The Pulaskian. (Pulaski Heights [Little Rock], Ark.) 1915-1929, 1920-02-27
THE ANSWER
BY FLORENCE euRRlLL.

Neil Mackenzie was the biggest,
broadcast lad in Winsbury, with the
erispest dark hair and the clearest
blue eyes. He had that combination
Of strength and boyishness which won-
en- love. and could easily have been
very much of ladies' man had he
not been as bashful as he was hand
some. Girls adored his 1.-the virility,
and he received an early invitation to
all of the Winsbury merry-makings.
But the presence of the other sex in
variably turnel Neil from living,
laughing Hermes to frozen statue.
And to make things worse, he was
very much in love with Cecily.
Ceclly was wee bit of lassie,
honey-colored as to hair, violet-hued as
to eyes, apple-blossomy as to cheeks.
A pretty air of dignity tried to con-
tradict her little-girl figure, and she
was, according to an enthusiastic
friend, lust sweet =" And if she had
the appearance of q tinted marble
Venus she must have had some of the
ott4 ADNACc ttiSOy LII uOllC VI Tile 1IldHY
suitors Winsbury and other towns of
fered had made the slightest impress
sion on the cool little heart under her
dainty laces. She accepted their de-
votion graeiously, was the merriest and
most fun-loving of the younger set, but
always with a fastidious reserve that
let none farther than the rest.
That is, until Neil began shyly to
show his heart. With him she never
coquetted, his invitations she never re-
fused, toward him she showed a sweet
and simple liking; and soon the big,
dark lad and the small. flowerlike girl
were seen together very often indeed
setting out for country walk or
drifting through the rhythm of
waltz.
But this very friendship puzzled
Neil. 1t was so different from her
treatment of other lovers; and it never
occurred to him that her feeling for
him might be different also. To his
mind her laugh was the most joyous
thing on earth, and herself the dear
est. But he feared to tell her lest it
end their friendship; so they were pals
through the sparkling January days
and the wistful April ones, with no
hint of anything deeper.
When June came he could stand it
no longer. He decided to take the big
chance. tell her, then if she couldn't
marry him. go where his profession of
engineer promised success. How should
he ask Cecily? He never could bare
his heart with those purple eyes ca
him; letter was so impersonal and
cold; there should be no third party's
laundering, and these were the only
orthodox methods of proposing, I'M
less
Neil rushed to the nearest music
store, purchased a blank record and
had it on the victrola at home before
the glow Of the wonderful inspiration
had time to dull Into the little disk
he spoke his straightforward,
yearning, tender, as he could never
have expressed 1t to her in person..
Tisoning 4 star-cyed girl in the shad.
ows, he told how he cared for her with
the simple, honest love of a clean
heart, how eager he would work to
make her happy; but If she didn't.
couldn't love him, she was not to feel
the least bit grieved nor blame herself
at all, for how could a girl like her
love a great, clumsy thing like him?
"Only please let me know as soon as
you can, dear; and if it is mo- there is
a position waiting out West, where
work will keep me a man. When your
answer comes l shall either telegraph
that cannot accept-or start at once.
Oh, Cecily, Cecily, shall I stay?'
The tiny parcel which meant so
much in life and hopes of Neil Mac
kenzie was dispatched by special mes
senger and an anxious boy faced the
hours that must pass before an an
swer came. He could see Cecily re-
ceive the record and run merrily to
try 1t through at once. as she always
did new one; he could see her look
of amazement-but there his vision
failed. Did her face grow tender or
sad or frightened?
Scarcely two hours had gone before
a ring at the doorbell revealed an
other messenger boy with parcel
Mackenzie tore it open and found-just
his record.
He slipped the record into place and
started the machine. How strange to
hear his own tones! He smiled. half
sadly and whimsically, at the pas
sion of the words. The plea came to
an end: "Oh, Cecily, Cecily, shall
stay?"' The needle whirled noisily sew
eral times. Then clear and vibrant
in the voice of his sweetheart cams
the answer she had spoken into it:
"Yes."