The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1930-12-12
Observation-Disclosures
Miles Standish
Is Emulated
BY H. IRVING KING


ones had, after sulking for awhile,
gone off and married somebody else.
Kittie cared for only one man In the
world-and he would not propose.
She knew he wanted to; and several
times he had been upon the very
verge of doing so-had, in fact, be-
gun his little speech and then, be-
coming scared, trailed off into some
thing else while the "Yes" which she
was prepared to hand him was trem-
bling ON her tongue. This almost-but-
not-quite conduct on the part OF
Leonard Griffin was partly due to a
natural diffidence, and partly to hor-
ror of hearing the mo" which he
feared would be Kittie's answer. Once
rejected by Kittie, life to him would
be desert and all its pleasures Dead
sea fruit.
Then, one day, Leonard picked up
Longfellow's poem which tells how
the valiant Captain Miles Standish,
afraid to propose in person to Pris-
ella Mullen, sent John Alden to ask
the momentous question for him.
This struck Leonard as an excellent
idea on the part of Captain Standish;
but the result gave him pause. For
everybody knows that at Miss Null
lens suggestion John Alden ''spoke
for himself" and left Captain Stand
ish to hold the bag. Still. the more
he pondered over the matter, the
more the idea of vicarious proposal
appealed to Leonard.
He resolved to try 1t. But, warned
by the fiasco in the Captain Standish
case, he determined to choose as his
intermediary some one debarred by
previous contract from playing the
part of young Mr.. Alden in its en-
tirety. There was Jack Davis! He
was engaged to Florence Merriman.
He would be safe envoy and Jack
could be counted upon to state the
case properly and convincingly. So
he took Jack into his confidence.
Jack was delighted with the propO-
sition "Tm just the boy for you"
cried he, proposing is just where
| live. I've had experience you know.
Trust your Uncle Jack"
The next evening Jack went forth
upon his mission, while Leonard re-
mained In his bachelor apartments in
a state Of nervous agitation. About
ten o'clock Jim Hazard, who occupied
the apartments just over Leonards,
came in for q smoke and chat before
going to bed. His advent was prec-
ious boon to Leonard. Jim was great
talker and ratified on with all the lat
est gossip finally bursting out with:
"Did you hear about Jack Davis and
Florence Merriman? Everybody said
they were engaged; but 1t seems they
are not. Wonder who started that
story, anyway Why, what's the mat
ter with your"
Leonard had turned pale. Jack Da-
Wis fancy free? The outcome of the
Standish Mullen-Alden episode came
rushing upon him. Jack, the bold, the
dashing, the winner Of the smiles of
women-he had sent him as his agent
to Kittie Langton. He felt like taking
the first train to Plymouth and weep
ing tears of sympathy over the grave
of Captain Standish-if he could find
it. Jim departed; and Leonard was
left to a lonely half-hour of agoniZed
suspense. Then appeared bis envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipoten-
tiary to the court of love. Jack came
In with a pensive and subdued look
which was entirely foreign to his usual
aspect. Leonard read his countenance
as Ii reading the scroll Of doom.
"Well?" said Leonard at length.
"Well," sighed Jack, 81 delivered the
goods for you; made one of the pret-
tiest pleas you ever heard In your
life"
"And she rejected me, | suppose" "
said Leonard, dolefully.
"Why," replied Jack, "she did not
exactly accept you. She seemed to be
vexed about something-made some
sarcastic remarks about secondhand
proposals and that sort Of thing. How
ever, changed the subject and soon
had her In good humor."
"And then?" said Leonard.
"Why, and then." continued Jack,
las she had rejected you i thought |
would try on my own account"
"You traitor!' cried Leonard, start.
ing up; "you proposed and she ac.
cepted your"
Don't get hot under the collar" said
Jack. 81 proposed all right; but she
just handed me the mitten. Two nit
tens In one night-one for you and one
for me. That girl is going some. Well,
so long"
Leonard passed feverish night. AS
he went out the next morning he en-
countered the janitor in the hall nail
ing ON loose piece of wainscoating.
II told that carpenter to do this a
week ago." volunteered the janitor
"But guess the only way to get any
thing done is to do 1t yourself"
"The only way to get anything done
Is to do 1t yourself" The words stuck
In Leonard's consciousness. "Do II
yourself! Do it yourselfl' rumbled
the wheels of the elevated as he rode
downtown. And that night he did do
1t himself. and Kittie, after scolding
him for his Miles Standish stunt, said
yes.