Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1872-03-21
POPPING THE QUESTION.

POPPING THE QUESTION.
I'LL do it!' quoth Mr.. Tompkins,
with very decided flourish of his red
and yellow bandanna. And Mr.. Temp
kins folded his arms across his portly
breast, and paced his garden walk with
the air of a fat Napoleon.
He had made up his mind-he had de-
cided the question upon which he had
been bordering for the last two hours.
Mr.. Thompkins would pop the question!
To be sure, he was forty, fat and bald;
but everybody that knew him said there
was not more amiable man in German
town. Besides, he did not think himself
so very Unlocking g. man; and even Nam
ME Day could not be entirely obliyious to
that fact that he was something of a
catch. Fifty thousand dollars was con-
siderable wealth in Germantown, and Mr..
Tompkins possessed that amount of
worldly goods.
He was a widower. His first wife had
been Betsy Trimmer and he had mar
ried her for her "smartness"; and it was
proof of his fondness for variety that
he had now set his heart upon pretty
Mamie Day, the doctors daughter who
was only eighteen, and anything but
capable" Indeed, Mrs Jones, the
housekeeper, to whom Mr.. Tompkins
had applied for her opinion Of Mamie,
said she was Il iiy-away tiirt of a thing,
and Just about as stiddy as a white kit
ten !''
But everybody knew that Mrs. Jones
was an ill-natured critic who would see
no good in anybody.
Mamie would sober down after awhile,
and her girlish flightineSs just pleased
Mr.. Tompkins. And she was so bewitch-
inGy pretty her hair was ike gold in
the sun her eyes were like two violets,
and would drive any man out of his
senses. Mr.. Tompkins knew that, for
they had driven him out of his many a
time. If she accepted him-and of
course she would-how all the young
fellows would envy him.
That last consideration decided him
that, and glimpse just then of Mamie
herself, crossing the pasture next her
garden, and carrying little tin pail,
which betokened that she was going
"strawberrying. Positively she had
never looked so charming as she had
looked at that moment in her pink calico
dress and white apron, and the broad
brimmed hat, with ribbons that just
matched her eyes. Yes, Mr.. Tompkins
would do it
He felt very assured and triumphant in
advance when he stood on DR.. Days
front doorstep that evening, asking the
"help' if "Miss Nancy was in ~
miss Nancy? Yes; she's in the settia'-
room. Walk right in there, Mr.. Temp
kins;" and Almiry looked exceedingly
significant as she opened the "settin'-
room" door. Almiry was sharp girl,
and Mr. Tompkins presumed she guessed
his Grand
There was no light in the "settin'-
ROOM" and only the white table cover
and crimson lounge showed distinctly
through the gloom. A female figure In
pink dress and white apron arose at the
entrance from a seat by the window! and
Tompkins hurredly exclaimed, feellng
little Hurried in spite of himself:
"Don't bring light, Miss Day, don't!
I want to say something to you, and the
twilight"
Mr.. Tompkins took seat beside the
lady, who finished his sentence for him
by whispering "Oh"
Now was the tug of war. Mr.. Temp
kins did not find his task as easy as he
had anticipates; but, having been
through the ordeal once before, he was
not to be daunted by triAes. So he pos
sessed himself of the lady's hand-hav-
ing some trouble to find it in the deepen
ing gloom-and cleared his throat pre-
paratory to commencing
"Hem! Miss Day-my dear Mamie"
He stopped short, and the4air one gig
gled. Mr. Tompkins considered this en-
couraging and, recollecting the manner
in which he had proposed to Betsy Trim
mer, he addressed her in the precise Ian
guage of which he made use on that
former occasion.
"My dearest Mamie l have long
sought an opportunity like the present.
have long wished to declare my love to
you. To win the pure treasure OF your viz
gin heart has long been the dream OF my
manhood Say, my observation-disclosures
| hope in vain? Will you not make me
happy Will you be my wife ~
(Mr. Tompkins had learned the above
speech-from novel-eXpressly for the
former occasion referred to, and he con
sidered il highly able oratorical effort.
The lady trembled and giggled, and ap-
reared overwhelmed by maiden confu-
sion; and the eated Mr.. Tompkins
stole his arm about her waist, she and
whispered.
"Yes then-if you will be so persis-
tent, Hiram"
Mr.. Tompkins started up as if tor
pedo had exploded beneath his chair. 1t
was the unmistakable voice OF Miss
Nancy Day-Nannie's old.maid aunt
Good Lord have 1 been gone and
proposed to the old maid" was the first
thought that darted through Mr.. Temp
kins brain He grasped his hat, and,
muttering something about business to
attend TO" made a rush for the nearest
door. 1t was a clothes-prcss!
dear me, Hiram--how flustered you
ber giggled Miss Nancy. 1--WE always
supposed the woman was the one to be
upset"
But Mr.. Tompkins had succeeded in
finding the right door, and was gone.
Rushing down the walk, he ran plump
into a tall, moustachcd young fellow, who
stood by the front gate with an arm around
Mamie Days slender waist in just the
most familiar manner imaginable.
'TIl be hangcd-if it isn't Tom WILLIS"
exploded Mr.. Tompkins.
''The samep laughed the young man.
a., NV