Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-01-02
Miles Standish
Is Emulated
By H. IRVING KING

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(Copyright.l
HITTIE LANGTON had been pro-
IN posed to several tlmes-and had
said prompt mo" TO each of the
proposers. Whereupon the rejected
ones had, after sulklng 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 almostbu
not-qute conduct on the part OF
Leonard Griffin was partly due to a
natural diHidence, 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 a 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 Prls-
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
fish 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 it. But, warned
by the fasco In the Captain Standish
case, he determined to choose as his
intermediary some one debarred by
previous contract from playing the
part OF young MIR. 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. I'm 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-
manned in his bachelor apartments in
a state of nervous agitation. About
ten o'clock Jim Hazard, who occupied
the apartments Just over Leonard's,
came In for smoke and chat before
going to bed. His advent was prec-
ious boon to Leonard. Jim was a great
talker and ratified on with all the Int.
est gossip. finally bursting out with :
Ibid you hear about Jack Davis and
Florence Merrimani Everybody said
they were engaged: but II seems they
are not Wonder who started that
story, anyway Why, what's the mat
ter with yOuT
Leonard had turned pale. Jack Da-
Wis fancy freei The outcome of the
Standlsh- Aiullen-AIden 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 Kittle Langton. He felt like taking
the first train to Plymouth and weep
ing tears Of sympathy over the grave
of Captain Standish-ii he could find
1t. Jim departed; and Leonard was
left to lonely half-hour OF agonized
suspense. Then appeared his envoy
extraordinary and minister plenIpoten.
tiary TO the court of love. Jack came
In with q pensive and subdned look
which was entirely foreign 10 his usual
aspect. Leonard read his countenance
as II reading the scroll Of doom.
"Well2" said Leonard at length.
well" sighed Jack. 81 delivered the
goods for you; made one Of the pref
tiest pleas you ever heard in your
llfe."
sand 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 ana soon
had her In good humor."
"And them" said Leonard,
"Why, and them continued Jack,
las she had rejected you thought ]
would try on my own account"
"You traltorl" cried Leonard, start.
ing up; you proposed and she ac-
cepted your
"Don't get hot under the collar. said
Jack. II proposed all right; but she
just handed me the mltten. Two NIT.
tens In one nlght-One for you and one
for me. That girl Is going some Well,
50 long"
Leonard passed a feverlsh night As
he went out the next morning he en-.
countered the janltor in the hall nail.
ing on loose piece Of wnlnscoating.
~ told that carpenter to do this
week ago." volunteered the Janltor.
"But | guess the only way to get any
thing done Is to do II yourself"
"The only way to get anything done
Ia to do II yourself" The words stuck
in Leonard's consciousness do 1t
yourself DO It yoursefP rumbled
the wheels Of the elevated as he rode
downtown. And that night he did do
II himself. and Kittie. after scoldng
him for his Miles standsh stunt said
yes.