Show A 11 1 0 g WM IN f I 1 RV A freckled cupid by wilbur D R nesbit it la Is not written in books of fato ato that the F fourth ot of july Is py pay day to propose to a girl christmas day thanksgiving day now new years day or any an other day will vill do but the fourth la is not romantic it la Is patriotic on that day a man Is supposed to lovo his bis natly nativo 0 land ile ho la Is to listen to speeches or maket mako them bem about the indivisibility of our country lie ife to la to watch the fireworks where they are permitted and not do any s sparking orl on hla his own account every day la Is ri fourth of july to somo soma men they have made up their minds that they hope to marry a certain bertain girl but when it comes to stating their decision tho tongue cleaves to tho root of tho the mouth and tho right ar ana mems poems to have lost its cunning jim hicks was such a mail when love making was concerned all days were the fourth tor for him otherwise hla his name would have been armand decourcey Decou roey roer As it was ho he was vas just what you would expect of a 0 man all of that name jim had bad been baen keeping helping company on off and on with luella miller for a matter of three tarco years this his guaranteed him a certain standing as aa her beau but bui what woman wants to go on forever that way vay on cuellas Ln Lu ellaa ellas mind was tras the one important thought which rests reals upon duct mind of every woman when shei has haa found tho the right man that was wag to mako make jim propose tho the romantic notion that a woman in lovo love Is a coy blushing thing timor timorous oils trembling afraid of tho great masculine wea creature ture may be justified in some cases but with the cuellas and jims jima 0 this world it does not obtain luella had exhibited to jim her deftness as a cook she aho had bad acquainted him with her cleverness as a she ebe had bad demonstrated over and over that she would make mak e an ideal wife hut but jim proposed consequently on tho the fourth when luella saw henry glenry nelson the bad boy of the village with a hugo huge cannon cracker ho he had kept secreted since last year and which he proposed to explode somewhere during the day or evening she mado war plans Il henry lenry she said eald dont you know its against the th law to have such a firecracker aw henry muttered 1 I dont doat know 14 well it Is arid and if the marshal finds it out he will put you yo in I 1 the t e lockup as ag an example awl always makin a example a 0 roe ma I 1 biose youra coln to go an blab on denovi roe now 1 I 1 wont it if do something for me in 0 and it will bo a whole lot of fun for aou henry INV wot 0 U dont you want to play a good itka jok on an jim alicks awl lies your teller feller well anyhow henry ill till tell you how to play a good joko joke on him and ill help you to do it you como come up by our house this evening and jim will bo there ill get him to stand nt at tho the gaya and talk to me and you blip up and set oft off your big firecracker right behind him scare him half to death and will vill bo be just Juat lota ol of tun kun for you ou w awl wot dye want to scare him for ferl well vell you know how bis big and strong he is and liow how bravo ho acts lets aeo tt if wo w cant get a good one on him henry 11 awl I 1 was gain to shoot sheet tills off behind the school teacher but at last luella managed to con vince henry tha thap ho he could hav havo o moro more fun with tho the cannon cracker by exploding it tx hand jim alta than if lie he set it off anywhere olse le jim never lias has understood why lul lu ella was waiting at the gate for him that evening nor why she kept litin him standing there talking of the weather and tho the crowd down to town n andthil and this that and everything it had bad always alays been her bor custom to greet him aitho nt tho front door and to express surprise at seeing him this is ono one of 0 tho the enjoy able fictions actions of c courtship islip 1 I think it to is lorely when the stars come out as they are ara coming out tonight dont you luella was asking jim bang dangul I 1 I 1 luella shrieked ed and fainted dead away apparently but sho fainted toward jim in such a manner the gate swung open and she reposed limply against his manly bosom under the cl circumstances there was waa but on thing jim could do und and that was waa to keep her from falling to the tha ground this Is best beet accomplished in the case of a fainting lady by placing your arms about her and allowing her head to rest on your shoulder this comes natural to most moat men what else jim did and what ho he said to luella to calm her fears and to revive her to consciousness may only ins conjectured henry NL nelson ilson however kept U up a deris derisive series of yells and bowlson howla bowl 0 laughter and luella at last opened her eYes and sud asked dreamily where am IT 17 henrya glenry shouted awl lie ile was a h buggle you an he be kissed youl yoal then henry turned and fled jim shaking a list flat after him lucila jim said 1 I im ashamed masharne d but henry fleary told the truth when men you YO u fain tainted bcd in 1 my arras I 1 just 1 help you why biml are an now hel bell I 1 tell it all over town art an I 1 dont don t want to baebe have people aple about you without good reason boso BOBO we better have em 1 say we wore engaged I 1 A ri and then it 4 looked as though lu ella haid tainted fainted pullover ull over again |