The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1925-01-15
Being Engaged

ASA O. AAo So4t SAS AVAN SA0 e@4ctA A44CA
attention OF the family and then ex-
ploded in one breath.
Harriet" she managed to say,
"Harriett's engaged"
well, suggested the father of the
family, those things do happen, you
know!"
''B-y-but Harriett!" stammered his
child. why, she's in my crowd! !
never heard Of such thing. or course
she's older than the rest of uss but
she's just Is. Why, didn't realize at
all that she's so grown up
"Eighteen!" murmured the father
Of the family. well, maybe it won't
take. 1t doesn't sometimes, you know.
1t may be only light attack, like
German measles"
Il don't see why you are talking
about measles" protested Caroline, in
dignantly. "That hasn't anything to
do with being engaged. And she never
knew at all that Bob was going to be
Aer fate until she saw HIM In hIs uni
form-and then she said it all came
over her and it did over him, too"
bob RikerI" exclaimed her mother.
why, he's under age!"
Eyes, but he won't be in a year or
So" SAID Caroline. And he got his
khaki suit, so he'd be sort of used to
it, you know. OF course it isn't a real
government uniform, but it's kind OF
like it, and HARRIET says when she
first laid eyes on Bob in it she thought
she'd faint, she felt so queer. HOW
does it feel when you faint?'
"But / think it's the most wonderful
thing, their discovering that they were
in love with each other. Why, Har-
riett has known Bob forever and ever,
and he stuck burrs in her hair and she
always made fun Of his nose. And
once / re1pember that she used to
make faces at him. How can you be in
love with some one you've seen every
day of your life, almost2 Why, l
couldn't fall in love with anybody who
wasn't sort of mysterious and wonder
fuE And Bob's eyes are real pale
blue and Harriet used to call him car
rot-top. She says it is very different
now-though I'm sure don't see
how"
Its because you're not in love" ex-
planned the father Of the family, gent
ally. when you are in love, every
thing is always different"
us it," inquired Caroline. Il should
think that would be awfully upsetting.
I'm sure / shouldn't want to have to
get acquainted all over with every
body again. Harriet says the whole
world luoks different"
Him." said her mother, What has
Harriet been reading lately?"
"Oh, OF course you think she's just
romanticH declared Caroline, indig-
nantly. But it's very serious. Harriet
says that just as soon as she and Bob
were engaged she felt years older and
didn't care at all abouts such silly
things as making fudge. And she al
ways was crazy ABOUT nudge. Harriet
says it is perfectly marvellous to real
lie what an extraordinary man Bob is
and that she shouldn't be surprised ii
he turned out to be a general III the
army. OF course he's got to ger into
the army yet, but she says il only they
could hear how clearly he explains
lust what should be zone 10 win right
away instead OF fusslng along they
might learn few things. She never
would let Bob tell her how to play
tennis or anything, but now she says
he has perfectly marvellous brain.
She says when you are engaged to
person"
''How many hours a day." demanded
her mother, docs Harriet lecture to
the rest Of you on the Art of Being
Engaged?"
"Oh, my goodness" said Caroline.
ssWhy, she just told us today. Right
this minuteI ] wonder if I'm going to
find out I'm in love with Norm or Tom
or any one know real well and be
engaged to them before know it?"
"Cease your wondering!" said the
father of the family crisply. III read
the future right now and assure you
that you are not! If you try getting
engaged to any of these insufferable,
callow kids that roam around here iii
have extensive remarks to make on
the subject And l don't see what
Harriett's father and mother are
thinking Of"
ooh. they don't know it yeti" Caro-
line explained.
ssYou see. it just happened this noon
just before Harriet told us! They
think they win tell her father and
mother Saturday night, because he al
ways plays golf Saturday and wins
and cracks jokes all evening and they
think it would be good time to do
1t.
sGewhillikensie gasped the father
Of the family, inelegantly. sTH bet he
cracks joke on that occasion that
win lead them to aend out the reserves
at the police station! And listen! I'll
tell you just how long this engage
ment Is going to last-tin next Satur-
day night And IL you try it, the affair
viii be even briefer than that-apd
eat, little boys alive when get good
and madl"
sTTrnlD said Caroline with dignity