The Portland daily press., 1870-02-12

more II was you. How nice it must be to
have beau
never shall forget the reproachful look
Sie cast upon me, as if she were trying to see
clearly through forest of sorrow.
"Rebecca, L think it would be much nicer
to be allowed to mind my own business"
1t seemed as if tea never would be ready.
Miss Pecksniff had her hands in the biscuit
al least an hour, before they were ready Tor
the oven. Dick was bringing in wood for the
night, and stopped after every armful to con.
dole with her because Mr.. Cantelope had
been such big goose as not to propose to her
instead of Mrs. Cricton.
II wouldn't marry him if he was made of
gold,' she declared triumphantly, and her
shrl notes reached the comfortable little par
ty by the sitting room fire. saw Aunt Deb
olah smiling.
"You sit opposite Mr. Cantelope," said
Dick, when we were at last summoned TO our
repast
Mrs. Cricton sat next to me, and DICK be
side Mr. Cantelope My uncle and aunt oc-
cunied their respective ends of the table, and
Miss Pecksniff stood round and waited upon
Ms. with her face looking as if it had been tied
in double bow knot and wouldn't come
straight again. After the blessing was asked.
Dick passed the bread, and the butter and
the pickles, and the cold meat, aud the dough-
nuts, to Cantelope. Aunt Deborah INQUIRED
after his family.
Il have nobody just now but daughter
ABOUT the size of your Rebecca here (how 1
plued her, She's well but wants TO 60 to the
factory to live. My wife has been dead nigh
about year, and it's a pretty lonesome lie
-o
Dick passed the douehnuts, and the pickles,
ana the butter, and the bread, and pinched
MIS-. Crleton, but was sorry Tor it the next
moment.
Il have good kind of house over in Nor
ton, and am first,rate powder. always
keep barrel OF pork in my cellar, bins full of
potatoes, and onions, and carrots, etc. Then
there is al the corn meal and rye flour a wo-
man wants to use. Nobody is ever scrimped
Dick passed the biscuit, the doughnuts, the
cold meat, the pickles, and the bread,
and the old gentleman, intent only up
on overwhelming those present with his in
| valuable traits Of character, allowed his plate
to overflow, and busted himself with pillng up
| the provisions in heaps for some distance on
| the table, while he went on illustrating:
Il furnish plenty OF wood TO keep one fire
alwaJ roaring. L like good old-fashioned fire
places. They are much more sociable than
your black stoves, and save candles, too.
am kind man; my wives would all tell you
that"
--Ch htihC yOu
Dick, holding the plate of doughnuts tor Mr..
Cantelope to take his fifth.
'Three. l have been uncommonly Inflated
in my conjugal relations. My first took the
consumption young My second had the
heart disease, and was always ailing My
third committed suicide"
In trying to balance bis last biscuit upon
doughnut, Mr.. Cantelope tailed and was
brought suddenly to realizing sense of his
greediness by the view before him. Ibid not
help the matter any by bit of suppressed
laughter. He was actually embarrassed for
minute or two. Then, turning to Dick, he
asked,
Were you ever crossed in love, young
man?"
"Oniy very little as yet, sir" replied Dick
gravely.
Then you cannot understand my present
feelings. My heart is suffering, hence l am
absent-minded"
your heart, sir! Don't you know it's
nothing but great force pump? 1t is your
brain that is in danger from unrequited affec.
ton /"
True, true. 1 have had trouble before, but
nothing like this" He looked across the ia
DE toward Mrs. Cricton, who was slipping her
Tea III silence. MAY l not hope for a relapse
from your unalterable decision ?" he asked in
despairing voice.
mo, SIR"
So promptly and yet so quietly spoken that
we all felt there. was nothing more to be said,
even IN Jest Aunt Deborah and Uncle Felix
adroitly turned the conversation, and we soon
after returned TO the setting room. After the
chores were done, Miss Pecksnitf, as was her
wont, came in with her knitting. Mr. Cante-
lope talked with Uncle Felix. Dick worked
at his Latin lesson, and 1 made pictures on
the slate, instead of studying, and kept show
ing them to Mrs. Cricton. About 8 O'Clock
we were electrified by another musical lorna
DO from Mr.. Cantelope's nasal organ, and he
addressed few remarks to Miss Pecksnitf
name?''
"What?"
ly" >'' 'N'' 0N'
ut is good enough for me-"
How old are you?"
"Seems to me that is meddling with what is
none of your business, and l don't know, any
how"
-. Have you any objection to become Mrs.
Simeon Cantelope"
"What?"
off you got all them victuals that we had for
supper l think you are the smarlest woman
nave ever seen yet, and would like to make
you my wife,
She opened her mouth wide and looked him
square in the face without saying word.
will you have me ?"
She waited fully five minutes after that, and
then turned her head slowly and fixed her
eyes on the fire she said hesitatingly:-
81 don't mind if do"
AS nobody had any earthly objections to
her getting married, and as my uncle offered
to buy her bureau and half-dozen chairs.
Inc arrangements were soon made. When
LICK wickedly quoted her former remarks, she
replied:-
Il did not know that he wanted me them"