The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-11-04

never could pronounce II.
Il know" said Dick. "Im = coward.
I'm a gutter"
! This confession rather took the
wind out Of my sails. Besides. had
to laugh. Dick looked so ridiculous.
He was dressed for an afternoon tea,
but his long black coat was runpled,
and his shiny silk hat was rolling
into the brook.
"Oh, your poor hati" | said
/ We both reached for it and he
caught my hands instead of the hat.
I Can you forgive me?' said Dick.
sort of trembly. Il lost my. sand. But.
honestly, Twas going to the tea after
I'd smoked one pipe How did you
guess that was here?"
The whole thing was so absurd that
covered my face and shook.
'Lord!" groaned Dick. Don't CRY.
Polly!"
''Pm not" said. choking.
"You are,H said he. "You have a
right to- I'm an ill-mannered idiot and
boor Let's go home and be an
nounced. Look at your dress! All
because you had to hunt me up. You
witch. how did you know I'd take ref
uge here? am an ill-mannered-
mo" said |. "And if you are, l
am one too ran away, didn't know
where you were"
He started and smiled slowly; Rich
ard has heavenly smile, and there is
plenty OF it. Then he sat down beside
me on that beloved rock, and the brook
did ali the sensible talking that was
necessary for quite a while. You can
have no idea how quickly the. time
passed, unless you have sat on a rock
under similar circumstances. When
the factory whistle sounded family l
jumped.
six o'clock" l gasped. "The tea!
Come onl''
TITS six-twenty.' said Dick, looking
at his watch. There's a church-bell
ringing"
"Must be a fire." said ain North
over, everybody goes to fire."
| Dick chuckled.
That's good" he said. 'The re
ception will be thinned out, sure
Hardly anybody win be left we ce
sneak in quietly and"
| asked him what kind of a stor3
we could possibly tell Aunt Justine
Listen" said Dick. "Tll tell Il
story, and take the entire blaine of
too | happened along under your wiz
dow this afternoon and asked you
walk before the reception. You cam.
twisted my ankle on a boulder ar
that delayed us. How's that? A.
right, l guess. But, best of all, Polly
we've escaped the reception escape
the chatter, and the Misunderstanding, ar
the. announcement of everything! it,
the biggest luck ever heard Of"
was so carried away by this good
fortune that forgot about my locked
bedroom door. We said good-by to
the. brook, and decided that 1t was
wonderfully poetic for us to have been
engaged and announced on exactly the
SAME spot Richard began to limp SO
awfully that he put his arm around
my shoulders for crutch. 1t was
pleasant walking that way. and we
didn't cut through the hedge but
turned down the lane into the main
street. At the cornerS Dick stopped
short and pointed ST
Good gracioust" i screamed,
The Northover hose-cart- Cataract,
Number One and the ladder thing
Hercules Iimb Der T@oz-were in front
of our house. The lawn was packed
with people, like d circus-ground
"Fdrryt" said Dick, grabbing my
wrist. ss
He tore along the sidewalk. It was.
the quickest cure of q sprained ankle
you eyer knew. Mr.. Mincer,. the con
stable, was sitting on the ladder truck
When he saw US, he shouted and
waved his hat and rang the gong
The crowd in the yard yelled and
laughed as we raced to our piazza
through little path they made for
u.s.
On the piazza were the chief of the
fire department, and the chairman of
seIectmen, and Sheriff Hoppock, and
ever SO many others. The open doors
and windows were iammed with the
afternoon tea people They cheered,
too, and laughed when we ran up the
steps.
@Any da1nage?" painted Dick.
'Damage!" said Uncle Jerry on the
broad grin. "Just as if a happy pair
couldn't announce their engagement
without raising a riot!"
What do you mean, sir?" said Dick
Aunt Justinai" / sobbed, but hung
tight to Dicks elbow.
~Justina is just coming to- saio
Cousin Miranda, with bottle of salts
1T was my fault. Polly. We broke in
your door. we couldn't find you and
it was terrible and telephoned for
police or somebody and they must
have misunderstood me but
Three cheers for Miss Polly Ran
DALI" trumpeted the chief Of the fire
department.
Dick and faced about. ! never re-
allied before what 8 large population