Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1868-11-12

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"Faix, then, it's meself dOseP't know, but
Lawyer Growers boy brought it, and an i'm
pudent young spalpeen it is, for
But here Bridget became conscious that her
young mistress was paying no attention to her.
aud withdrew into her department OF the
kitchen, there to nurse her griefs in solitude.
Ariel's cheek had turned as pink as the IN
side of wild rosebud, as she read the snper-
scription of the letter, and her heart beat per-
haps pulse or two faster than was its wont,
but she broke open tho misslve with resolnte
hand and read
Ny Dear Mss Brorne: {" Rather cold
beginning J? she pou.sll mus beg TO de
cline all further negotiations with you. As
vou cannot for moment seriously suppose !
care to possess anything 50 utterly worn down
and good for nothing, it is useless to waste
either of our time in any more preliminaries.
civil call this afternoon and return to you
the papers you 50 unnecessarily took the tFou-
bic to send me.
"Yours, very truly,
al. GROVER"
Ariel threw down the note, and burst into
tears.
THE cgd-beartcd, prcstimptuQus villain y
she sobbed Papers, indeed! ] suppose he
means the enotc wrote him about the picnic.
Oh. how foolish have been, how absurd, and
l am rightly punished for my folly"
But still Ariel wcpt on whcnagirl Of eigh-
teen has built up glittering castle in the air,
whose foundation is in her own heart, she can
not sec i dashed ruthlcssly into ruins without
few natural tears
Meanwhile, Miss Experience Browne, otat
fifty wel-ripcned autumns, was reading with
70 little astouishmcnt the letter which Brid-
gets enemy, The pcstbey, had brought for her
"U-pon my word" exclaimed Miss EX-
porienca, slowly and cmphatically. "Tbo i'm
pertinent young fortune-huuting humbug!-
Does he suppose am born fool,to swallow
such pack Of sentimental hattery as this ?
Lovely eyes-dimples! If he'd have said
spectaclcs and wrinkles bed have been con-
siderably near right No, you don't my fcl-
low-no-you-don't! Experience Browne
hasn't lived ifty-fivc years in the world to fall
into such a trap as this at last. He'll call this
afternoon to receive the answer that is to de-
eide the current of his future liic,' will he >
Well, let him call, I'll be already for him, and
/ warrant Inc he won't be In a hurry to call
again" a.;
And Miss Experience ,chucklcd to herself
until all the false curls quivered as she folded
the letter neatly, and put 1t back into It's bur
rieily- directed envelope.
al never had an offer Of marriage before,
she thought, viewing her autumnal couute-
nance IN the per-glass, and adjusting tho llttlC
pufTs of ribbon in her cap-border: "and 1t does
make one feel kind of queer It's something
to tell of, anyway. Bcthuar Jones needn't g
to saying now that was an old maid because
had never had an offer. just wonder wha
Ariel would say guess won't tell her; sht
would only laugh at me"
Miss Experience drew herself up as grimly
as if her spinal column were bar Of iron
that afternoon, when Bridget announced
Mr.. Grover, mem"
"Show him ip, Biddy--I am quite at leisure
TO receive him.
And our hero, entirely innocent Of the i'm
pending storm that awaited him, walked int
Miss Experiences awful presence, with bun
die of title deeds in his hand, tied with the Of
fciaI-looking red tape Of his profession.
Good afternoon, Miss Experience
"Aiut yod ashamed Of yourself, Harry Gro
yer ?" CALCULATED the spinster, in deep, stcrr
voice " get along with yourself maxim love
to an old woman MORN twice as old as YOU be
Just because she's got little money! What
do you take me for, hey? Don't stand starin
tbercl Walk out of this room, quick, or II
throw the big dictionary at your head! No
no, no!-Now have you got your erplair
enough? wouldn'tmarry youif there warn
another man In the whole town"
Harry Grover was little appalled, at thii
charge of horse and foot, but he stood his grounC
manfully, not even quailing at fhc big diction
airy.
| But. Miss Browne-will you hear me {
momcnt2 don't want you to marry mel
What put this strange fancy in your head?"
"You don't want to marryme? Then villa
I the mischief docs this letter mean, I'd like t.
I know?"
" May look at it ?'
Harry took the letter and glanced at it it
coptcpts threw new light upon the unaccount
able state Of affairs.
Good Cupid what blockhcad-what al
unmitigated, inexcusahle, Incompatible don
4 key ] have been What could have beer
thinking about?"
"Hey?" demanded the puzzled spinster
Excuse me, lnaain, but there has been
mistake-a-"
And without stopping to complete his frag'
menlary sentence he rushed out of the room tC