Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-01-09

Gaunt for no less than four years,
and so far as he knew the positive
Canary wasn't aware OF much more
than the mere fact Of his existence.
Frantlc's friends might have warned
him against Canary had they consid-
cred that his suit had q chance for
success. AS 1t was they preferred TO
let MIN keep his goSSamer dreams. NO
body liked to hurt Frantic. He was
SO eagerly friendly, so wOebegone, SO
pathetically grateful for every kind
word. 1t was ironical that he should
lave directed his affections toward
Canary Gaunt-nOt that there was
anything wrong about Canary except
that she most certainly wasn't the sort
OF who could make Frantic
happy.
Well, after all, Canary didn't even
know Frantic was counting her. In
all his life Mr.. Marshall had never
earned more than ten dollars q week.
And on ten a week one cannot court
a woman like Canary with any degree
OF success. Frantic did not press his
suit-he feared a rebuff. He feared
almost everything.
Tonight he trudged toward his tiny
room on the top floor of Sally Crouch's
Cozy Home Hotel for Colored.
He stood at the curb patiently wait
ing his chance to cross through the
skidding traffic. And 1t happened that
something caught the CLEAN of q head
light and reflected that CLEAN into
Frantic's eyes
He frowned. He stopped. His fingers
quested in the putter. and when the
emaciated frame was Strengthened, Mr..
Frantic Marshall was in possession OF
the three hundred dollar diamond pin
which recently had been the property
OF the large and powerful Mocha VIII
liams.
Frantic Marshall wa no fool. He
was certain that his trophy was genu-
Inc. His watery eyes blinked, his
breath came faSt-and he envisioned
the reward which would be offered by
the person who had lost this jewel.
That night he was embOldened to
call upon Miss Canary Gaunt. Canary
was glad enough to see him, the miser-
able weather having blasted her plans
for the evening. She found herself
in the company of q new man. Not
that frantic was any laroer physically
but he seemed to have expanded men,
tally. AS the evening progressed he
even presumed to have an idea.
You know what, C%anary?"
"What?"
"A swell looking gal like you ought
to YEA diamonds"
"Fumaddidles! Where at would 1 gel
diamonds fum?"
"Oh-maybe If some Teller was crazy
bout you, an you was willin' to commit
matrimony with him-maybe he'd give
you anyhow diamond. A big one.'
Reckon he'd buy it fun the ter
cent store, too
mo, I mean a real, genuwine one
Do you like diamonds, Canary?"
"They is the craziest things l is
about"
Frantic rushed in. "S'posin' it was
me, sugarplum? S'posin' I gave you
a real swell diamond-would you bt
willin' to become engaged to me?"
Il is awful fond of diamonds
Mistuh Marshall"
AN of me, too?"
Canary eyed him speculatively. 81
like you awful good. Mistuh Marshall
"An-an' you reckon, if l was to git
that diamond TO- you-you might think
about performin' matrimony with me?'
She blushed and giggled. Il reckon
I might, Frantic"
"Hallelujah!" He started forward i'm
%petuously, but she waved him away
mot yet, Frantic. Wait til we has
seen that diamond"
That was as far as Mr.. Marshall
could get. Yet when he stepped into
the bitter night again there were
wings upon his feet and a song on
his lips.
He was not a discriminating person
He didn't stop to analy2e ii
never occurred that CaLary was prob
ably a mercenary person who was will
ing to take him because she wanted
a diamond.
For three days Frantic existed on
hope and misery. He touched heights
of delight and depths of despair. Cana
ry Gaunt kept him dangling. Diamond
first, she insisted; else how could she
believe that he really loved her? An0
Frantic's honesty compelled him te
watch the three daily papers while
he hoped and prayed that no adver-
tisement would be inserted.
Fate smiled upon him OF
SO he thought. No one announced
through the newspapers that a dia-
mond pin had been lost. Had Frantic
known more than he did, it might
have occurred that stolen property is
not usually advertised for. But he
had no idea except that this pin hac
been lost, and now-when no one
claimed it-he felt that he had done
even more than the average honest
man was called upon to do. He gazec
upon the pin and called it his. Anc
that night he made his magniloquent
presentation to the fair Canary.