The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1931-02-13

OF numerous congratulations my
self. The impression appears to
be fairly prevalent in Pilarcitos that
] am a coheir with you-after a
] fashion"
Elmer grinned m~ischievousiy.
"Pilarcitos Is a small town." he adj
mitted. where would you care TO
live, Nellie? In Los Angeles or San
Francisco or New York"
II take It," Nellie replied, that
you and | are not formally engaged
to be married and that a discus
sion of Il future residence would
be premature. Or is your query by
way of being a %proposalT"
"But-Nellie darling
"Now. Elmer. | love you to
death. I've admitted that twice
within tw%enty-four hours. You're
the only man I've ever loved. But
I'm not engaged to you"
"Why not?"
Yesterday | would have replied,
Because you've never asked me-
Today I say that I've decided not
to engage myself to you until
you've had ample opportunity to
see the world, juggle that million
dollars awhile and e what the
other girls look like. II you please,
Elmer. I'd much prefer to marry
you after you've got used to ready
money rather than before. Mean
while I'll continue to love you just
as devotedly as II / were wear
ing q diamond engagement ring as
big as a headlight, and In the in
term we will not discuss the mat
ter of u future residence. After
we're married I'll live wherever you
want to live and be quite happy II
you are happy, but II l were to be
granted A preference"
Eyes, OF course" he interrupt
ed. That's why I asked the Ques-
ton"
Brace yourself for a shock, dear
est. I'd like to live in Pilarcitos."
"In this jay town! Why, Nellie,
you're not serious-really!"
Il ~am-really. What's wrong
with Pilarcitos?"
1fCi JiiihS' II uuitp qolClt piO
matchmaking doing"
"But it's a pretty town, Elmer. /
like the rows of locust trees along
the sidewalks; l like the pretty
bungalows with and bougain-
villea covering them I prefer to be
a householder, not a cliff dweller;
/ like a garden and my own little
garage, and a big kennel and run
for a dog; / like a big shanghai
rooster for an alarm clock and /
like babies and baby carriages and
the kind of mothers who manage
their own babies and baby car
riages. The country hereabouts Is
an Eden. God made only one Santa
Clara valley. You can have Lon
don In the season, but I prefer the
Santa Clara In blossom time, FL
mer."
Good Lord, Nellie, how you sur
prise me! Why, there are no So
cial or intellectual contacts here,
no."
HALT The dust-brown ranks
will stand fast" Nellie command
ed. "Only the day before yester-
day, a certain altruistic, ambitious
and, enthusiastic young man, by
name Elmer Butterworth Clarke,
was planning ways and e for
transforming H. Wasservogel's de-
funct butcher shop into a number
Of proft-making enterprises to
which he meant to cling while grow
ing up with the country. Pilarcitos
was a pretty nice town the day be-
fore yesterday. wasn't it7
"Why Elmer, If you lived In New
York 1t would cost you thousands
of dollars a year to support a MEM
bership in a rich mans gun club,
whereas you and three other small
town sports control the best duck
grounds in this county at a cost OF
about seventy-fve dollars a year.
The same is true of your trout fish
ing. You get just as good trap shoot
ing In Pilarcitos as rich men do
at Pinehurst, and there are just as
good shots here. even If nos of
them do wear overalls instead Of
plus fours."
"Tm licked. You have entirely
too many reasons, Nellie"
81 have more reasons, If pressed
for them"
"Well, I've been thinking I'd like
to see the other side Of the pic
ture, Nellie"
Nellie's soft, brown, firm little
hand came across the table and
closed on Elmer's. Dear old adj
venturous boy! OF course you want
TO see it, and you want to go prowl-
ing alone. 7 don't blame you. You
.earn for liberty and independence
and you've never known it. Elmer,
step out and see the world. When
seen all you want Of 1t and
and find it's rocks and dirty, nosey. !
gOssipy, mean, cruel. good, tender
and lovable people wherever you
go, and that no spot on earth has
a monopoly of life's pleasures, you
might come back to me. I'll be glad
to have youi On the contrary, II
changed your mind about ME
well, TIl understand. I'd rather
have you change your mind before
marriage than after 1t. Sometimes
think that young men who marry
nowadays give hostages to for
"What A remarkable philosopher
grown to be-" he exclaimed
ldmiringly.
"I'm a warlock, dear, ] play
lunches, and 7 have a bunch about
fou. Normally, you're too big for
his town, but--when pain and
wiring your brow. per-
800 AIT. t1-,p will he ,,,c& ,:,l%