The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-12
Euening Story
A Proxy Proposal.
BY FREDERICK HART.

and heart at her feet.
Her mother, accustomed tho she
was to her daughters moods, was at
a loss to understand this accession of
grief.
There, there, dear" she said sooth-
lingly, patting Elizabeth's brown head.
please don't cry know all about
it He asked you to marry him, didn't
he. and you refused? Well. If you
don't love him you did quite right.
There's nothing to cry about in that.
Fred Stanhope is a nice boy, but if you
don't love him you did the right
thing"
Tit isn't that" sobbed Elizabeth,
'but-but some one was listening and
he heard what Fred said-and he
didn't hear what 1 said!"
What" This was enough to sur
prise any mother.
Eyes. You know the crowd went on
a picnic to Bass Rocks-and it was
moonlight-and l just knew some
thing would happen-and Fred made
me go out on the rocks with hin-and
"Ah." said her other. Tell me
about it,"
| And Elizabeth told. She and Fred
had wandered out on the rocks, where
the moon made a long path on the
| lake, and there Fred had told her that
he loved her and wanted to marry her.
And oh, mother, dear, Jimmy Davis
was out there too! He had strolled
out alone, and when he saw us coming
he tried to get away-but he heard
Fred propose, and then he left. He
| he didn't know 1 saw him. but did
and all the time Fred was talking
couldn't help thinking of Jimmy-and
then when said No looked around
and Jimmy was gonei"
well. 1 don't see what's SO tragic
about that"
"Oh, mother. Jimmy's going to
Europe tomorrow for six months. He
sails in the morning And. mother, I
love him!N But If that horrid Fred
hadn't been 500 persistent I'm sure
Jimmy would have spoken. and now
it's too late!" And Elizabeth sobbed
again.
There, there, daughter, don't cry.
1t will all come right" And her
| mother tried to console her. But
Elizabeth was inconsolable. So her
mother wisely left her to have her
cry out and descended the stairs,
thinking hard.
She had known of Elizabeth's af-
lection for Jimmy Davis for a long
| time, and had seen that Jimmy re-
turned the feeling; but he was a quiet
man, and not an impetuous wooer.
He had waited till the last moment to
Fred Stanhope had made the most of
his chances Fred was, as she had
said, a nice boy; but Elizabeth did not
love him, and there was no doubt but
that she did love Jimmy.
And Mrs. Shirley was bound to ad-
nit to herself that of the two Jimmy
was the more desirable. She went
into the living room, thinking harder
Europe to inspect the foreign offices
of the firm for which he worked. He
had told Elizabeth that his work
might keep him away six months, but J
Mrs. Shirley knew that it might be
longer. And meanwhile her daughter
Tho light of determination came
into Mrs. Shirley's eyes and q smile
wrinkled the corners of her mouth. |
'T don't suppose it's ever been done |
desperate diseases need desperate |
remedies. And after all. in this mod |
ern age, I don't suppose it's so tre- |
endously bad-lets see, what time |
is it,"
The party had returned early from !
the picnic. A glance at the clock |
showed that 1t was only 1880. Mrs. |
Shirley went to the telephone.
''Hello-Park 1851 please:
"Hello-let me speak to Mr.. Davis.
'rhis you, Jimmy? Mrs. Shirley
speaking.
eyes, it is a nice night-but that
isn't what I wanted to say. Now
listen to ne and don't interrupt. do
you love my daughter"
The answer that came over the wire
was emphatic enough to have salts
fled the most particular of mothers.
'Well, then. come up here and tell
her so. What? Not at all. He asked
her to, and she refused-and she's up
here crying her eyes out-now don't
think I'm crazy. II a mother can't DO
the proposing for her daughter,
don't know who can. No, Jtmmy-of
course not 1 think-I won't say I'm
sure-that she loves you. Please don't
do into ecstacies over the phone.
wanted to give my Betty her chance
at happiness, that's all-listen! Lis
ten! Come back here! Before you
come up Jimmy Davis. give me your
solemn word of honor that you'll new
or let Betty know-not ever-that /
called you up tonight. oh, fix up
any sort of story-if a lover can't ex-
plain why he came back to tell girl
he loves her he's pretty poor lover
yes, she'll be up when you get here
yes-Good-by, Jimmy-and God bless
you'll"
Mrs. Shirley hung up the receiver.
ssWen," she apotsrophized the silent
telephone. at never thought I'd do it /
but Jimmy must have his chance
and SO must my Betty-but q mother
doing her own daughters proposing
that is a step farther than thought
even Ieap-year privileges would go
and. good heavens! 1t isn't even leap
outside there was the whirr and
grind of a taxicab coming to q halt
Steps sounded on the walk. The bell
pealed and a sleepy maid went to an
syer it. Ii
"Show Mr.. Davis into the living
room, Mary" said Mrs. Shirley as she
passed the maid. Then she ran light
Iy up the stairs.
''Betty-Betty, dear?"
'Y-yes, mother?" from the other
side of the door.
Betty, dry your eyes and look your
prettiest. There's some one down
stairs who wants to see you"
What? But it's so late"
Mrs. Shirley smiled in the darkness.
Its never too late. dear. Now run
goodnight. my daughter"
Betty hurried down the stairs The
door of the living room opened-and
closed again. Mrs. Shirley, still snil-
in 1araI1f n hel. rnnY11