The Pensacola journal., 1922-12-24

goes double. How do you
that?"
I'm crazy about it,"
''WeIl, that's the first million that's cha.
hands"
with plenty more to come"-and he slipped
right hand off the wheel and slid it over Psprq
left, and he squeezed; and she squeezed back.
goes couple Of more Millions
1.-THE beauty of the extravaganza" said Papn
not so steadily, "s that 1t doesn't cost anything
give and take, take and give"
well, isn't that the proper Christmas
Give till it hurts? ?" and he pressed her ;
hard she almost screamed-with Joy
"And take the spirit that the giver gives. 4
mind you breaking my thumb any more than
wardrobe mistresss daughter will mind the TUE
ache she'll get from the candy. It's gift"
And here I am, not getting hurt at all. 3
back my thumb-bite it If you want tor
me I'll just love it."
"No, l don't mean that gift has 10 give
pain, though if it does. what's the difference
it's gift worth getting. it's worth suffering I'd
But it can be nice even if 1t doesn't lubricant IL
Very Only it isn't quite fair"
81. "If you knew how lonesome l am-I'vs bee,
GUS life professional look-meover. you'd real
that If you crushed every bone in my both bal
I'd still get eleven fingers the best of q
I'm supposed to be a sort of standardized bsi
and live the giddy life of the Rialto and the ra
and all that. Now, how many men do you suPp
have ever squeezed my hand? l don't mean
way you squeezed it mean squeezed it at {
Don't answer-you'd be surprised"
"As many as that?'
$50 many that at this minute l feel like 4 h
school boob playing her first game Of postoil
I'm no saint and I'm no lily. But I've never pla?
with this hand-holding racket much. The kind
men meet don't want to hold hands"
We'll, do. insist on it. l don't care how Id
you've been on the stage or how other men h
set you against the great, simple joys Of this s
tence. But il you're going to loiter around M
you're going to have your hands held good q
plenty, young woman. You're up against s1 4
fashioned sap from the city, who wants the wa
routine-sighs, bushes, whispers, love lets1
everything-and if you want to do any poSuI
stamp flirtations, I'm for 1t strong, II "a on
letters only.
Say, said Papriqua, 'if you kneH what tal
Of you right now you'd jump out of this car"
mo wouldn't. l know, and it doesn't scars
bit. You think I'm wholesome, square-shoal
guy who's getting wilder about you every mha
and you like it. So do 1. But 1 warn you \
romantic. can't say you're the first e'rl WIG
hand I've ever held, but I'm warning y0u nov
you're the last"
Paprloua closed her eyes for a moment
What was it she had dreamed about, had Fl
for, had reached after into blank space? bl
Love that didn't walt and didn't falter and d!;I
hesitate; Observation-Disclosures love, spo1
right out loud, confessed without fornalit:es, VI
out restrictions, without any process Of birta 4
growth through graduated stages? Was t7a'
Was this it?
Ned" she answered with a qua7e- 90 Y
realize just what you're saying-just wla. 5o'|
doing
Absolutely. I'm proposing to you, Ard you
going to say yes, or I'll break the rest OF your O'
until you do. l don't mean caye-man fooisa1'1
l mean I'll love you into loving me. N147e y
been lonesome-I've been lonesome for v2j. y
always felt since the first time ever zsw you I
I'd meet you somehow, and when I bid Z. Fo1
happen"
He drew up before house in the upper p,
town, comfortable lookiI home that ca '
better than middle class
Ned" she whispered, with break in 2eE ~ 4
I've got Christmas present for you"
He bent down and got it.