Page 31 - chs-1921

I..''T K T R . I

• i Burnham, in h r nin t nth c ntury bl~ ck . kirt and whit \ ·ai.: ,
high collar, and tiny black ti , walk d ~~lowly h m fr n1 • ch I on wind •
aft rno n in • Iar h. H r pupiL: had b n mor unruly than u.·ual that day
and, a h .·p1 ·.· it, ·h wa.~ ~·imply "fagg d out." H r bla k hair,
now tr ak d with ·ilv r, wa.· brought tirrhtly ba k fr m h r high f r -
h ad and ·cr w d into a tight kn t on th back of h r h ad. H r y .·
wer black and pi rcing.
A· he walked, ·h ·ecretly congratulat d h r: If for h r thirty-fiv
year of ~~ingl bli · and inwardly piti d anyon \\ ho wa: unfortunat
a· to own one of tho ·e mon tel", call d "hu ·band·.'' h \·a ju ·t thinking
of th thing.· and of the plea ant ev ning of d lightful . olitud for
a nic fir , wh n a pi c of pap r f II out of h r book and flutt r d t th
ground. he ·toop d to pick it up and ·aw th word.·, "To ~li · Burnham,"
on the out id . Quickly op ning it, :h utt r d a cry of di ·may, th n on
of pure joy. h turn d fir ·t whit and then r d, and no wond r, for thi:

i · what ·h read:
" ... ly d ar Mi · Burnham: Although unknown to you, I hav n
watching you for many day·. I hav looked th country v r and y u ar
th only woman who I am ur will uit m . I have a v ry important prop-
o ·ition to put b fore you and, unl .. · · I r c iv notic from y u n t to d
. o, I will call at your hou · tonight at s v n-thirty 'clock. R :p ctfully,
J. Bo ten."
" h. h. and he' b n watching me many day. and I did not know
it." ·aid l\li · · Burnham. " h, I ju:t kno\ it is a propo. al of marriag
and-and-how hall I an w r him? f cour · I mu t not b too an iou
and I mu~t appear indiff rent. '
Reaching the hou e, h . tartl d th landlady, fir ·t by I aving th front
gate open and then by lamming th front d or, omething th prim li._
Burnham n v r did.
T edle to ·ay, Ii · · Burnham at no ·upp r that night, but sp nt
from ix o'clock to ev n-thirty preparing for h r visitor.
" ven-forty-five and till h i n't h r . I ju t know it wa · .·om m an
trick tho e bad boy play d on m ."
"l\1i Burnham." called the maid outsid her door; "a g ntl man to
ee you, mum." "Y , y , Taney," r pli d l\1i Burnham. "Eh-I'll b
down imm diately; you may tell the gentl man ·o." And th littl lady,
in her pink a tin dre and her hair don a lit 1 lo r than u._ ual, tripp d
lightly down the tair .

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