Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-06-11
EARNING A WIFE BY STIsATE(iY.

Miss Hctty Hastings had present Of O
watch. Her father gave it to her in.
stcad Of husband. He had ticrccly
frowned upon As handsome fellow as
there was in New York, and tho way III
which he set his face against the love.
making between Frank Angus and his
own Hctty was most emphatic. It il
easy to believe that young Miss Hast
ings pincd. The color left her face,
she ato most trihing dinners, and one
day her doting father caught her read
ing Doctor Doromus OH the Action of
Deadly Poisons." Mr.. Hastings was
terrified. He passed one whole day
looking at Tiifany's diamonds, Stewart
laces, and great galleries Of pictures,
but the morning following pcrcmptory
business took him to New London.
He went by boat, and as here and there
along tho shores he saw the patches of
rich men, owning country seats close
by, I'LL ut once as if by inspiration, he
remembered how his daughter "per-
fcctly adored a yacht. "I1l do that
very thing" said the ovcr-fon,l father,
and stopping for day at Stonington,
he bought his girl yacht. The next
thing was to present it.
The pretty toy was brought to Staten
Island, and all the Hastings went upon
u picnic.
"Look ut this exquisite craft, my
child" said the Hastings, pere; "look
at her spars, her polished hull, her
ropes, and dressed up sailors. Would
it not bcperfect joy to own that yacht?''
Hetty smiled in sickly way being
engrosscd ut the time with poem she
was composing for Frank.
''Imagine yourself scudding on the
pillows" said the cunning parent, with
IN air of ecstacy, "imagino the foam
flying, the ropes a humming! Think
Of travelling FREQ from time tables,
steamboat landings, and wretched
worry about your baggage. When you,
want to go anywhere, you take your
provendcr, and off you go-when you
get enough of it, You come back, and
that's all there is of it. I declare, it's
royal!"
The family went on board of the
pretty "Sca Gull" Hctty thought the
thing looked dark, and far from tidy,
but she said nothing, and when, next
day, her father made pompous flour
ISL over the bill of sale he gave her, all
rcccipted, Of course, like girl, she was
"plcased with fancy, tickled with a
straw
And Frank Angus?
OF course he had heard the story OF
the yacht, and Of course he was lcs-
peratc. He clasped his hands together
as does Romeo, i'll the play, and said,
81 will not be so baiiied I'm not q
scoun<(rcl-I'm not an idiot. If there
is any foolish fault about mo, for Hct.
TVS sake I'll overcome it; but marry
her [ will. I think it is something
worth my efforts, too" And so Frank
went home and tied a wet towel around
his head, and sat down to plan.
-Four hours later, when it was dis.
mally dark, he wandered out Of doors
with money in his (p,ckct. FLO made
his way to the HASTINGS mansion on
Staten Islands northern shore, but al
tho lights we're out. AS llo was turn
ing away. perfectly tlisconsolato, he
saw a ltwinklc in the porter's lodge
Now this same Michael that served til,
Hastings pcrc, had onco been in the
| Angus mansions rs coachman.-
Frank drew him forth, gave him som.
crisp green money, and Il love-noto fol
Miss Hctty. The man laughed. "In
solcncc!" calculated tho lover, "you' r.,
merely paid to do nn crrand, 80 q,n
your saucy grinning." So the ma,
went upon his mission, and tho i'm
patient wooer paced the walks bcncatl
the elm trees. Fifteen minutes after.
graceful, slender girl stole across tin
garden.
"Why in the world have you come
Frnnk?' she inquired. "Why ru
such risk? know you love me, b,,
th"n my f"thcr loves me, too"
"Of course lie does" said Frank
'and he' y Il sensible man for tllat. b.,
he's made IL blunder respecting me
and I'm going to marry you in spite {
it. I'm perfectly convinced That 20
were meant to be my wife, and I W:
intended for your husband. Kcaso,
ing from that standpoint, you pcrcci,
that parents and families weigh notl
ing i'll the balance. Non-cssential 81,
mcnts retire to the rear, and maintaj
that position until the primal parti,
: arc suited. shall never lie statistic
until you arc my wife; meantime
- have dropped in to ask if you aro vii
y, ing to take pretty boat :s balance +,
me-
. Hctty Hastings shud,lcretl in Il
" dark with sheer amazcmcnt. Fra,
~ felt it, and grew ashamed. The pl,
~ he had made ut home, hc;ul-wrnppcd
steamed towels, began t" look vag,
and impossible. lie felt that son,
~ thing very bold was called for.
Is took poor Hctty's hand, while she.
Il course, began t" weep, and for t,
. minutes there wax II woful waste
> time, until Frank Angus gave his pl
j" t" i'rtty. She burst away and rn,
It. few yar'I$ or so. propelled by tilial 10
u and downright horror, while the yn,,l
J" man plunged his hands in his peck.
and waited for her to speak.