, 1864-11-18
The Puzzling Problem, or How Won My
Husband
BY MARY STANLEY GIBSON.

My mother had merry party gathered to-
gether at her country house in the summer Of
1874. But they were all too much occupied
with their own affairs to mind a romping little
school girl like me, and although l spent great
part of my time in the parlors, ever
seemed to think had outgrown petting and
might safely be treated as a reasonable human
being.
! did not complain of this, because it left me
free to watch our guests more closely. The old
proverb "Little pitchers have great ears, +" never
| seemed to be remembered in my case, and lis
tened and looked till the by play of every heart
was well known to me--child as l was.
That my pretty mother was going to marry
the good old Grey, who held me on his knee
and gave me bon bons,-th Miss Amabel
White was makinga "dea dset " to ayoung John
Eastman, and with every prospect of success
that Col. Lawson was trying to find favor in the
eyes of Clara Steel:-all these things I under
stood, and was not at all opposed to. But that
Judge Hazelton should love and marry Miss Ce-
liza Bradford didn't suit at all-and it was
upon this pair of prospective turtle doves that
my grey eyes were most freq ueai 4 tqEned- 60
No doubt it was great piece of pfesalinpton
in me. to have my thoughts at|ah about the
matter For Miss Celia was youngandsbeauti-
full and dashing, and a great belle, ann Judge
Hazelton was a man of thirty, handsome, veal
tby and distinguished and evidently capable of
choosing IN all LulugS lOI ulmbtll. Dut L OOuiu
not help the feeling. 1t came over me every
time saw them together. ! knew she was not
good enough for him-I had heard her mother
congratulate her on her good luck in securing
him, and knew if she married him at last, it
would be only because of his wealth, and not
for love of him.
was in a corner window of the deserted par
lor one pleasant summer afternoon, perplexing
myself over hard problem in "Davie's, which
was to be solved for the next mornings lesson,
when shower of rose-leayes came through the
easement and fell upon the open page Of my
book. ! looked up-and there stood the Judge
his hand full of buds and blossoms, ready to
repeat the unceremonicus salute.
"Don't bother your head with Algebra Miss
Gay, he said with merry laugh. cts too
| pleasant a day. Come out and take walk with
us-we going out in the woods"
ooh, but l can't" l answered dolefully. l
cannot solve this tresome thing, and mamma
told me not to leave the house till had finished
it. It's too bad l wish all the Algebras in
the country were burned"
"Shal we have private bonfire on our own
acconnt?' and putting his hand on the window
sill he sprang lightly in and took a chair beside
| me.
"Now tell me all your troubles, Gay. III
stay and help you out Of them," he said, good
naturedly.
"But the walking party What will mamma
! saw" l stammered somewhat aghast at the
thought of depriving Miss Celia of her cavalier.
He only laughed as he answered
"They never will miss me-and as for your
mamma I will make my peace with her, and
yours too
They did miss him-and we heard his name
from different parts of the grounds, not three
minutes after. He would not answer the sum-
mons-he made a feint of hiding himself behind
my chair, and pronounced it excellent fun.
lost all my girlish fear of him when found him
so playful and good natured, and should have
been very sorry if they could have enticed him
from me.
When they ceased calling and went down the
avenue, he came out of his concealment and
took his place once more by my side.
"Now, Miss Cay" he said, "we will see if we
have as good success with this knotty Algebra
Draw your chair a little closer-there. And
now give me your whole attention, and in lit
tie while fancy the whole thing will be set
Alright"
He was not mistaken. 1t was much easier lis
tening to his explanationsin in that cool and pleas
ant parlor than to understand my cross teacher
in heated school room. He did not do my
work for me-he only cleared away the diff.
culties, and, left me to go on with the task.
worked busily, for he still sat near me- intent
upon a reyiew-and in little more than half an
hour looked up gladly, and laid my slate
aside
'Done so soon2" he asked.
pointed to the slate He gave ahasty glance
at the result, and his kind smile rewarded me
for all my trouble.
"And now he said, bringing my gypsy ha
from the hall, Gas have given up my walk or
your account, it's no more than fair for you tC
take me on another"
He tied on my hat as if / had been little
girl, and we sauntered off on rose hunting ex
pedition Down in the garden, close by the
brooks edge, we halted with our spoils, and tht
Judge made wreaths of my favorite flowers anC
bound them in my curls, and even helped m'
make and sail little boats ofleaves with as mucf
gusto, as if be too had been sixteen, and hoy
denish school girl. What would Miss Celi'
have thought, if she could have seen the gentle
man who was always SO dignihed and statei,