The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-07-03
Stretfea Gale.
[rRoM THE pEsoREsr MAaAzINE.l
sKATE'S PROPOSAL.
DIX MISS SARAH T. cRessE.


.You don't dare do it, Kate,' laughed
Mag Renolds.i . faffaf4sl stJhi rs
.. s.I'll wager my pearl ring that yon'll
sback OUT of itrat4 The last fmoment,p
cried Sue Develin, slipping the ring
off her finger and holding it up.to view.
ssDone =, exclaimed Kate; ssand here
is my gold locket in the balance against
your ring. She unfastened the locket
from the cord around her throat as she
spoke, and the ring and loeketwere laid
in the hands of Mag Renolds, to be held
until claimed by the winner. aef
ooh of course you say You Will, but
then we know you WON'T" they said in
chorus. ,ffs. st.5 +
Kate Adams thrust her hands in her
apron pockets, pursed up her mouth in
defiance, aud replied b a#5.7t4
81 dare, and, what is more toiA ask
him between this and Tomorrow AFTER
noon." MS
Five young ladies were standing In a
vine-clad arbor in the garden at Judge
Adams residence. Four of them had
dared the Judges daughter, Kate, the
widest romp that ever wore CATERS and
tore dresses, to take advantage Of the
privileges leap-year affords, and pro-
pose to Dick Walton, q rather stately,
and, as the glrls declared, saltogether
unapproachablc' young gentleman,
then visiting, for few weeks, her faith
err As the girls matured their plans,
they failed to sec pair of gray eyes
looking down. upon them, nor did they
hear the supposed laugh which proceed
ed from behind the rugged shrubbery.
s.But how are we to know?" queried
the girls. Is - -95t..ji4 ~ .aHf .ia
"Meet me here at half-past five to-
morrow afternoon" replied Kate; and
then, with merry leave taking, they
separated for their several homes. Kate
walked slowly toward the house, resolv-
Ing in her mind the best mode ofattack.
Should she beard the lion in his den, or
should she come upon him unaware. in
some cornerY She concluded that the
latter was the best plan. As her form
disappeared in the distance. the vines
parted, and young gentleman stepped
through the aperture into the arbor.-
His eyes twinkled misehievously. y.
"Aha bonnie Kate, you'll get caught
in trap of your own setting;" and he
laughed outright. sfatH 5I.s ft#f at
Among four children, Kate was the
only girl, and was spoiled in eense-
quence. Not one other three brothers
could ride, hunt, fish, or ,rhistle better
than she. And yet, when she was IN
the parlor, there was not one of her
young lady friends one whit pIettier OIL
more accomplished than Mistress Kate.
She danced beautifully, had magniti-
cent voice, and played and sung superb
ly; hut at the bottom of it all site was a
natural borne eoquette, and fiirted
wickedly with her male friends. Dick
Walton, after three weeks residence
under her fathers roof, had become des-
perately smitten, but, knowing her flirt-
ing propensities, declined adding him.
self to her already long string of dis
consulate adorers.
Once. in particular, when her father
desired her to look uncommonly well,
because of a certain elderly parsonage,
whom he wished to cal! 'son-in-law,
she astonished them both by appearing
before them with her arms akimbo, and
a cigar between her lips. The old beau
was so disenchanted that he then and
there declined The honor of an alliance
with Miss Kate, this so enraged her
| father that he ordered the stlitor from
the house. 5If.-. -
That same day the young lady began
her operations on Dick, but he eluded
her. IF she found him In the par1or, he
made some pretext to leave the room.
| If, by chance, she met him in the gar
den, he Immediately fled to the house.
To go to his room she did not dare. So
wearied out, she went to bed, determin-
cd to try again the next morning. She
did not, fora moment, suppose he would
even answer her. She imaginedhe would
turn up his aristoeratic proboscis, and
| leave the house in disgust. +. Kate did
not like the latter idea very well, for,
way down in the bottommost part OF
| her heart, lay Dicks image. - h b. I,
The next morning she arose and dress
| ed herself with scrupUlous care. She
had some mlsgivings about it, though.
| 1t did not seem halt as easy then as 1t
| had the day before. She let pass many
good Opportunities, and it was one o.
| clock on the fatal afternoon before she
must cred up courage to do the rather
| delicate business. Her father and moth
er were gone away; her brothers were
| taking q comfortable SieStG or gone hunt
ing; the lion was lolling ON the parlor
sofa. Kate crept softly to the door,
| There the enemy was, certainly not at
| Ill formidable-looking. Perhaps she
thought so, for she walked calmly ill.,
The proprietor of the sofa looked up
| and bowed politely. but there was ro-
! guish twinkle in his eyes, and he seemed