The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1865-04-13

be happy. He felt assured that he
never cou Ia live through cpnfessing him
self to Adelaide and if he did, and she
should say no, he was satisfied be- qPoul4
faint away right on the SPOT.
As good fortune would have 1t, he
found Mts. Hooper alone, in her best
gown and her best humcr. She was
charmed to see him, and treated him To-
puts and cider, and a scat on the sofa,
so near herself that Will was at his Wits
end 20 frame the 6rst word Of his or.
rand.
They talked Of the weather sad tho
crops till the clock struck ten. The
widow tried to make him think it was
oply nine, bgt he vas not 70 sor gone bu;
he gould still count. He felt that the
terrible moment could be no longer de
layed he must make beginning:
"Nlrs. Hooper," said he, "f cana
over this evening" he hesitatsa.
Yes, Will" said she encouraging.
y.
Il came over"
eyes, know you did" still more co.
couragingiy.
81 came over to ask a great favor oi
you"
| nWell, you couldnt have como to any
body that wU1ld be reader TO do you q
kindness, William"
"Thauk you" The sweat stood Oh
his forehead in great drops. "BGt this
is very delicate business, very. |
come to ask you to-to-to--"
$50 oa--don't be afraid; l am lis
tenng"
"Thc fact of it is, I'm in loye--des
pcrately. There, I've done it =
"Metcy on me Wig, William !
and I never mistrusted it-never
Well, Of all things.' and the widow
edged a little closer and put her fat hand
in Williams,
eyes, I'm in love, and come 10 ask
you if you you'd"
"Will |? To be sure I will! How
could you think othorwise! have al
ways thought so much Of youi But
it is SO sudden! What would folks
say%
"Deuccd if I care % cried Will, ella
ted at the prospect before him. "IfS
uobody's busine9s--am | to be Wrctched
on ACCOUNT of what people say2 Don't
hug me SO, Mrs. Hooper, amt used tQ
, it; ond--and-what was that nGise 2"
"The mice, l guess, deaF William,
how glad 1 am you told mel''
"And you'll ask Adelaide, make 1t all
right with her"
E "Adclade? Obi she'll haye no eartk,
iy oLjections--of course mott
Are you sure? If l was ouly Ger,
, tain of it? Oh Mrs. Hooper, l loved
, her the moment l set ny eyes on her y
{ "Her2 WHO"
"Why, yQHr niece, Adelaide Browne
She is the only woman on earth that I
) could ever be happy with shall die
if 1 don't get her!"
Mrs. Hooper turned purple. She
caught up the poker ard few at our hero
, like a maniac. fI2 MAGE for the daoc,
J she followed close.
"I'll show you low to insult Q respect.
able woman p' she cried; '!Ill teach you
to steal the affections Of guileless heart
, , and then prove false - each showing"
accompanied by thump from tha poker.
viii at last succeeded ip putting tho
door between him and his antagonist,
and in frantic haste he dived down over
the steps, and at the bottom reeled full
into the arms of Adelaide Browne her
self, who was just returning from q
friends.
"Don't let her get me-" he cried; Ia
rather die than she should hug meagain!
Its you love, not her, she's maddeI
than panther
1t was not very elegant proposal,
, but Miss Brownies selfpossession insur-
, ell Wills everlasting veal, She accept
ed him on the spot, for she liked him all
along, and nothing had stood between
them but bis abominable bashfullness.
6 Will is happy husband ana father
now; but even to this day the sight of n
! widow will make him tremble, they aro
50 intimately associated in his mind with
9 a poker,