Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-10-06
Selected miscellany.
THE UNCONSCIOUS CONFESSION.

hurry up, gentlemen tue coacu is Will
ing, cried the voice Of the stage driver il
front of the Metropolitan Hotel, at Ions
Branch.
Ny story goes back TO the days wher
railroads to the Branch were as yet IN
known, and when the transit to New YORK.
was achieved by coaches that ran TOWARD
Sandy Hook, where steamer awaited the
passengers.
tall, handsome young man, at The sum.
mons, came down the staircase, two steps
at a time, and almost ran over a matronly
women few years his senior, who was
crossing the hall.
What Going to leave us?" said the
lady in some surprise, and with more
meaning in her look than in her words
even.
"Yesl Ito no use, was the reply
Thanks for your good wishes, which |
can see in your looks, Mrs. Maxwell. But
Tn tired Of playing the fool
"Pshaww said the lady, putting her arm
familiarly into his, and leading him into
the drawing room, which at that hour was
deserted. Faint hear. never won fair lady,
Mr. Hastings Listen to me. The coach
will wait moment"
ats not question of faint heart, an
swered the gentleman. But Kate won I.
have me. See here, Mrs MaXvell--it's
hardly fair of you to corner me-but she
refused me, point blank, last night.
"And wha, if she did refused Mr.
Maxwell The irst time myself 1t's way
some of our sex have, Come stay, and try
again"
"Im proud man, was the reply, ''and
don't like being trihed with, ButTd stay,
if / thought it would do any good. But it
won't She is not anywhere about, you
see, though tola her l would 80 away to-
day. When said it she actually laughed.
And yet, coniound her, l can's help loving
her."
AIRS. Maxwell would liked to have laugh
ed also. But she knew better than to do
SO just yet.
'She was little hystelieal, Or she
wouldn't have laughed she said, "Ihe
truth is, Herbert you are pair of fools.
You are proud, as You say, and don't brook
refusals Kate is perhaps bit Of dirt
but sincerely believe she loves you. All
she needs is a little more urging You
must storm the fortress till it surenders
Give her no quarter, that is nay advice
and now Mrs. Maxwell, seeing his face
brighten, ventured laugh.
1t was clear, musical laugh, and it
cheered Herbert still more. He hesitated,
II another five minutes could have been
granted to Mrs Maxwell, she wonld have
prevailed. But at that moment, a voice
cried.
Here he is. Hurry up, Hastings We've
been looking for you everywhere. The
stage driver says he won't wait another
moment. All Mrs. Maxwell, Our hoh-
day is over you see, Goodbye
That interruption decided Herbert. He
shook his head in reply to Mrs. Maxwell's
.mploring look, wrung her hand and 90
dashed ont Of the drawing room, The
next minute the crowded coach wasrDliiug
heavily through the sand, with the suli
laundering on its right.
1t was six miles or 30, TO the steamboat
landing. For the first two miles the pass
eugers. all OF whom were gentlemen, chat
tered Rayly; after that they gradually grew
silent, the monotouous drag OF the wheels
in the sand acting as kind Of sopor.dc.-
ono or two in fact fell asleep. Aud now
Herbert began half to repent o. what hC
had done. Perhaps | have been to-
hastv," he said to himself @What if Mrs
Maxwell is right
He mused thus for quite half a mile.
I've grea, mind 70 60 back, he thought
uHold on, driver, he cried, I've change,
my mind, Stop till | jump ont. III wal
back
Before his sleepy companions could as
what he meant, he had left the coach, ha
lit cigar, aud was plodding through tn
heavily sands on his return,
His mood soon changed again, "Who
precious fool am making OF myself, b
reelected, and he turned to hail the coach
but II was q quarter ote mile oil.
lie stopped STILL 1T that fish hawk q
yes before count fifty" be said, IN &
back to the Metropolitan Hotels II not T
walk TO The landing aud take the attenoo
boat
The ash-hawk dove almost INN diatoiy
"Fa.e has decided for me- he SAID d,
sperately, Nov let us see how wisely.
Meantime where was the offending Kate
To do her justice, she was not aware hot
much she loved Hastings until she refuse
him 1t was not altogether coquetry thu
led her to say, mo, The answer ha
been gwen il the first surprise and emba'
rassmeu, of the proposal, Shewas frigb
ena1 to find, almost Immediately, ho
much she misunderstood herself, Shegr
more aud more embarrassed in cons,
queuco ana her manner afterward ,
which Hastings took such otfense, was d
Mrs Maxwell had suggested, really d
result Of nervousness. Ever before lie ic
hershe bitterly repented what she had safe
Had be preserved little longer, she woal
haye confessed the truth. Size did no
however, think he would leave the Branc
even after la had said 30 Hence earl
In the morning, she had started fora wal
on the beach hoping 10 meet him Their