Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-09-20

You must be very lonely here?"
she went on.
"Not in the least" was my unchival-
rous response.
She smiled with an air of conscious
superiority.
"But you are deprived of that great
refner er-womaI's society,""
"I don't miss it,.
"You will be obliged to marry some
day, and how can you select suitable
partner (hideous wordD living SO ex-
clusively?'
1t was of no avail, the spell was upon
me. Uselessly did I struggle against
the malignant influence. am not q
susceptible man, I think I am not
timid man; but, somehow, before we
had gone two miles was engaged to
marry this gorgonin petticoats. After
all, what can fellow do when wom-
an makes up her mind to marry him?
She was not content until bad
ratified the engagement by brushing
the down on her upper lip-now a
most undeniable moustache. After she
had thus, as it were, picked my pocket
of wedding-ring she suffered me to
return. I begged for mercy, or, in
other words, for the concealment of
our betrothal. She consented that it
should remain unannounced until my
birthday. When l descended to din
ner, my serene brow gave no sign of
the anguish it covered. I bore my lot
bravely, and derived some small pleas
ure in resolutely disregarding all the
grimaces which the fair Alice meant for
smiles and coy glances,
That evening we had music, of course.
My poor piano, underwent dreadful
tortures, shrieking in the treble, howl
inS i'll the bass, in all possible tones of
misery. Catching moment when the
watchful eye of Alice was not upon me,
1 slipped from the house, just as Grace
was singing pyrotechnic love ditty.
Circling round the grounds, lodging
every stream of light, lest should be
perceived and pounced upon, l saw the
gleam of dress between the trees.
A few minutes observation showed
that it was Grace, and so ventured to
join her.
She was blonde, younger than her
sister by about two years-the average
difference in the ages of the sextette-
pale and washy-looking, with blue eyes,
blue lips, and yellow hair.
We sat down on q bench, she re-
quested me not to throw away my cigar.
"That is quite pretty song you
We're singing" said, in sheer desper-
alton at not finding any other topic of
conversation.
Do you think SOP she exclaimed
in the mildly surprised manner which is
such favorite with all blonds.
eyes. Il love but thee"
Luckless fellow that I was. No
sooner had I pronounced these ac-
cursed words than she flung her arms
around my neck, whispering hoarsely:
"And I thee. Oh, Augustus! Au-
gustus!'
am convinced to this moment that
it was only my presence of mind in
holding the cigar firmly between my
teeth that saved Inc from being kissed
violently. AS it was she only embraced
me closely at the imminent risk of
burning, making in her throat, strange
gurgling noises, to represent her state
of ecstatic happiness.
But began, "you do not COM
prehend--"
81 know what you would say" she
interrupted with great volubility; "you
would say We have not yet known each
other long enough, that we have not
yet enjoyed enough mutual society to
allow full growth of the tender pas
sion, but, Oh, Augustus, what love is
there SO pure, so noble and holy, as that
which springs from the first meeting of
two young ardent souls?'
She went on with much more in the
same strain. At last fortunate sneeze
cut short her flow of words and offered
me the chance of urging her to 60 into
the house. She proposed that our en-
gagement be kept secret until my birth
day. Needless to say, 1 joyfully con-
sented.
had no heart for further gaiety (?)
that night, and at once retiring to my
room, gave myself up to melancholy.
To-, IS r