AN UNEXPECTED PROPOSAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 277, 31 December 1909, Page 3

AN UNEXPECTED PROPOSAL.

I have never keen wliai one could call a conceited uiaii. Although -\Jturc was good enough to[ bestow upon me a face I which can onlyfbe described as that of ' an Apollo, and fay cleverness at repartee ,is a thing whfek sometimes surprises 'even myself, I was born modest. I But when Mabel ii»n°oinc suggested we should sit tut the rest of the dance in the seini-gloom of the eonscnatory because my style of dancing made her toes ache even my modesty could, not hide from' me the little game sin- was up to. Alth.mgh I was quite an unusually good dancer, girls are so very poor at the sport that they never seem to acquire the ability of fitting their steps in properly with mine; consequently it not the first time that a member i. ilie fair sex had complained to me of fatigue. But Mabel ivnnsoniu was the lirst to suggest the conservatory, and as 1 li had told her live minutes before that my genius for figures had led my ciuployci'-'io increase those which j represent my income, she had evidently decided to secure me without delay.

Speaking candidly, I have no particu- , lar objection to Mabel Hansome. she is not at all uiiplcasiiig to gaze upon, and it struck me, as carefully selected a seat behind the p-ilms where the more attractive side of her lace would be towards me, that 1 could really become quite enamoured of her. ' But when she broke off admiring the color of my eyes to talk about the optics of that silly little jackanapes Johnston, I could almost have told her straight oufcthat her suit was perfectly hopeless. I did mention casually that it wasn't Leap Year. To drag me into the conservatory might be within the bounds of legitimate husband-hunting, but to drag Johnston into the conversation was inexcusable.

Having carefully eliminated all trace of jealousy from my composition, the mention o,Va man who posed as my rival was snt likely to spur me into a proposal—at least, not precipitately. Johnston may be above me in the office, but he is beneath me in personal charms. His moustache has been the despair of all the hair-producers in the world for years; and he has a mole on his chin. "But he's a nice fellow," said Mabel. "Let's talk about him?' Considering that she was already talking about him, my permission seemed rather unnecessary, but X determined to show her that to throw Johnston in my face was not the way to throw me at her feet. So 1 talked exclusively of Johnston,

I_p«*ficd outr-lhsit he was a really decent sort of fellow, in spite ot his bandy legs, and mentioned that he had actually repaid me some money that very evening which he had borrowed : two years before. This, I observed, shoved clearly that he possessed a memory, even if he did not possess goou lo"'.-. And though I couldn't quite un- .! ...iand why he should remember his ujiigation at a dance, the money would no douht come in handy during the reLfreshment interval. "Looks aren't everything," said Mabel, with an alluring glance. "Mr. Johnston is in a very good position in your office, I understand?" fclie was evidently thinking of my rise; but it was rather pleasant to tantalise her. So 1 assured her that Johnston's income was nearly twice as much as my own (which is literally true). "J should hardly have expected you to confess that to me," she exclaimed. Of course not. That, indeed, was just what 1 did. As a man of unusual ability and good looks, it has always been my fate to be run after by designing creatures in frocks, so I wasn't going to let her think I considered Johnston a dangerous rival. If I did she would alp:-! think 1 was simply dying to make her mine.

"Why shouldn't I confess the truth?" 1 asked. "Johnston has never done me any harm. I know he has' ioaUvd !(i yom\ direction at times, but I can't obictt to the fellow's one and only manifestation of good taste." : Mabel pouted. As she pouts rather ■Lprably she does it often, do you think Mr. Johnston make as good a husband as yourshe demanded archly. brazen-raced myself occasion. —