The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-23
MISCELLANY.
LOVE AND PORT.

lived in Chiffon terrace, and l lived
there too, in the house next his, | used
to see him pretty often.
Now, Stubbs had daughter bit of
a humbug: not the sort of girl should
care much about; but saw at once that
if I wanted to keep my acquaintance
with Stubs, or rather with Stubbs's
port; should have to keep up an ac-
quaintance with Stuhb's daughter. L
could not wholly devote myself to her,
because l was passionately devoted to
another girl, who, in turn, was passion
ately in love with me; but somehow or
other that girls father didn't see the
joke of my making up to his daughter,
and whenever 1 called at his house he
frequently slammed the door in my face.
Things went on much in the same way
for some time; / got awfully "fulP' with
old Stubbs, or rather with old Stubbs
port. One evening, as we were sitting
over the-that is to say, his fire, smoking
our-that is to say, his cigars, he said,
looking out of the corner of his eye at
me, Tomorrow, Mr.. Chips, my Bilpa
comes of age; now, if you were to give
her some little token of your respect, I
think she would take it very kindly" "
ais she only one-and-twenty tomorrow
/ said. 81 should have put her down at
a few years more than that" "Yes," he
continued, "people often think little Bill
pa older than she is; but she is a nice
little girl for all that" "Is she?" | said
rather thoughtlessly, and Immediately
recovering myself-"she is, indeed" p
And 1 finished up by promising old
Stubbs l would certainly make her a
present on such an eventful day in her
life. On my way to the Temple, next
day, l accordingly invested shilling or
two in "token." When returned to
my lodgings at four o'clock in the eve
ming, found the following little note on
my table:
/ am going to have little dinner
party tonight, old fellow, in honor of
Bilpa. Excuse so short an invitation,
but drop in at seven; you will know ev-
cry one there. B. B. SrUBBs.
1 accordingly dropped in at seven, and
found Bilpa alone in the drawing-room,
decked out in a most extravagant style,
with plenty of hair upon her head and
paint upon her face.
II must wish you many happy returns
of the day, Miss Stubbs," / said, "and if
you would receive this little present
from an old friend l should feel"
"Ohl it is kind of you, Mr.. Chips" she
said. "What n beautiful little thing"
ayes, not bad sort of thing" 1 re-
marked, turning round listlessly, just
enough to see that old villain Stubbs
looking through the crack of the door.
"Ahl ah" he cried, suddenly bounding
into the room, "sorry to give you so
short a notice, but" "Oh, don't
mention it," 1 replied; "it's all the same
to me-"
1t was now half-past seven, and no one
had turned up except myself, and was
a little surprised when Stubbs, suddenly
rising, said "Let's go in. to dinner"
soon found out that the "little dinner
party" was very "little" indeed. Only
three persons sat down to it-Stubbs,
Bilpa, and myself. After dinner Stubbs's
port came out again, and / am afraid l
took little too much, for l believe
said many things later on in the evening
to Bilpa which she put somewhat un-
pleasant (that is, to me) construction up
on; and the very next day I found the
following little note on my table:
DEAR Mr.. CHIPS: I am aware that
you are what people call Gin love" with
my daughter; and as she says that she is
not at all adverse to your addresses, you
have my full consent to continue them.
Don't forget to drop in this evening.
Yours, truly, B. B. STUBBs.
I dropped in as usual that evening
with full intentions of throwing cold
water on the whole affair; but 1 happen
ed to enter the house just as old Stubs
was in the cellar, and remembered his
port.
That same night long-looked- let
ter came from Kitty-Kitty Cobbs was
the name of my devoted" one. 1t rar
thus:
DEAR CHARLIE: Pas as obdurate al
ever, and positively swears he will never
consent to our union. So, as you sug
gest, the best thing for us to do is tC
elope. So meet me on the day after to
morrow at the corner of Cotton street
where shall be in cab at half-past tel
in the morning. KITTY.
On the evening of the next day
dropped in as usual at Stubbs's, and sale
in the course of our conversation, ''I an
off to the Continent tomorrow; can
stand London any more in this no
weather"
"Ohl are you, really?" he said, seem
ingly little put out "Bilpa and viii
miss you dreadfully. 1 dare say, how
ever, we shall manage, to get abroa
for short time this summer, and all
Let's see, when did you say you coul
best arrange for the happy"
"Ohl Christmas" ] said, hastily.
"Well, there's nothing like getting
little blowout first" he said.
That evening packed up all my thing
and half-past ten next morning foun
me in the same cab as Kitty. We WEI
at once married and left the same da
for the Continent. We were as happ
and communicative as two larks, but
did not dare to tell Kitty, at least fl
the present, anything about old Stubl
and Bilpa. We scampered off to Viei
ma and took up our quarters at II
Grand Hotel.
We had been out for long walk OF
afternoon about fortnight after our a
rival and came in little late to the t
BILE, and when the waiter had escorte
us to our seats, who should be sitting o.
posite to US but Stubs and his daugl
teri I was simply fabbergasted; ye
could have knocked me down with
toothpick.
"Hulloap shouted Stubbs, "is tn
youl'
"HulloaV I reioined "who won