The Wahpeton times., 1918-10-10
AN ENGAGEMENT
sy MILDRED l. DAVIDSON.

per oyndicats.)
"Where shall I 90 tonightr' Barbara
Lawton asked her mother.
Il don't see that you have to 20 any.
where" her mother replied. "Why
cannot you stay at home and be nice to
Frank for one night"
II just cannot bear that fellow, and
Why he has to come when have told
him twice that I would never marry
him. IL more than can understand,
I have avoided him every Sunday night
for two months and yet he comes. I
won't stand him. and I'll tell him 30,
80 there!" and Barbara slammed the
door and left the room.
Il can't understand Barbara" said
Mrs. Lawton. turning to her husband.
Il think Frank Paige 10 q very ane fel-
low; he has = good position and I
know he loves Barbara and could make
her very happy II she would only let
him. She has made up her mind not to
like him and nothing will change her"
As Mn. Lawton had intimated,
Frank Paige had been calling on Bar
bara Lawton 20 over Q year and had
already asked h-f ., marry him but
she refused. 81, tsid Frank that she
did not care for him, but she told her
mother that r. was too slow for her.
he did not caee for movies. dances or
dinner parties, and Barbara told her
self that she could never be happy with
a man who would not give her plenty
of those things.
So that night Barbara went over to
visit her chum. Dora Clare. To Dora
she confided all her troubles with re-
gard to Frank. After q while Dora
exclaimed:
"Oh. I have just the dandiest plan
for you to get rid Of Frank Paige, Bar.
bara." Barbara listened eagerly to her
plan.
"You must lead him on and let him
think that If he proposes again you
will marry him. Then when he does
propose you must say yes Take his
ring and just imagine the excitement
OF being engaged. You can have a
grand time with parties and announce
ments and then after while decide
that you made mistake and break the
engagement. Wouldn't that be fun2
And you are always looking for ex-
element"
Barbara was little doubtful as to
the success of this plan, but as she
really did not care at all for Frank,
She had no thought for the harm she
would do him, and so consented to the
plan.
For several weeks Barbara stayed at
home on Sunday night and entertained
Frank quite nicely. OF course, treat
ment Of that kind soon led Frank to
ask Barbara to reconsider her answer,
and when he asked her again, she very
shyly said "Yes."
AS the weeks went by Barbara found
it harder and harder to make up her
mind to tell Frank that it was all q
joke. Not that she intended to tell
him the plan, but she would just say
that she had made mistake, but the
longer it was put off the harder it be.
came.
Matters went ON for a considerable
length of time, until one Sunday Frank
dld not come to call. Barbara was
surprised to find herself at the front
window looking for Frank. She tried
to tell herself that she was merely
cross because she had stayed home
to entertain him aud he had not come,
but that explanation did not seem to
satisfy.
The next morning came a note from
frank saying that he had been very
busy the night before and begged Bar.
para to excuse him for not calling.
lie asked if he might come over the
next night TO say good-by as he was
| going away on trip.
Tuesday night came, and with il
came Frank. Barbara went to the
door to let him in; but the Frank who
stood ut the door was not the Frank
She had known. He was dressed in
the uniform Of soldier. Barbara
gasped and said nothing. Frank ex-
planned that he had enlisted and was
to be sent the next day to Texas to
train.
AS Barbara stood listening to him,
she knew that she must tell him the
truth before he went. Frank" she
said, when I became engaged to you,
[ did 1t just for fun"
"For fun" Frank cried In amaze.
ment and despair, his mind already
Picturing the days and nights Of loneli.
ness with no letters from Barbara to
cheer him up.
"Yes. for fun" said Barbara. "You
know love excitement, and thought
that it would be sport" And Barbara
dropped her voice. II have changed
my mind. was only going to be en-.
gagged for q few weeks. but"
On Thursday morning Frank left for
Texas, but the girl who kissed him
good-by at the station wore not only
a diamond, but plain gold band on
her third finger.