Captain Nicely gravely spread his Ipocket handkerchief on the ground in lfront of him and imperatively mo- toned her tn kneel. and that she did, md in tho most approved voice of SUD- pressed emotion began:
 My adorable James; while deeply conscious of my great unworthiness-'
 Don't mention it."
 "-I must utter the words that have so long trembled upon my lps-I-I-."
 Well utter thcm."
 May I dare believe that the feel
 ng I entertain for you is in a measure reciprocated, and that at no distant lime l may have the unutterable hap Ipiness of calling my own one whose welfare so entirely fills nay soul and whoye slightest wish will ever be my law2"
 You may" gravely answered the be-