Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1922-02-02

"Julia ~
DO you dare to say you believed
itY
He sprang up. "It isn't trueT"
mot one word of it! / told you
Mr.. Crum is only twenty-six. He's
not been out Of college more than
three or four years, and it's the most
terrible slander to say he's ever been
married at all"
Noble dropped back into his chair of
misery. Il thought you meant it
wasn't true"
1--WE just told you there isn't one
word of tr-"
"But you're-engaged-to him."
Noble gulped. You're engaged to
him, Julia!"
She appeared not to hear him. 81
suppose it can be lived down." she
said. ITO think of Uncle Joseph put
ting such a thing into the hands of
those awful children!"
But, Julia, you are eng"
"Noblei" she said sharply
"Well, you are eng"
people mean different things by that
word" she said with severity, like an
annoyed instructress. There are any
number of shades of meaning to
| words; and if l used the word you
mention in writing home TO the family,
1 may have used a certain shade and
they may have thought 1 intended an
other"
But, julia"
"Mr. Crum is a charming young
man." she continued, with the same
primness. 81 liked him very much. l
liked him very much indeed. l liked
him very. very much. l liked him
very"
81 understand" he interrupted.
| Don't say it any more, Julia"
mo; you don't understand. At first
1 liked him very much-in fact l still
do, of course-Tm sure he's one of the
best and most attractive young men in
the world 1 think he's man any girl
ought to be happy with, if he were
only to be considered by himself
don't deny that l liked him very much
indeed, and l don't deny that for sew
eral days after he-after he proposed
to mel don't deny l thought some
thing serious might possibly come %
it. But at that time, Noble, hadn't
hadn't really thought of what it meant
to give up living here at home, with all
the family and everything-and friends
friends like you, Noble. l hadn't
thought what it would mean to me to
give all this up. And besides, there
was something very important. At the
time i wrote that letter mentioning
poor Mr. Crum to the family, Noble, l
badn't-I hadn't" She paused, in
some distress. 81 hadn't"
"YOu hadn't what?'' he cried
81 hadn't met his mother!'
Noble leaped to his feet. Julia !
You aren't-you aren't engaged?"
81 am not" she answered decisively
''If I ever was, in the slightest, 1 GER
tainly am not now"
Poor Noble was transfigured. He
struggled; making half-formed ges
lures, speaking half-made words
| j
promise me something? Julia-prom
Use to promise me something"
81 will,'' she said quickly what dc
you want me to do?"
"Give me your word" he said, still
radiantly struggling. "Give me YOU
word-your word and sacred promise
Julia-you'n never be engaged to any
body at all ~
AT six minutes after four O'Clock Of
the second afternoon following Julia!
return Noble Dill closed his own gat,
behind him as he set forth upon tht
, four minute walk that would bring hin
to Julia's. He wore a bit of indoor
geranium in the buttonhoIe of his new
light overcoat.
Passing the foot of an alley whicl
debouched upon the street, he wa
aware of a commOtion, of missiles
hurled and voices clashed.
Casting a glance that way, Nobl,
could see hut one person; a boy O
thirteen or fourteen who. 1, ,loOkeC
through a crack in a board fence
steadfastly keeping an eye to this aper
ture, and as continuously calling
through it, holding his head to on,
level for this purpose, but at the sam
time dancing-and dancing tauntingly
it was cOnvCyed-with the other part
Of his body. His voice was now sweet
now piercing, and again far to-
dulcet with the overkindness of bur
lesque; and if, as it seemed, h,
was unburd"ning his spleen, his spleel
|, was a powerful one, and gorged. H
appeared to be in a torment of tor
! menting; and his success was prOvet
10y the pounding of bricks. and rock
of size, upon the other side of th
: fence
"Oh. dolli y" he walled, his ton
, pOisonOusly amorous. "Oh, dollin
Henery. OoS dot de mos booful eye
in a dray bid nasty world, Henery
Oh, has dot booful eyes, dolling Pat
tywatty? Yes, l has! l has dc
pretty eyes His voice rose 20 a
e unbearably 'prcing climax. "Oh, wha
prettiest eye l dot! Me and Herbi
Atwater! Oh. my booful eyes! OF
e my bOoful-"
Il But even as he reached this apex
e the head, shoulders and arms of Hel
bert Atwater rose momentarily abOv
d the fence across the alley, behind tn
:, tOrmentOr. HHrbert's expression wa
t, implacably reSentful, and so was tn
gesture with which he hurled an OF
e iect at the comedian pre-Occupied wit
e the opposite fence. This object upo
o reaching its goal, as it did with NOR
a splash tEan a thud, was revealed q
J. tomato, presumably in n useles
state. The 'aunter screamed in astof
e ishment, and after looking vainly fo
II an assailan;, began necessarily TO II
e move his collar, as Noble went on h!
$ way.
How blind!v we walk our ways! A
Noble fOuris' cd down the street ther