The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-21

and over went another sand bag.
"Why, you're mad, surely she whis
percd in utter terror, and tried to reaCl
the bag, but kept her bnck.
''Only with love, my dear, ] answered
smiling pleasantly only with love foI
you. oh, Fanny, l adore you'll Say yOu
will be my wife
~ gave you an answer the other day,
she replied; 'one which | should have
thought you would have remembered,
she added, laughing little nOtwithstand
ing her terror.
~ remembered it perfectly answer.
ed, but | intend to have different reply
to that You see those sand bags! ] shall
ask you five times to become my wife
Every time you refuse ] shall throw over
sand bag-sO, lady fair, as the cabman
would say, reconsider your decision, and
consent to become Mrs. Jcnkyns.'
~ won'tI' she said, 4 never will! and
let inc tell you, that you are acting in a
very ungentlemanly way to press me
thus
''You acted in n very ladylike way the
other day, did you not IrejOincd, when
you knocked me out Of the boatg' She
laughed again, for she was plucky girl
and no mistake--a very plucky girl =
However, went on, ITS no good argu-
ing about twill you promise to give 'ne
your hand y
'Never!' she answered; I'll go to Ursa
Major first, though I've got big enough
bear here, in all conscience. Stay; yOu'd d
prefer Aquarius, wouldn't yOn?
She looked so pretty that was almost
inclined to let her off Il was only trying
to frighten her, Of cOurse-I knew how
high we could go safely well enough, and
how valuable the life Of Jenkyns was to
his country; but resolution is one of the
strong points of my character, and when
| have begun n thing like to carry it
through, so I threw over another sand
bag, and sadly whistlcd the Dead March
in Saul
"Come, Mr.. Jenkyns,' she said sudden
ly, come, Tom, let US descend now, and
III promise to say nothing whatever about
all this
4 continued the execution Of the Dead
March.
''But if you do not begin the decent at
once Ill tell papa the moment set foot
on the ground
~ laughed, seized another bag, and,
looking steadily ut her, said,
will you promise to give me your
hand?'
''l'vc answered you already was the
reply. ,
notes of the Dead March resounded all
through the car.
~ thought you were gentleman, said
Fanny, rising up in terrible rage from
the bottom Of the car, where she had been
sitting, and looking perfectly beautiful in
her wrath; 4 thought you were n gentle
man, but | find | was mistaken; why Il
chimncy-swecpcr would not treat a lady
in such way. DO you know that you
are risking your own life as well as mine
by your madness?
i explained that adorcd her so much
that to die in her company would he per.
feet bliss, so that begged she would moi
consider my feelings at all. She dashed
her beautiful hair from her face, and stand.
ing perfectly erect, looking like the God.
dcss of Anger or Bosdicea-if you can
fancy that parsonage in balloon-shC
said:
II command you to begin the descent
this instant!'
THE Dead March, whistled in a man
ner essentially gay and lively, was the
only response. After few minutes 81.
lcnce, I took up another bag and said:
"Wc are getting rather high, il you d'
not decide soon We shall have Mercury
coming to tell us that we are trcSpasSing
will you promise inc your HANDY
She sat in sulky silence in the bottom
of the car. Threw over the sand. Their
she tried another plan. Throwing herself
upon her knees, and bursting into tears
she said:
"'Oh, forgive me for what did the 9th
er day! 1t was very wrong, and ] am
very sorry. Take me home and | will bt
a sister to you
"NOt wife Y said ].
81 can't! can't! she answered.
Over went the fourth bag, and bcgAr
to think she would beat me after all fol
| did not like the idea of going much
higher. would not give in just yet, how
ever. whistled for few moments, tC
give her more time for reflection, and ther
said:
"Fanny, they say that marriages arr
made in IIcaven-if you do not take care
ours will be solemnised there
i took up the fifth bag.
"Come,' | said, my wife in life, or my
companion in death Which is 1t to be?
and patted the sand bag in a cheerful
manner. She held her face in her hands
but did not answer. nursed the bng il
my arms, as if it had been baby.
"Come, Fanny, give inc your promise!
4 could hear her sObs. I'm the mos
soft.hcartcd creature breathing,and woulC
not pain any living thing, and, confess
she had beaten me. forgave her tn
ducking; I forgave her for rejecting INC
was on the point of flinging the bag bacl
into the car, and saying: Dearest Fanny
forgive me for frightening you. Mari.
whomsoever you will. Give your lovel.
hand to the lowest groom in your stables
--endow with your priceless beauty tn
Chief of the Panki.wanki Indians. Wha
ever happens, Jenkyns is your slave
your dog-your footstOOl. His dut
hcnceforth is to go whithcrsOever yo
shall order,-to do whatever you com
mand.' | was just on the point Of sayin
this, l repeat, when Fanny suddenly look
ed up aud said, with queerish expires
sion upon her face:
"YOu need not throw that last bag oveI
I promise to give you my hand
H''With all your hearth asked quickly
with all my heart, she answered wit
the same Strange look.
4 tossed the bag into the bottom Of tn
car, and opened the valve. The balloo
descended
"Gentlcmen,' said Jenkyns, rising fror
his seat in the most solemn manner, an
stretching out his hand, as II he were &C
ing to take an oath: Gentlemen, will yo
believe it? When we had'reachcd tn
ground, and the balloon had been give
over to its recovered master, will yo
believe it?-she gave me box on the ca
.Lot uoeok vna AGAINST the cnr and ruT