Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-04-27

call any sach tarulHess on tHe part Oh an eager
lover.
"What does it mean, do you suppose 2
she asked of Nelly, as she reluctantly turned /
down the gas at the close of the third even-
ing, and went slowly up stairs. to bed
II don't know, aunty, I'm sure, returned /
the malicious damsel Perhaps he's ike |
the boy who has pulled the string of show
er-bath, and lodges back in terror at hisown
boldness. Suppose you send committee to
bring him TO sense of his situation y
3 Aunt Melissa slammed the door 6 her room
with bang that made the very policeman in
the street below open his eyes.
Gerald Plumer's room at the - Hotel
MAS literally blue with cigar smeke--a tact. /;
easily accounted for when you glanced at
the recumbent figure of his room-mate and
boon companion, who was lazily watching the
fire and smoking If for wager. 1t was a
pretty -leG full of elegant bachelor-kniek-
knacks, on it looked as if pair of Wild
horses might have torn through it, and no
body have picked up things afterwards. For
the flower vases were on the floor. and the
slippers were on the table, and the boot tack
reclined on the mantel, in comuanonship
with wash-pitcher and odd boot, while
tie bronze iukstand was cranmed back Of a
heap of crumpled newspapers, and pair OF
lavender kid gloves lay in the coal seuttle.
what do l care !" remarked Fred. Pow
ers, as he surveyed the scene of desolation
from behind his fortress of wreathing smoke
81 can always find thing when | want it
if only look long enough Halo Gerald 7,
for his friend had hastily entered the room,
what's up now? What are you throwing all
those papers about for ? how do YOU know
but they my love-letters d? Why can't
you tell fellow what you're looking. fer
Don't believe its under the eoal-box, nor yet
in the soap-cup. Own up What piece of
carelessness have you been perpetrating,
now ?"
Have you seen a folded note, lying about
here, Fred ?" suddenly questioned Gerald
1--WE seen the wash woman's bill and the
tailor's little account, rendered in to your
humble servant :" #z
"Pshaw-l mean note in my own writ
ingl" !.
/ on one elbow. g But why are you so ANXIOUS
about it, my boy? 1 hope you've not been
| forging my name to a check for forty thou
| sand dollars ?"
| Pm fool, Fred" groaned Gerald, biting
| his lip as he leaned against the mantle-piece.
g So I've always told you, you'll please to
| remember. But in what particular instance
has your folly developed itself this time ?"
"Well, I've been trying to muster up courage
| these six weeks to tell Effie Lee how much l
| loved her; and at length, in despair, | was
\
| sentiments"
q" You made a donkey of yourself that time,
my boy interrupted Powers. These things
| are awkward in black and white !"
" Fortunately, there was no names mention
| ed in the note, and had determined not to
use it but to speak out like a man. But, to
my surprise, find the letter is gone-slipped
through a treaeherous rip in the lining of my
| coat pocket. 1t is nowhere to be found, and
l feel little uneasy"
| Every natural that you should" remarked
| Powers. Suppose the greasy old iaundress
| should pick it up on the stairs, and imagine
| herself invited to become Mrs Gerald Plumer !
| Don't look so appealing at me, old fellow ::
| you say no names were involved, and if you
| dropped it here, as is most likely, il has prob
| ably been twisted into a cigal lighter long
| ago. Don't fret, until you find yourself sued
| by somebody for a breach of promise !"
And Gerald Plumer resolved for the nine
! hundred and ninety-ninth time to be more
careful, and the matter slipped from his mind,
| just as the mischief making little note slipped
| from his pocket!
| If you please, Miss Effie, here is a card
| foI you, said the mischieyous black boy who
attended the door of Mr.. Towards residence
| ''De gen'lman's in de parlor, and wants for to
| see you 'ticular"
"Mr Gerald Plumer," read Efie in sur
prise.
"There's some mistake" exclaimed Miss
| Melissa, starting up in a smiling futter. 'The
| card was for me, Pompeyp
No, Miss 'Lizzy," persisted Pompey, firm
| ly, sit was Miss Fife Lee, a. gentleman said :;
and he guy me a quarter, he did ~
! Efie rose quietly.
| q will see Mr.. Plumer," she said, with
| dignity; "but the interview must necessarily
| be brief one"
| She left the room, while Miss Melissa fdg-
| eted about in tremor of eager expectation,
| wondering, every moment, how it happened
! that she was not sent for
| Gerald P1umer rather dismayed at the
| trigid reception vouchsafed him by his lady
| love, but he determined to win the golden
prize now or never, and boldly ventured on
his errand.
"Effie," he said, firmly, q have called
this morning to speak to you on a subject
ineXpressibly near and dear to me. | might
| make longer preface, but | am not skilled
in the use of words Effie, l can only say,
that love you most truly and passionately,
| may | venture to hope that my love is re-
| turned 2"
| ''This is very strangs announcement. Mr..
| Plumer," returned Effie, calmly, "and singu-
larly inconsistent with the declaration of
love you have so recently made to my aunt
Melissa"
| "In
"You, sir"
g Efie, let me understand. Is it possible
YOU are under the impression that"
Il am under an impression, sir, and a
| pretty strong one, too, that it Is scarcely
| three days since you wrote, offering yourself
| to Miss Melissa Jones. l do not know how
many love affairs You have on hand at once,
| but" #.# aa- -.
"Effie, there is some mistake here" inter
rupted Gerald. q never wrote to Miss
Jones in my life-neyer thought of her save
as a very respectable maiden lady, old enough
to be my mother"
The words had scarcely passed It's lips, ere
the door flew open if by magic, and Miss
| Melissa herself-who had been stationed sus-
piciously near the key-hole for some minutes
stalked into the room.
Then, sir" she calculated, I'D like to
know what You meant by writing me this
love-letter: I'll have justice done me if
there law in the land ("
Gerald took the letter from her hand. and
his face frightened up with sudden compre-
hension.
regret that such an embarrassing mis-
take should have been made, Miss Jones" he
said, : but by what night do you appropriate
the contents of this letter to yourself? 1t