The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-04-18
oliday Was
Made Interesting
BY ALAN HlNSDALE


Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union.)
1t was q dismal afternoon in Novem-
Der, one of those cherries, cloudy
days when the sun does not shine, the
wind is chilly and a few dead leaves
still hang to the trees. l had moth
ing to do since il VAS a holiday. About
three O'Clock l telephoned Mildred to
ask If | might come over and get away
with the rest of the day until dinner
time. She said | might, so / accepted
my own invitation.
/ found Mildred in the library. The
contrast within and without rendered
the former especially CHEEKY. There
was n fire of logs on the hearth, there
were plants in pots and a canary bird.
'Drat these holidays l said
they're marc to get through with, ex-
cept in the summer, when l wish it
was ali holiday"
"rn try to make the rest of this one
bearable for you, said Mildred.
So we chinned for half an hour,
when Mildred took up a pack of cards
and shuffied them.
"Shall l tell your fortune?" she
asked.
IF you like"
She drew a card table before the
fire, taking a seat on one side, while l
did the same on the other.
Mildred turned a card.
1.-THE queen of spades. There Is q
dark lady-a brunette-who is pinlng
for you"
Blondes are my favorites," 1 said.
MildNd is a blonde.
Then followed the knave of dia-
monds.
'This is your rival. The color being
red. he is fairly well-to-do."
"All right" l said, "let him spend
all the money he wants on the bru-
nette l don't want her."
The next card was the queen of
hearts.
"Ahal There comes my girl" I ex-
claimed.
eyes. but you don't know hat she
loves you"
"Are you sure she d~oesn't2"
"Well. she might a little bit. She
respects you"
Come. come; l don't want any of
this sister business
"But you must take what the cards
say"
Proceed"
Presently the king of diamonds was
turned up.
"a very rich man loves the queen of
$3.50 - -1l4-t ..,- CI. f, not 1oz-
zled by his wealth, but his position is
excellent"
81 think I know the gentleman" I
said, frowning.
"You don't, either; I know who you
think he is, but"
SIS the first letter of his name RY
She did not reply TO my question,
but went on turning the cards. Ace,
two, three came up.
"You are going to propose to the
queen of hearts three times"
"You bet l don't. If she doesn't ac-
cept me the first time l ask her, l
don't want her"
Then the knave of clubs came up.
another rival" she said.
"For the queen of spades or the
queen of hearts?"
81 don't know" she said listlessly.
81 do; he Is the fellow who sports
himself on the gridiron. He made that
big run and scored a touchdown the
other day."
81 don't know who you mean" she
said.
"Oh, yes, you do; he is the chap who
danced three times In succession with
the queen of hearts at a certain ball
the other night"
"And who sat out three dances with
with the queen of spadesf"
Didn't he have provocation when the
queen N hearts acted sol"
"Who began 1T"
"You did"
She looked up at me with another Of
those smiles on her lips, and this time
a dimple In each cheek.
al thought this was fortune-telling,"
she said, and went on turning the cards.
/ Put my hand on hers to stop her.
mildred" 1 said, " It's time to stop
this nonsense of using kings and
queens for real persons
She stopped turning the cards, but |
didn't take my hand from hers. 1t
was very soft and warm.
No one wishes to propose In a noise,
and the bird sang so loud that l was
upset by 1t. 1 paused, and Mildred
rose from her chair, went to the bird
and began to chirp to 1t. The spell
was broken. l looked at my watch.
IT'S near dinner time," I said; 81
must be going"
"Tata."
"Tata."
/ went home and wrote q letter to
Mildred. All there was in 1t was: Il
love you; will you be my wife?"
The reply was even more laconic. 1t
was simply.