The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-07-19

collar, he finally managed 10 slilih'
mer:
"Prlscllla, I--I-wonder, ! wonder
lf-if-you-that Is, do you-do you
care very much for meT
They were seated on the lounge d.
rectly beneath one Of those painted
fireslde scenes In which n beautiful
young woman and Il handsome man
are envelOped In Il hOmelike glow
from a CRATE and in each others arms
while they exchange dovelille glanccs
of tenderness.
Jerry kept his eyes fixed on the pic
ture and It inspired him so that he
succeeded in getting through the rest
Of the proposal in fairly creditable
fashion. lie didn't even neglect the
"You could make me the happiest man
in the world If you would only say
etc, ETC.
This proposal had been expected by
Priscilla, but she was no more pre-
pared for definite answer than she
had been when Melville asked the
same question. She was very fond OF
both. Melville, tall and dark, had n
very prcpossessing appearance and
personality, while Hart, of light com
plexion and more athletic build, mp
peared possessed of greater amount
OF resolution and II more manly charac-
ter.
The clock struck 4 p. m. and brought
Priscilla out of her reverie. She
looked at the brief which hid John
HamlltOn's cOuntCnance and wondered
what was going on in that keen device
that served as his brain. She turned
to her typewriter, ratified the keys for
moment. then reversed her position
quickly and caught him in the act OF
staring ut her. She laughed.
Spring fever has caught me, l
guess" she said. ~ can't seem to con-
centrate on my work. and I'm about as
useful to you as a piano to deaf man
without any hands"
He laid the brief on his desk.
"You need vacation" he suggest
ed. "Ive been working YOU too hard.
With circuit court session only two
weeks off I've had to keep you buster
than usual. You'd better go out and
inhale some summer sunshine and for
get all about this little old office for
n SPELL"
"Orders is orders" she laughed, as
he helped her into her jacket.
She went toward the door, plnnins
her hat in place.
"Just a minute, Priscilla" he called,
as there something troubling you?
Can't ! help, if there is?'
She ratified the door knob, hesitat-
ing.
"Nope, I guess not" she answered.
"Good afternoon" and the door closed
behind her.
He picked up the brief and didn't
notice it was upside down. He sat
thinking for perhaps fifteen minutes,
and might not have stirred for a full
hour had net the door opened and
Priscilla stepped in. She was in tears.
HamIin leaped from his chair and es-
corted her to it, then stood helpless
nearby, as helpless as most men are
when women cry.
"Pm so miserable" she sobbed,
soaking n tiny handkerchief with a
torrent of salt water. "Mr. Hamlin,
you're q lawyer and you ought to be
able to settle this case for me-"
Hamlin drew chair close to her,
coughed very professionally and said,
somewhat whimsically:
every well. Give me the details Of
the problem and I'll try to figure out
a solution"
So she laid the whole affair before
him. and he sat back in his chair and
knitted his brow into a thoughtful
frOwn.
"Of course, Priscilla" he said, "I'll
advise you to the best of my ability;
but l can't decide for you whether
you'd rather be a bankers or a brake
mans wife,"
He stroked his chin and looked to-
ward the ceiling, where the lone fly
was making return trip, buzzing ami
cably. The lawyer bit his lip and
hoped the poor fly wouldn't fall and
break his back.
"YOu see," he went on, while the
girl sobbed softly, "this puts me in a
rather painful position; because-be-
cause-well, to tell the truth, Priscilla,
I've learned to be rather fond Of you
myself during our four and half
years association in the Office, and you
-you-see-"
Priscilla laughed and the tear food
was damned.
"'Nuff said, John Hamlin," she said
merrily. "Do you know, I've thought
all along that didn't want to be either
q bankers or a brakeman's wife.
would much rather be lawyers wife"
Hamlin started so violently that he
nearly fell out of his chair. The reve-
lation was so unexpected that it upset
even his practical mind. He recovered
his mental equilibrium quickly, how
ever, and, drawing his chair still
closer, said softly:
priscilla, you coald make me the
happiest man in the world If you would
only say" ETC., etc.
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