Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31

hard one
And demands heroic remedies
Precisely. Now the next step is to gel
up good lover. shall not expect much.
ANY straw man that's convenient will an
swer. Doyou know of one, doctor-a good
one He must be nice and all that, or
couldn't endure it,
'Well-no-I cannot think of one just
now. There are none living near that are
available. Perhaps we might import one.
Doctor, I've an idea.'
How startling Bring it forth that
may admire it,
You be the lover
All right. Pm willing
Then we're engaged
'Yes-for the present.
in fun, you know
oh ! of course. Till Sam gets married,
or till you wish to break it
| Where's the ring?'
'Oh | have one up stairs. an old one.
l suppose it will answer to cover our little
! arrangement
How splendid of you, doctorl'
Now you must 60. Old Mrs. Davis is
coming soon with her neuralgia. Shall
! tell her p
Tell her what p
of the engagement
Yes. Just hint it, and before night, the
town will know it.
And they did. How they Snatched up
the stray morsel of gossip and stirred it into
their tea with the sugar. Fortunate cir
cumstance. 1t soureG on their stOmachs-
the news, not the tea. Even the sugar and
the good Bonca did not save them from ex
pressing with beautiful freedom just what
they thought about it.
Such an old goose to be taken in by that
designing Sally Depford The mink the
| little contriving-artful-'
Such language! 1t is not pretty. His
tory like this cannot stoOp to report all that
was said concerning the last new engage
ment. AS for Sam Barrett, he faded beau
tifully away, and actually disappeared. He
suddenly found a tip top chance for busi-
ness, you know, in New York. Ought to
go right on and fix it up
Ills parting with Sally was not particu-
larly affecting. She wouldn't allow it.
That curious, antique, diamond ring fash
ed in his astonished eyes, and his affection
melted softly away into nothing, like the
cloud of white steam under which he es-
capped in the $40 p. NJ. express. The whis-
tie echoed among the Wauchusetta hills,
and the gentle Sally heard it with out
sigh.
Some of the other girls could hardly for
give her for driving away the only uvaila-
Bile young man in the place, but they sOoth-
ed their lacerated feelings with the sweet
hope that, as the summer vacation was
near at hand, a new importation of city
visitors from Boston and New York might
make it gay again, and spread wide once
more the matrimonial horizon.
The suddenness and complete success of
the victory rather surprised the victor. She
had succeeded beyond her expectations.
Now that it was all over, she would return
the ring and-well, no, perhaps she might
keep it Just one more night. Cousin Mary
Depford was coming to spend the night,
and it would be rather amusing to wear
the ring a littler longer, and to let her into
tho rin in,
the morning.
Pleased with this unspoken plan, she set
the ring frmer on her finger ami prepared
to receive her company
Cousin Mary Depford was charmed with
the ring, and was profuse in her congratu-
lations. Sally took them quietly enough.
It's all a joke, you know, dear
a joke'
Yes, dear, a little well-game, if may
SO speak
Cousin Mary was properly shocked. In
the retirement of their own room she ex-
pressed her mind fully, and declared she
would not wear the ring another moment.
Ii was a pretense, and-a shame to do suclf
a thing.
Sally was startled, ana pleaded the dread
ful necessity of the case.
'Ie was such bore, you know, and,
really-what could | do? 1t was all in
fun. There's nothing serious. | mean to
return the ring Tomorrow
Il wouldn't wear it another minute if L
were you, Sally Depford.'.
Sally laughed and still retained the ring
She would return it tomorrow. She would
wear it one more night, for it was really
such handsome ring.
The doctor behaved beautifully. He
only called once, and didn't even ask her
| to ride or walk.
! 'He walks so fast, and as for that old
chaise, you know how it creaks.'
1t was a very proper engagement.
Rather cool, perhaps. What could you
expect? lie was past forty, if a day, they
said.
She did not return the ring the next day.
1t rained. She sent note to the doctor
the following day asking him to call for it.
He was wouldn't be back till Mon
day. OF course she must wear the ring
one mole Sunday and she did-in spite
of Cousin Mary Depford's remonstrance.
On Monday she carried the ring still on
her finger, to the doctor. He was just
starting off on professional tour when she
came, and he was so merry, and there were
so many things to talk about, that she
quite forgot the ring. Besides, there stood
the Widow Biglow in the next yard, pre-
tending to hang out her clean clothes on
the line, and wacthing with both eyes.
Cousin Mary Bedford was harassing.
They had little tiff, after the manner Of