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Show u . Scrap of Carbon Paper 1 ii If ono were looking for a euro for bashfulness, carbon paper would seem an unlikely thing to select. But it was a pleco of this paper which. If 'It did not exactly cure John Kendall, at least overcame tho effects of his shyness. John's bashfulncis was most pernicious, per-nicious, and while it had not retarded his career as a successful manufacturer, manufac-turer, In tho flourishing town of Schuy-lorvlllo, Schuy-lorvlllo, It proved a very embarrassing possession when he was smitten with the tender passion. In the flrst place, Margaret Little wns "an authoress," nnd that alono was nn awe-Inspiring circumstance. To bo able to write' Btorle3 which met with occasional acceptance; to havo the postman sometimes bring her thin letters containing checks, and not to bo tho grinning bearer of bulky packages pack-ages of rejected manuscripts, plncod hor on a plane above other women in John's eyes. Not that she needed Buch placing, for it would bo futile to chronicle tho angelic qualities with whlcn he endowed her. Tho troublo with this endowment process was that It wns not disclosed f.o Margaret. John could write, and did write, letters toeralns with sentiment. senti-ment. Of courtc, it was unfortunate that theso lottcr3 were novcr sent, it was more unfortunato that ho found himself unablo to express In her presence pres-ence the feelings which agitated his clx feet of manhood. He had made tbreo attempts at a proposal, each of which had ended in rtammerlng confusion and dire failure, fail-ure, and it Is probable that the number num-ber would have been extended Indefinitely, In-definitely, bad not a rival appeared on the field. Anyono who showed Margaret the slightest attention was a rival In John's view, and It seemed lmposslblo that tho editor of a New York magazine maga-zine would come fifty miles to Schuy-lervllle Schuy-lervllle for the solo purpose of consulting con-sulting Margaret about a series of Btorles for his periodical. If this Innocent In-nocent purposo brought tho editor, something emotionally attractive In Margaret's pretty faco must have Induced In-duced hs reappearance within a month, and It was during this second visit that John spurred htmsolf to action. ac-tion. On n Juno nfternoon ho dosorted his desk and determinedly Btrodo toward tho Llttlo homestead. Ills courage usually lasted until ho passed the front gate, but on this occasion ho was surprised sur-prised to find It upholding him oven after ho had reached the veranda. It ovaporated when he rang the bell. A maid told him that Miss l.lttlo had gone for a walk with a gentleman from New York. This, Information, coming us a respite, at first relieved John. Then jealousy roncwed his courage. and he boldly said ho wished to leave a note for Margaret. In the matter of Impassioned missives mis-sives John Kendall was no coward, and ho sat at Margaret's little desk and dashed off a few glowing periods on a sheet of her manuscript paper. When the effusion wa finished It proved satisfactory, botng, in fact, a condensation ot tlio others which he had left unsent. Ho folded It neatly, and was reaching Into a pigeonhole In lPm r I ill I&&? ' j fi&i'&vX i f-' yr Dashed off a ftw glowing periods, the deak for an envelope, whon ho happened to glance out of tho window. Across the orchard camo Margaret and tho oditor. Tho lattor a small, blondo, handsomo man was walking close boslue his contributor, nnd looking look-ing smilingly Into her eautlful eyes. Aftor viewing tho scono John was seized with panic at the thought of Margaret's reading his noto immediately. immedi-ately. The next instant ho was striding strid-ing away from the house, scattering bits ot whlto paper to tho Juno brcctes. He did not see Margaret for a week, and during that tlmo deep despair held him for Its own. Then an urgent business affair led him to call on her Glanced shyly down at Margaret, father, who was Buffering from a slight Illness, and wns unable to leave the house. When tho Interview with Mr. Llttlo was at an end, and John reached the front door he found Margaret sitting on tho veranda. He thought to pass her with a formal greeting, but his Intentions usually went, nstray where 'sho was concerned, and he was soon seated near her In a v-ido-armed ver-anda ver-anda chair. "I am sorry I missed you when you called last week," said Margaret after her father's Illness had been discussed. "I'm sorry, too," John replied, mentally men-tally condemning tho memory of tho maid, whom ho hoped had forgotten tho Incident. "Tho girl said something about you leaving a note," continued Margaret, "Yes or an Invitation to n picnic," John said weakly, "but tho affair was postponed." "Ueforo you could write tho noto?" "No; I thought it would bo postponed, post-poned, bo I changed ray mind." Margaret was looking demurely at a roso bush. "It has been postponod before," sho murmured softly, but hor companion did not hear the remark. "John," sho sold, in a loudor tone, "I supposo It Is only in an Invitation to a picnic that you would address mo as your deareEt Margaret." John Kendall turned slowly, and regarded tho object of his affections with bewilderment. Ho wondered if any of tho torn b'lts of paper had been picked up and pieced together by Mar-garot, Mar-garot, but ho had scattered them so widely that that seemed Impossible. MIes Little, who had transferred her garo from tho roso bush to her lover's face, seemed to enjoy Its expression. Thon John rocked violently In tho veranda chair In the hope that the action would induce mental stimula tion, but It did not. "Will you como with me for a moment?" mo-ment?" Margaret ofaked, rising and entering the house. John followed her to her study, Thero, on tho llttlo desk, wns tho pllo of manuscript paper. Margaret took a noto from the bosom of her dress, unfolded it slowly, and banded It to John. "Thero was a pleco of carbon pnpor among tho top shcots," sho said, "nnd this was under It," and John read an exacl copy ot tho effusion he had addressed ad-dressed to Margaret tho wools, before. For a moment ho looked helplessly at tho noto, thon he glanced shyly down at Margaret, and tho expression ho saw in her oyes was entirely unllko that with which sho had regarded tho editor. It scorned to say, "Speak for yourself, your-self, John," nnd had tho stolid typewriter type-writer which stood on tho desk risen to tho occasion It would have added another lovo scene to Us long list. In tho home of Mr. and Mrs. John Kendall, In Siiiuylorvlllo, is a don, and on ono ot Its walls hangs n bit of black pnpor In a gilt framo. When tho curlouB question John abou tlila paper ho tolls thorn Its story, It thoy aro worthy, nnd If they Rro unworthy ho moroly Buys that It Is an Impressionistic Impression-istic plcturo of tho darkest hour bo-foro bo-foro dawn.- Dennett Musson In Los Angeles rimes. |