The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-04-04
LANCASTER, OHIO, APRIL 4, 1876

Ut tne same llme 10 numlllate In
high bred "Mittee."
"My dear young lady," said !
clearing my throat with q "now O
never" resolution, 'it is truc / bav
seen you but q short time, yet yol
already seem like nm old acquaint
ance, and even before l came her,
this evening 1 knew you by repu
tation."
Here l hesitated. Miss Wilco1
was evidently wondering what
meant to say next. l wondered
myself. II will put it on the scor,
Of humanity" thought 1.
"As | was about to say, my deal
Miss Wilcox, will you, whom
Justly deem the-the-very persor
most fitted for the position--wil
you-with your woman's heart
seeing me as 1 am-as IA suppl
ant as l may say, at your mercy
will you take pity on me, and
Here l paused for want of a wore
which should be sufficiently inof
fensive and at the same time con
vey my meaning. Hooked at Mis-,
Wilcox, who seemed to be bracirg
herself to meet some kind Of {
shock. How could /, though with
the gentlest courtesy, ask this ex
quisite young lady to be my cook
and chambermaid? But it was
necessary to proceed.
81 hardly know what you will
think of me-" said I, with ghast.
y smile, "for l seem to be tongue.
tied, or partially so, but IL il
you would condesccnd, as l said be-
fore, to take pity on poor bereav.
ed man with helpless little family
motherless as you may say, I feel
4 know-that your presence at
my fireside would make me hap.
pier, would make"
Miss Wilcox looked agitated.
"Mr. Pratt" replied she, seeing
| had come to long dash, "you
have taken mo entirely by surprise
1t is true you are not unknown to
me by reputation, and l remember
your wife,"
"Ah, yes !" exclaimed +. resolved
to make an appeal to the better
feelings of Miss Wilcox, who was
feared, about to slip through my
fingers. "And my sainted Eliza.
beth, if she could look down upon
us, would, I am sure, bless you for
trying to soften the lot of a strug.
Cling man. Only say yes, my kind
friend, and-name the day."
Twas intending to say, "Sct your
own price," but the mention Of
wages to the exquisite young lady
before seomed absolutely imperti
ncnt. In my embarrassment ]
quito forgot that l had not yet
stated what it was I wished her to
do for "a struggling man." But
my unconnected words had evi.
IDENTIFY conveyed to her some sort
Of meaning, for she had become
very pale and was leaning against
chair for support. She saw I was
awaiting an answer.
"Mr. Pratt" said she in a tremu
lous voice, "allow me to say that
regard your proposition as a little
ill,timed. Why this desperate
haste2 1 thank you for the honor
you do me, but at least allow me O
little time to become acquainted
with you. You cannot expect me
to bestow my affections upon an
utter stranger, who has not ever
professed any regard for me-"
Imagine the situation 1t came
over me like lightning, flash OF
fash. Here had been stammer
ing and suffering q proposal t
this girl! At any ratio she thoug
so. What should | do2 Wha
could 1 do2 The perplexity may
have been ludicrous, but l am SURF
it was very. very embarrassing
How could 1 tell her that what pht
had mistaken for an offer of marri
age was only a request for her ser
vices in my kitchen T?
No, if | had to burn at the STAKE
I couldn't do it. A man of expedi
cnts might have crept out OF such
noose-not 1. Moreover, l didn'
feel half 80 wrelched as l shoulC
have expected. My heart gave
double beat-half fright. half joy
The fact that l had by pure acci
dent taken a fatal step and could
not retrace it, struck me then ant
there as a special providence.
had done it with my eyes shut, bu
in Cupid's name, what better coult
1 have done with my eyes open
Hero was q superior woman, ack
nowledged even by the enviou'
Miss Peters to be aCapital house
wife, and to my knowledge charm
ing campanion. What moro coulC
l ask in q wife, l thought vert
fast, but the more | thought tn,
more certain l was that 1 had onl.
anticipated matters a little for j.
was already in love, and must inev
itably have come to o propose
sooner or later. 1t was over, ant
/ hadn't had it to dread either
some compensation this to q diff
dent man.
So without any very prolonge,
pause 1 took Miss Wilcox's hand
and this isNwhat l said to her a
1 was leaving the house;
"My dear friend, I do not asl
you to take hasty stop. Consul
your own heart; and that you may
do so more effectually l hope wit
your leave to give you frequent op
portunities Of continuing our &C
quaintance. Take time to consid
ar. hut. helieve mo. vOur decision