Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-03-23
OLYMPIA WASHINGTON TERRITORY SATURDAY MORNING. MARCH 49, 1872
SLIDE INTO MATRINONY,

SlIl)EA In ~ MAXIMUM L .
II really believe women can be the
most provoking creatures in existence if
they set about it"
This piece of wisdom, drawn from his
his own experience with the fair sex dur.
ing the past month, Charley Graham ut
tered with sigh.
lie was standing on the steps, and watch
ing Louise Van Meter, who was at play on
the lawn with his great Newfoundland
dog, which, like his master, seemed to have
taken sudden aud decided fancy for the
young lady.
If she'd treat me half as much like q
human being as she does Nero, Id be sat.
isfed," thought Charley. "At any rate,
I'd try to be. She won't tautalizc that
dog-but she will nc. She'A let me 60
on talking for half an hour, and then pre-
tend she hasn't heard Il word l said
doesn't know what I'm talking about
Aud if size finds out that have special
aversion for anything, she's sure to parade
her fancy for it, just to provoke me. She
prctends that she likes that snob of a Per-
cy, with his drawl and his affected ways,
Just because she knows l hate him-but
know she don't. I'll be even with her
some day If l could corner her once,
and make her listen to me and answer me
honestly and frankly, l believe she'd con-
fess she likes me little. But that's the
worst of it; l cant get the chance to make
her confess it,"
Charley wa. fathoms deep in love with
Miss Van Mctcr-and she knew it as we'll
as anybody. She couldn't very we'll re-
main in ignorance of Charlcys feelings ;
but she managed, with her woman's love Of
mischief, to keep him in delightful state
of ignorance with regard to her own.
By-and-by, she tired with her romp with
Nero, in the keen winter air, and ran up
the steps.
"Therc is to be concert in the village
this evening" Charley said, OBTAINING her,
"may have the pleasure of your compa-
ny? You haven't yet rode in my new
cutter. Say yes, aud have little mercy
on me, please"
ooh, l can't that is, I mean ! can't
Co." answered Louise, blushing up rosily,
beneath Charley's glance.
"Pd like to have you tell me Why" said
Charley. "Ifyou knew, Louise, how you
keep the trucst heart that ever beat on
tender hooks, 1 know you would relent
and take pity on me. Don't you see how
pale I'm beginning to look ?" he asked
solemnly. 81 begin to fear shall have a
decline, if this goes on much longer"
"What kind of decline ?" laughed
Miss Van Meter. saucily.
"You provoking thing exclaimed
Charley "a decline of heart and hand,
probably, though l begin to think you'll
never give mea chance to offer them. But
I want you to say yes about that con-
cert. You mN go, won't you?" in his
sweetest tone, intended to be irrcsistibly
coaxing.
can't" answered Miss Van Meter.
I've an engagement for this evening.
"With whom, I'd like to know ~ de-
manded Charles, wrathfully.
with Sarah," answered Louise de.
murely, "and Mr.. Percy aud another
young gentleman. We're going to take
some sleds to the top of the hill back Of
the house and have jolly time sliding
down hill. Won't you join US? Thcrc'll
be room for three on Mr.. Percy's, sled l
guess"
"No, I WON'T" answered Charley, fore.
IDLY, "One sled isn't large enough for
Percy aud me-"
"I'm sorry," laughed Miss Van Meter,
thoroughly enjoying his tautalization. !
think salr. Percy is such nice young man.
So intellectual aud witty"
$50 intellectual y snecrcd Charley.
"Nero's ten times the brains that puppy
has; and as for being witty, l don't know
what kind of an idea you have of the arti.
Gle, for l think Percy comes as far from
Icing capable of saying anything witty as
he does from being able to appreciate it"
"Ah he has been unable to see the
point of some of your jokes" laughed Miss
Van Meter, provokingly, II see what the
matter is"
She ran in with saucy smile, and Char.
ley felt as he always did when he attem pied
to get the advantage of her.
Charley didn't go to tho concert, but he
did 90 to bed early. As soon, in fact, as