Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1857-03-04
CHAPTER ".

BRILLIANT IDEA THAT OCCURRED TO MR.. ROLLINS.
One evening in the month of November,
while Rollins was sitting in his lonely room
meditatins on the past, and wondering with
er the tempest within would eventually lead
him, he suddenly bounded from his chair,
snapped his fingers looked out of the win
dow, put more coal on the fire, plump
ed himself again in his chair, and then So
liloouised, ats no use" said he, ito endure
this COMPOUNDED perplexity any longer One
thing is certain; love them all; and why
should | not at once declare myself? Sup
pose they do lrugh at my quadrupled atfec-
ton. What then? am sure they must see
my sincerity, and conclude that L am man
of an immensely large heart, thus able to
love all four of them with this unextinguish-
able ardor. Yet as / can marry but one, the
selection must be made by their casting lots
for me, and passing strange it is too, that
this happy thought should never have occur
red to me until the presenthour And then,
in this delicious lottery, | shall be sure on
my part to draw prize for the very good
reason that there are no blanks. But will
the ladies enter into this arrangement? by
my soul they must. My proposed plan will
at least show that am not partial, and there
will be no occasion among them for Jealousy.
CHAPTER. v.
HOW THE BRILLIANT IDEA WAS PUT INTO Sue
CESsFUL EXECUTION.
It was to Miss Harriet Anbdyne that Mr..
Rollins first intimated the tender sentiments
she had inspired and on the first mention OF
it the young lady blushed overpoweringly.
But as Mr. Rollins further declared that the
strength of his affections was equally great
for their three mutual friends, her counte
nance underwent an expression Of the most
comical curiosity and as at last the pro-
posed scheme was diyulged, whereby selec-
ton was to be made, Miss Harriet laughed
until she well nigh choked
aAh, Miss Harriet! you may laugh, but
devise better plan for me if you can. You
know very well that if | were to select any
one of the other three and leave you, you
would consider yourself sighted and neglect
ed You see, then, that it isquite necessary
for the happiness of all concerned that |
should carry my point, and as profess to be
above board in all my transactions, shall
fully state the case to your father, and ask
him to superintend the drawing"
sOf course, Mr.. Rollins" replied Miss
Harriet, you can ask pas cooperation in
anything you choose to, but the whole PRO-
cedure would be so strange and unusual,
that SO far as | am concerned, ] must beg
Now Miss Harriet if you please, beg
nothing interrupted Rollins, for rely upon
it, shall excuse neither of you, and when
you have seriously considered the subject,
you win not wish to be excused yourself
What sense would there be, ask you, in nv
going out of our precious little circle, for a
wife"
On the day of this interview, Mr.. Rollins
made known his delicate intentions to the
other three ladies, and at first they were dis
posed to regard the matter in a jocular light,
but on being assured by Mr. Rollins that he
loved them all with the poetic ardor Of new
er-dying affection, it is difficult to say wheth-
er amazement or mirth was the predominant
emotion in their breasts When Miss Har-
riet Anodyne related to her father the sim
gnlar communication which had been made
to her, the Doctor was thrown'ilto such con-
ynlsion Of laughter, that he protests to this
day that he gained seven pounds Of flesh on
the strength Of it -