Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-10-07

men from twenty five to thirty ditto
absorb the attention of the ladies, and
youths and old gentlemen are in the mi
norty.
| Never before had Mr.. Kolt had such
bewitching attention offered him. And
as for old Mr.. Downhill, his memory
brought back some dove-like chances
such as those Miss Milkin showered
upon him, from the long-vanlshed years
of his youth, but not many.
To cut a long story short, Miss Milkin
having discovered that Mr.. Kolt was
very rich and an orphan, and that Mr..
Downhill was very wealthy bachelor,
at once set her cap for both gentlemen,
resolving to acceptthe one who proposed
first. She loved neither. A girl with
her views, who had made a rush into
the matrimonial market with but one
stipulation-th the man she married
should have money-was scarcely likely
to have a heart. A husband meant to
her easy circumstances, freedom from
her Aunt Gafferley's incessant "nag
ging," liberty to firt as much as she
chose with ineligibles, who were often
very interesting, and freedom from the
dread Of being an old maid.
Mrs. Newbody, who was, on the
whole, q good natured woman, willing
to see her friends well settled, furthered
the affair to the best of her ability.
There were walks, rides, drives, chat
ting in cosy corners, and at last q pro-
posal 1t came from Mr.. Kolt. Youth
is hasty, age slow. Mr.. Downhill was
just making up his mind to do it, when
fIr. Kolt did it. And Miss Milkin said
g yes," and would have fallen into his
arms but that they were in full sight of
an old lady who had just leveled her
opera glass full at them from window.
| Eyes" Perlina had answered, and
young Kolt had blushed rosyred, and
sshis SOUL" like that of Gloroina, in the
Wild Irish Girl, presumably went son
gig to heaven" for the band was playing
delightful dances for their edifcation /:
and afterward, when they had had sup
per, Perlina locked herself into her
room and wrote to her aunt Gafferly.
her letter ended thus:
$50 you see I'm engaged, and you can't
| twit me any longer. [ don't suppose poor
Kolt will ever set the river fire, but he's a
good-natured fellow, and | can just twist him
about my finger. And remember you are
bound to give me a handsome wedding-dress.
and have always promised me poor mas pearls
| the day I married.
''Your atfectionate niece PERLINA."
Mrs Gaferly signifed her approval
by return of post, and Perllna's mind
was at rest. It did not trouble her
much that in less than week a tele-
gram summoned him to the city. She
could use the fast-fading days of free
dom better than with an engaged lover
at her side, and she certainly made the
most of them. She plunged into hirta
ton in way that frightened even Mrs.
Kerosene Newbody, and was happier
than she ever had been since her search
for husband commenced. AS for poor
Mr.. Downhill, she quite snubbed him,
now that she had no views concerning
him. Meanwhile the absent Kolt wrote
love-letters, and she answered them.
"Never shall [ forget MY feelings
when you went out to ride with old
Downhill, he said, in one of these.
81 really thought for awhile that you
liked him.
And to this she replied
Chow could you fancy that [ should
like superannuated old creature like
that. [ only took little notice of him
out of pity"
Poor Perlina Life is certainly very
much checkered. One morning Mrs.
Newbody opened New York paper,
and having glanced down the column of
marriages and deaths, gave a faint
| shrek, and looked at Perlina in ter
rifed way. Perlina snatched the paper
and saw this record:
| Suddenly on the til, EDMUND KoLT.
Edmund Kolt-there was no doubt of
it. Mrs. Newbody looked at Perlina,
expecting to see her faint. To her sur
prise, the young lady, though very Sc
rlous, was quite calm.
"Poor fellow" she said, elm very
sorry. Do be quiet, dear Mrs. New
body Don't let's have a scene. No
one knows we were engaged, and you
needn't tell 'em. / don't want my sea-
son spoiled"
Then she arose and went to her room,
cried little, bathed her face, used
some pearl powder on her nose, and went
down stairs to charm Mr.. Downhill by
beaming upon him and asking him how
he could be so dreadful and neglect her
| SO.
In word, now that the old love was
gone, she 6 took on with the new" and
In week MIR. Downhin had proposed,
and was accepted. And the astonished
Mrs. Gaferly received an account of the
situation, which greatly surprised her.
Old Mr.. Downhill was rather more
obstinate than even Mr.. Kolt had been.
He asserted his rights, and insisted
upon the open wearing of the engage
ment ring,
There was no more Irritation for Miss
Milkin, and every one knew what had
occurred. She wore diamond ring of
great value on her finger, and was
guarded by her old beau from morning
until night. He even wrote her several
notes in the intervals, between their
parting at midnight and meeting anime
In the morning, and in one of them he
referred to her Irritation with young
Kolt.
Miss Milkin was one of those unlucky
victims to love of letter-writing, who
can never resist putting things down in