Show Christmas Parcel I for Miss Melinda Package Did Not Contain Expected Ring but Sh She Became Engaged By fly MARION R. R REAGAN ISS MELINDA II LINDA BROWN spinster had land been hren waiting all year for Peter Moffat lorto t to propose C In fact tact ever since they had hod met some two years before she bad had felt that Peter could be brought around to take the big plunge with her Into the sea of matrimony but things land had not gone on BO so well welt as she could have bave hoped She was sure Peter loved her but he wO was waa J an nn extremely shy man end It required required required re re- no little pushing to get him up to the point Several times Melinda thought she had him She had given him every o opening by referring coyly to her own little home bom home if if she ever had one and to her lonely life lite I nt at present but but I I Peter only sat sut silent si st silent si- si lent at such Buch remarks remarks remarks re re- marks ignoring I Ithen them then completely or stupidly tellIng telling tell tell- tellIng ing her ber that after otter all all many people l led more lonely lives than she and not to be so 90 discontented Melinda looked i forward to the approach approaching ing Christmas season Reason ws with glee rlee Surely he would Rive give I her a ring for Christmas Christmas Christ mas after atter these months of courting The season advanced and Christmas arrived bringing a parcel from Mr Moffat and a note sent from Yom Chico Chicago go heart henrt sank lank when she saw sat v the postmark Out of ot town fo for tor r Christmas Then U it Is s all off ort sh she sho e said sadly She glanced at the package pack n age ten age ten p-ten ten inches square surely square surely no en rn ring In 10 n that that Slowly she sh e untied it It It was writing paper Sh She e opened the letter iron from him and rend read Just a Christmas greeting Ilo hoping G you ou will wll write to me frequently I 1 shall hall be In Chicago for tor several months Sincerely PETER PETRU MOFFAT Furious Parlous Melinda tore the note Into bits hits I shall never look nt ot hl him m again she breathed And after tb tto e way cosy Ive I've run after otter him I Hut Bat that that's s been the trouble Ive I've run rim utter after hl him m too ouch I shall newer never write to hi him m From this out I shall never nver speak t to him never again never speak to him hi m again I she repeated emphatically And Melinda kept her word Peter Prier Moffat was growing n little litHe uneasy Three months had hod passed and an anno d no word cord from Melinda It finally b oe- oe tame came too ranch much even for the patio patient tit Mr 11 He Tie felt his temper vista rising g steadily against Melinda Thinks s scan Bhe ahe he can con play piny n a game jame like that eh eit flu Run nun n after me while Im I'm In town towo and the then drop me when I go 0 away Probably y after some other man now Th This Thill thou thought ht brought crimson flashes of ot Jealousy jealous to the already highly color colored ed cheeks of ot Peter Moffat icy Hy George no woman will make a tool fool out O of ot me rne mel I he exploded Ill go to Spring Siring I field tonight anti and Ill I'll make her marry me ma After all 1111 these months of ot court lag ing her ler too tool I II I It If so happened that M aa rons- rons In Arthur who had hod come from E Kansas Kansas Kan Kan- an- an n- n sas City was having dinner with 1 her ter ner er nt at the hotel th the night Peter Mo Moffat fiat lit litT came In 10 from Chicago Peter was h hurrying hur hul T- T down the street from the stat station ton Tn n when he happened to look In 10 at the le lele brightly lighted restaurant o of ot the le leEd hotel and there what there what He lie stop stopped pea Ed Edis dead drad still the evil green monster rising ris is- is In ing In ia his breast It was Melinda Mell a with another man mon I Ills Isis first imp Impulse tie was to ru rush h Into the hotel botel punch t this his Is Ise Impertinent stranger and carry Melinda Melinda Me Me- e- e linda ort oft with him Hut But this shyness shyness shy shy- s lay lay- iy ness was stronger than his passion pas is- is sion slon and ancI he only t turned urn e cl away awny grinding his teeth and clenching his fists He lIe would y ysee see Melinda In Inthe Inthe the morning at nt ather T Ther her house I IThe IThe The next morning morning morn ing about nine o'clock Melinda was surprised to see flee Peter Moffat Moffatt a nt t her door She began to tremble nervously Good Goal morning Peter she said to him and find extended a r cold moist hand Peter grunted granted Ive come to talk taik to you Melinda he said very seriously Indeed and nod nd loved closed the door behind him Th They icy ey sat In the little 1 parlor of the tho Br Drown own house hO You haven't been playing pinyin ivna n a s straight game with me Melinda she he began I know all about it you It-you you ou I n needn't try to explain captain I saw you last n night ight and Ive I've seen you other tit nights glare ts You have only been using me ns as a p plaything while youve you've had t these tie se seat other fellows on the time side Melinda gasped Why Iry Peter leler Moffat o at you yoU acre you she could think of oath noth lug Ing to sayI sayI say I know all about it It he repeated fed sd Ive 1 been brn watching you Now all Ive I've vebe got to Is la say that Im I'm not a n man mno t to o be beat trilled tattled with Either your you ou marry morry m me e at nt once or you never will wll eee see me a again gain Jn I 1 w want not an nn answer no right now ye yea s or oren I I Melinda felt as ns though sho alas had been en suddenly hurled Into nn on avain avalanche ache he She S he could not understand what t land ind indre J gotten ten into Peter or what he ho wa was s re- re ferring to reo She Sho did d know how however ever or with an on ecstatic sense of delight that mt he ha W was i proposing I Ill marry you OU whenever you soy Buy ay Peter refer she said meekly t paned loaned Peter Ieter feeling greatly triumphant pant mt over and kissed his futuro intact w If Ifo e tenderly Well taco row be bo married tomorrow tomor- tomor to mor he sold said mi IUS W western t rn New paper Union 1 |