The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1860-07-06


from the gloom Of dark cloud" And
his heart gave a loud thump ss the prct-
ty shoulder touched his own shaggy over
coat In nesting sort Of way.
"Deoidedly this is getting rather ro-
mantic,n thought he; aud then, with an
almost audible whisper; "What would
Maria sayf'
The rest Of that long, dark, rainy ride
was delicious with that shoulder against
his own.
How rallantly he jumped up to pull the
strap for her--by some favorinp freak OF
fortune il happened to be the very street
where he intended 10 stop. And under all
circumstances we can hardly blame him
when the car stopped so suddenly that
she caught instinctivcly at his hand for
support, for the squeeze he gave the
plump, snowy paint Any man in his sen
ses would have done the same-it was
such an inviting littly lillyl
Out into the rain and darkness our two
pilgrims sailed, scarcely more than able
TO steer their course by the glimmerinl
reflection Of the street lamps on the
stresming pavemcnts.
"Allow me TO carry your basket, Miss
as long as our paths lio in the same d.
rcotion," said Mr.. Edge oour,eously, re-
lieving her Of her burthen as he spoke
l"And-and--may be you'd find less die.
foulty in walking if you'd just take my
armi" "
Well, wasn't II delightnli Mr.. Edge
forgot the ewet streets and the pitehy dark
ness--he thought he was walking onro-'
scs. Only as he approached his own
door, he began to feel a little nervous and
wish that the lovely incognito wouldn't
hold on quite so tight.
Suppose Maria shouldbe al the window
ON the look out for him, an she oftonwa
how would she interpret matters. lie
couldn't make her believe that he only
wanted to be polite to a fair traveller
Besides his weeping declarations Of the
morning-she would be sure TO recall
them.
AZ he stopped at the right number and
turned round TO bid the bmo-eyed a re-
gretful Rdieu, he was astounded to see her
run lightly up the steps, to enter likewise.
Gracious Apollo! he burst into a chilly
Precipitation at the bare idea Of Mpria's
horror.
81 think you've made mistake, Miles,
stammered he, "this can't be your
housed"
But twas too late-she was already
in the brilliantly lighted hall, and turn
ing round threw of her dripping hRbili-
ments and made him low courtesy.
Every much obliged to you for your
ipoliteness, sir"
"Why, it's my wife," gasped Edge.
"And happy to see that you hay'nt for
gotten all your gallantry towards the la
dies" pursued the merciless little puss
her blue eyes (they were pretty all in a
dance with suppressed rogpey.)
Edge looked from ceiling to floor, in
vain search for loop-hole of retreat;
but the search was unavailing.
"Well," said he, in the most sheepish
of all tones, ats the FIRST time ever was
polite TO woman in the cars, and hang
me il Il shan't be the last" ..
"You see, DEAR" said the ecstatio little
lady, 81 was somewhat belated-didn'
expect to be delayed so long, and hadn'
any idea that / should meet with 80 mucl
attention in the cars, and from my owl
husband too! Goodness gracious, how
aunt Priscilla will enjoy the joke!
"Ifyou tell that old harpy," said Edge
in accents of desperation, 81 never will
hear the last Of it,.
every probably" said Maria provok.
ingly.
"Now look here, darliug," said Mr.
Edge coaxingly, "you won't say anything
will youl A fellow don't want TO be
laughed at by all the world. say Ma.
ria, you shall have the prettiest furs in
New York IL you will only keep quiet
you shall on my honor"
The terms were satisfactory, and Ma.
ria capitulOted-who wouldn'tl And that
is the way she got those splendid furi
that filled the hearts of all her female
friends with envy; and perhaps it wal
what made Mr.. Edge such scrupulous
husband ever after.