The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-08-29
NANCY DECIDES
BY KITTY PARSONS.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)
"Why won't you marry me, Nancy
IS 1t on account Of this soldier fellow
you are all the time writing to-"
II don't know, Dick-I really and
:ruly don't know. I thought did care
for you few months ago, but now,
I'm not 50 sure-I think perhaps we're
not suited to each other after ALL"
'Then, it is this other fellow. I
knew it was and you've never even
seen him, either. Why, Nancx he may
be entirely different from what you
think him. He might be almost any
thingw
"But he isn't Dick. No one could
be anything that wasn't wonderful and
write such beautiful letters-I never
read such letters before. I just feel
I've got to see him before I can make
up my mind about anyone else"
''Well, if that's the way you feel
about it, guess we'd better call the
whole thing off. I never could write
decent letter myself. When does Sir
Galahad return?"
'He gets here some time next week
on sick leave. I'm to meet him the
day after he arrives-we'll have tea
somewhere, think. He may not look
the way expect him to at all, but I
am sure he does"
"Nancy, promise me you won't go to
tea with him till you see what he looks
like first"
'You're crazy, Dick-as If his looks
could make any difference in my feel
tngs toward him! It's his mind I'm
thinking Of, not his face'
The week after Nancy's conversa-
ton with Dick was a busy one for the
girl. Before she knew it, the day came
when she was to meet her friend, and
Nancy was in perfect turmoil of ex-
element. Again and again she went
over the picture of him she had form
ed in her .mind-every detail of it.
She and Harold Field had never
talked very much about themselves.
Their letters had been more about
things and ideas and the great war.
Strange as it may seem, the man
who met her in the lobby Of the hotel
where they had planned to see each
other for the first time, was remark
ably like her mental picture Of him,
except that he was some years older.
II had an idea my godmother was
much older" he began, when they were
seated at little table together.
Nancy did not like to tell him she
thought he would be younger, 50 she
only smiled and made some perfume
tory remark about how deceptive let
tiers can be. For some time they talk
ed Of commonplaces, then he said:
{ you've been so kind, so very kind
to me, my dear Miss Day. l can't
tell you how much we fellows over
there appreciate the wonderful letters
some Of you women write us. Why,
many Of us don't hear from home for
weeks at time. And those boxes and
knitted things, tool felt I must see
you just to let you know what we real"
~ do think of you all. Letters can't
say half of what we mean"
1T wasn't anything but pleasure
to me-" returned Nancy promptly,
blushing slightly at his earnestness.
"Ah, but it w2s to me. Whether
you were nineteen or ninety, the kind
ness was there just the same-1 felt 1t
all the time. And I've told someone
else about Tiny wife. She asked mo
to give you this letter from her today,
to let you know how much she thinks
of anyone who is kind to me. There's
even q scrubbed postscript on the bot
tom from one of the children. You
mustn't mind the addition"
"Oh, thank you," Nancy cried hasti-
ly, "I'm to be married myself soon. I
thought I'd tell you this afternoon
before I announce it to everyone"
Soon they parted with feeling Of
mutual respect. and admiration but
with no desire to know each other
better. .>... .-.@
''Tm an idiot" thought Nancy, II
never thought for minute that he was
married. And the children, too" Her
sense of humor overcame her at this
point and she laughed till she was
weak.
Aside from the fact that he was
married, he had not been half SO nice
as Dick, anyway. From the first mo-
ment she had known shat. She had
almost been afraid that he would-she
had only wanted to make sure. And
she had.
The first thing Nancy did when she
got back from her tea party was to
rush to the telephone. /
rs that you, Dick?" she asked.
"Yes-are you going to tell me the
worsty'
"The worst thing possible for YOU
I'll marry you the minute you'll have
mel"
Nancy"
II mean it'll even get Uncle VIII
to perform the ceremony at short no
tice-I told him I'd do something like
that some day."
"Chen, I'll be up with the license in
five minutes. ~.
'When did you get the license?"
:rve had it for a month"; wanted
to be prepared" -. .. -e-s
"All right, If you'll promise me not
to speak to Sir Galahad for another