The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-10-16
the first question and ignoring the

Tue uTsL qucstioH anu lSuoiiHS tue
last.
"Do tell" and the round face fair
ly glowed with pleased surprise.
"Going to marry? Well I told He's
ter last night that was the best way
to settle the suit after all. There
amt more capable girl anywhere
than Sallie, and l am glad you've
found it out. And Mr.. Popkins il
powerful CLEVER" turning to Sallie
and instead of being two farms aud
lawsuit, there need only be one.
Law bless me I" rubbing his hands
with increased satisfaction, eff il
amt tip top arrangement %
Mr.. Popkins clutched at his
throat, as though he were choking
to death, and made spasmodic efforts
to say word of explanation, bu,
his tongue seemed palsied and failed
him utterly in this emergency. Miss
Sallie with face of the deepest rose
color, placed her hand to her mouth
and shouting, so as to startle the
horses, said 81 am going to see
Mr.. Stiles on business.
Oh day of blunders Mr.. Stiles
was her lawyer, but the unfortunate
girl was unaware that Presbyte.
rian minister had the same delight
full cognomen.
"Mr. Stiles, indeed" said our
friend. Well, I've heard him we'll
spoken of, but l never expected
you, Sallie, Baptist, to be married
to anyone but a minister ofyour own
church but l suppose you gave way
to Mr.. Popkins, and think it shows
a downright good disposition"
Miss Sallie gave up in despair and
looked fxedly out of the window,
while Mr.. Popkins' lips moved occa'
sionally, as though he were saying
"Water Water % But the uncon-
cious cause of all this turmoil sat
serene and happy indulgiDg in an oc-
casional chuckle and knowing glance
to Mr.. p, but at this moment he
saw that he had arrived at his desti
nation, and wishing the two victims
much happiness, left them.
The human heart is strange af-
fair to say the least oft. Had any
one advised Mr.. Popkins to marry
Miss Sallie, he would have rejected
the idea Immediately, and she herself
would have taken it as an insnlt; but
the totally unexpected manner in
which the matter had been brought
up made altogether different thing
of it. He stole a glance at Miss
Sallie. Her face was still turned
away, and she was apparently study
,ug nature. She was pretty, Mr.. Pop
kins could not deny. What if and
his heart gave tremendous bound.
What fool he had been all this time !!
He must try at any rate, and risk a
iepulse. SO without any more hesi
tation, for our hero was brave, he
took uncle Ben's seat and said quiet
iy:
"Miss Sallie."
The face turned the eighteenth of
an inch toward him. Notmuch en-
couragement, but little.
"Miss Sallie," he repeated, "I've
been fool and BRUTE"
Oh wise Mr.. Popkins he had
started on the right road to wo.
mans heart. Either from contrari.
ness or sense of justice they always
take the opposite side. Miss Sallie
made up her mind from that moment
that he was a gentleman and Sec
ond Solomon, and she turned her
face completely around.
"Do you think" he continued,
"that we can settle this lawsuit in
the sensible manner suggested by
Uncle Ben? / do love you Miss Sal
lie, and, by George L believe I've
loved you all the time and never
knew it until to-day"
Miss Sallie was completely van
quished, and the answer, although
whispered, was heard by Mr.. Pop
kins above the noise of the wheels
and the crack of the drivers whip.
The suit of Popkins versus Hop
kins was dismissed that day. The
Baptist minister got a fee, and the
people at home are firmly convinced
that Mr.. and Mrs. Popkins are the
best hands in the world to keep a
secret