I Forbid the Banns! — page 111: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CONCERNING PROPOSITIONS. IOI ‘And you are getting serious already ?” “I mean that wf it’s anything like what it was any time that I knew it, we won’t be thinking much about—about— what I’m thinking about now.” ‘““And will that be a misfortune or otherwise ?” ‘There you go again. I don’t believe you care a scrap for a fellow like me.” “There you make a mistake. I do care a great deal for you—never having meta fellow like you before may account for my infatuation.” , ‘“ Ah, Bertha, Bertha, this is not love?” ‘No, it certainly is not love.”’ ‘And nothing less will satisfy the craving of my heart ; let me tell you that. I know that you will offer to be a sister to me. I don’t want that. I know too much about Sisters to want any more.” “Charlie, I’m ashamed of you—indeed I am; I thought better of you than this.” “TI expected this ’’—and the boy bent his curly head down to his hands, his elbow being on his knee. ‘It is my fate to stake the future happiness of my life upon one who scorns me—I have done it before now. But I did hopea little—never mind, I can bear it, if only you do not bid me despair. I am seventeen now—yes, and a half—and I shall be a sub-lieutenant in perhaps two years—in five more I may be a lieutenant—with good luck. Five and two are seven. It sounds a long time—seven years; but if you promise to wait I’ll do the same.” “Charlie,” said Bertha gravely, “you are the nicest boy I ever met. If we were among all the passengers in the saloon I would kiss you.” “Ah, no, don’t say that! Surely my case is not so hopeless as that.”’ “Ttis. I would have no hesitation in kissing you in the day- light in the middle of the saloon—you are such a nice boy.” EONNIELIOOKS (¢(0)