Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-10-29
PLOT AND COUNTERPLOT.
BY C. W. H.

mo, Mr.. Merton, are you really serious
--or are you only amusing yourself at my
expenseT
Such was the question addressed by my
friend, Susan Sharpe, to the gentleman
above mentioned, who bad been making
what is popularity termed declaration. ;"
Amusing myself" said he, "Wby,
what do you take me for, Susie? Do you
suppose l would trife with the hottest
''Oh, nonsense J" interrupted Susan, in
the coolest manner possible don't you
suppose l know that speech by heart, by
this timer What novel have you been
reading lately. Mr.. MertOn?"
Il assure you, Susan, that what / have
said came from the heart, and from no novel
that ever read" reElled Charles, a little
hurt by her manner.
We'll, there's nothing for you to get 90
angry about" said Susan ''at least 1t is
singular what fuss men make over trifles
Fortunately, their anger, like their love,
cool very quickly.
"Now Susan, you are unjust. and, let me
add, very unkiDd, else you would net per-
sist in twisting my words as you do. But
I've had no answer to my question yet, and
Pm getting impatient"
That's very wrong of you. Charles"
returned the incorrigible Susan, 'for
may keep you in suspense for some time
time vet Let me see, believe your ques
ton was, whether / would make myself
miserable for life by marrying you, wasn't
that it? Well, will confess that | like
you Just little bit: but then, again, have
natural distrust of all men. Now,
dare say, by tomorrow you will be down
on your knees making similar declaration
to Mary or Emma You see 1 haven't
much faith in you, Charles"
"No, see you haven't" said Charles,
smiling in spite of himself, at her saucy
speech "but protest-"
"Oh, of course you dol dare say you
have talent for protesting. but that's uOth-
ing to The purpose. The question is how
long are 20" going TO give me to reflect on
your proposal p
'One minute, precisely" And Charles
! took out his watch.
'One miuutel A month, you mean, or
two, if should require it; and that isn't
| a bit too long time to discover whether you
| really love me alone, or half dozen others
besides. Now be reasonable, Charles"
But Charles wouldn't be reasonable. lie
| declared and protested, and 10 the midst Of
his declarations and prUtestatioDs Susan
escaped and ran up stsirs.
| Now there was no denying that Mary
Ward, Susan Sharpe and myself. were
three Of the widest girls that ever infested
q house. Susan and had come to spend
| the summer with our friend Mary at her
| fathers pretty home, a few miles from
| Hastings, on the Winchelsea road, and
were enjoying ourselves as much as possible
when who should come up to interrupt our
pleasure but Charles Merton, Mr.. Wards
| nephew, and a stranger to both Susan and
me. We soon fould, however, that Charles
wac as merry and light hearted as any Of
as, and hand in glove in all scheme ard
| 30 it happened that we soon took him into
| our confidence, and spoilt him completely
as Mr.. Ward said. For all this kindness
on our part, charles was so basely migrate
| full as to fall in love with. and propose to
Susan. And the particulars of this propo
| sal we heard from Susan herself, immedi-
atsly after her memorable fight up stairs
| Now Susan was toleratly good looking,
tolerably we'll of, and q bit Of fiirt into
| the bargain. But those who knew hey
we'll, had long since discovered that be-
meath this apparently heartless exterior
1 tutIc cAictcu o bCoAt 80 We- - s.aN SSHSsNa'~
as one could wish.
"Now," said Susan, when she had relat'
ed such portions of the conversation as
would be sufficient to show US bow the case
stood-interrupted, / may say. by many an
'ah = and 'oh 2 from us-"now, girls, I've
found a scheme that will convince me
whether Charles is in earnest or not-are
| you willing TO help me 7"
/ flu
half an hour we had arranged to our salts
faction every particular of the wonderful
scheme which was 80 carry conviction to
susan's mind. The next day, as Charles
was to be absent till the evening upon
some business. was the time selected to put
the scheme in operation.
Charles came about eight o'clock, passed
I'D to his own room, and soon after came