The Jasper weekly courier., 1874-03-27


up and looking, in his heavy wrappings,
like clumsy pattern Of mummy
What.!'
..Oh. dear me. consin y,n must not get
so excited. Remember vonr heart-disease,
beg;" and Kate pusned him into his
chair as she spoke. lie groaned as he sat
down again.
.Areyou sure you are quite calm again."
she asked; "because If not must not go
on, you know"
sIes, yes,- replied the invalid; "qui,e
so. Go on. 90 on" But though II was
quite evident he was not quite So she
continued:
.lou see, cousin. I've had an offer
and think ! may say a good ofier--a
very good one indeed Here John
WINGED. but she went on: II don't know
but may be considered rather young 10
marry just now-don't you think your
self. John, am rather ycung!''
:. Much too young-out OF the question
entirely" gasped the sick man, who was
evidently suffering an attack OF that neu-
raj gia; for his brows We're much con-
tracted and his teeth were set very tight.
Il knew you would think so, and | told
Tom -"
.What :" roared the feeble sufferer.
in tone that indicated, whatever else
might be the matter with him, his lungs
were all right. "What. Tom Jones.
\ on never can mean that fellow. Tom
Jones, I'll strangle him Immediately.
Tom Jones, indeed.' And the shawls
few across the room as If there We're a
shower of that article in full blast, while
the lately unhappy wearer snorted deris-
ion at the idea of ''that fellow
"a. 4. ~. l.af l.an \ n
with himg Please, Cousin John, do
think of your heart disease. Here, take
some aconite; you are feverish." And
she passed the vial towards him.
pills bc-hanged. and heart disease toom
jerked out the excited young man. strid-
ing up and down the room like madman.
do YOU suppose am going 10 stand by
and see you throw yourself away OH such
fellow as that? -
"rm sure don't see why you should
care anything about it" said Kate demure-
ly. still looking into the fire and nervously
toying with the bottle of aconite.
= But do care great deal about it,"
said John grinding his teeth and stamping
up and down, utterly oblivious of his can
Ger and stomach, and everything in fact
but Tom Jones and the girl before him.
Kate | want you myself!''
why, John, what an idea " But the
idea seemedto please her notwithstanding.
" How can you think of such things in
your feeble health. when you are so near
the tomb. as you yourself told me only
yesterday"
..Tombs be-well. hanged again. quoth
the irate John. "l've changed nv mind
about that. guess haven't got cancer
after ALL" And he couldn't help looking
a lfffla shaapisb no nlala tho aanf..Szint-
:" LII ycn'll only love me. Kate. and leave
that detestable Jones. lam quite positive
shall be all right again. VIII you,
kate?"
| don't know whether il was his plead
ing voice, or because his arms around her
made her feel faint and took her will away.
or whether she feared the excitement If
she said No" might bring on his heart
disease: certain il i che did not say il. but
leaned right down on his shoulder. and he
kissed her right on the mouth. and got
caught at it, too, by Aunt Hepsey. who
was just coming in.
Mercy me 7" calculated that Mortified
female. clasping her hands and looking
very hard at the ceiling for an explana-
tion of this extraordinary proceeding.
" Mercy mel"
A statement of the case from them both
NJ otlct >oOlneu the gOOu Iauy Outrdg-
ed feelings and made her quite contented
with the state of affairs for. as she after
ward observed to Uncle David: John
Brumer amt good enough for our Kate.
but he's enuff site better'n that Tom
Jones with a moustache, and" she add
ed, his father deacon in the church,
too"
Uncle David found lot Of broken glass
and pills strewing the ground ont behind
the barn next day. but rubbed his nose
and said nothing; and from the day of the
engagement John was as well a. anybody.
kate's treatment doubtless cured him. Ii
turned out that Tom Jones wasn't i'm love
with her at all, but was just as full of fun.
and ready to help her in any plan she con-
cocted.
.'Where's your silly and Chary-bod-
ice now!' asked Uncle David the day of
the wedding: but Aunt Hepsey was look
ing in the air just then for that answer
that somehow never came-md did not re-
ply.