The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-11-26
PERLlNA'S LAST CHANCE.

the last time, Herliua Nlilkin. the very
last time. I've spent enough upon you
since your ma died, and ] took charge
of YOU, to marry six girls who had their
senses about them. I've dressed You
like a Christmas doll. and I've sent You
to the most fashionable places 70 board
in summer, and here you are, four-and-
twenty, and not so much Ms engaged.
It's perfectly disgusting, Perlina and
what / have to say is, if you don't set
tie your affairs thiR summer, I'll give
YOU no more chances. ] expect to die
in the poor.house as it is. Why, [ was
married at seventeen, and your ma at
eighteen, and your Aunt Delight, about
the plainest little critter ] ever saw,
wasn't but just sixteen, What's the
use of advantages-and you have looks,
Perlina-if you don't make use Of 'em 2
"Im sure | don't knew what you
expect me to do. can't very well
propose TO any one, said Perliua, ready
to cry. "I do everything | can, and
they make love to me, I'm sure, and
they cay all sorts of things. Ii they
don't pop the question, how can | make
them there, now; ] suppose you
waited until Uncle Gailerly asked you
to have him before you said you would.
" Your Uncle Gaft'erly would have
committed suicide if | hal refused
him." said Aunt GaiIorly,
You may not believe it now, but |
was beauty in my yonth. As for what
You can do, you ought to know but
what | say is this come home engaged,
or I'll stop all this useless extroye-
gance. I've crammed your trunk TO the
tune of five hundred dollars, and you
are going to Saratoga with the kero-
sene Neabody's; and if You can't do it
now, I'll give it mp for bad job.
With which speech she inflicted on
her uiece's cheek that matter Of course
peck which female friends chose to call
kiss, and babe her goodbye. And
despite her new wardrobe, her big Sara
toca trunk, the prospective summer
gayety, and the chNperonage of Mrs.
Kerosene Newbody, poor Perlina cried
a good deal in the hired carriage which
conveyed her 10 the boat. "What was
she to do ?" To marry might have beer
easy, but to marry money-and tina
was what she was expected to do-Was
harder task.
Aunt Gafferly was a good bnsines
woman, and would not be likely t
snend any more money upon an unsafe
able article and Perlina shiyered a
the proapect before her, if this sum
mer's campaigns should prove q failure
On the whole she looked 50 Ill whef
she arrived ut Saratoga, that her mirror
told her that her best plan would be tt
retire early, and to take as much beauty
sleep as possible, in view of any eligible
gentleman that might pnt in m appear
ance next day.
Fresh as rose, and dressed in he
becoming morning dress, Perllna tooi
her seat at the breakfast table mex
morning, end nestled close to Mrs
Kerosene Newbody in the most bewitch
ing manner. ..,
The lady, an ample matron, with
loud voice greeted her attectlonately
aud at once introduced her to two gen
tlemen who were her neighbors.
"Mr. Kolt, Miss Milkiu, Miss MiIkin
Mr.. Downhill All OLD friends OF mine
Charmed to make yOu know each other,
and then devoted herself to breakfast
and left those who preferred 1t to wa
timo on conversation. Aud so Mis-
Milkir, having the field to herself, mad
ewes at both her new acquaintances, an
shrewedly noted amidst her infantil
eiqglings aud dimplings that both wer
, smitten. They were of the age for Al
7 rows. Edmond Kolt was a youth
nineteen, and Hiram Downhill was
, least sixty-fve. As general thing me
from twenty-five to thirty ditto absor
| the attention of tho ladies, and you'll
and old gentlemen are in the minorit!
Never before had Mr.. Kolt had sue
bewitching attention offered him. An
as for old Dowuhill, his memory brougl
hack some dove-like glances such
those Miss Milkin showered upon hin
from the long-vanished years OF h
youth, but not many.
To cut a long story short, Miss Milk
having discovered that MIR. kolt WI
very rich and au orphan, and that nj
Downhill was a very wealthy bachelo
at once set her cap for both gentlemel
resolving to accept the one who pr
8 posed first. She loved neither A 81
with her views, who had made rus
D., into the matrimonial market with but el
tipulation-that the man she marrit
Q should have money-was scarcely like
s TO have heart. A husband meant
a her easy circumstances, freedom fro
n her Aunt Gafferly's incessant ma
e ging," liberty TO flirt as much as 81
= chose with ineligibles, who were oft,
8 very interesting, and freedom from Il
}. dread of being an old maid.
) Mrs. Newbody, who was, on Il
=. whole. good-natured woman, willir
8 to see her friends we'll settled, furthert
n the affair to the best of her abilit
/ There were walks, rides, drives, cha
!, tiro in cosy corners, and at last pr
"a nosal. II came from Mr.. Kolt. You
g is hasty, age slow. Mr.. Downhill W
n inst making up his mind to do it, wh'
Ie Mr.. Kolt did it. And Miss Milkin sa
q ives" and would have fallen into b
n- arms but that they were in full sight
a. an old lady who had jnst leveled h
,s opera glass full at them from windo
Of "Yes." Perlipa had answered, n
as yonng Kolt had blushed rosy-red, a
lv "his soul" like that Of Gloroina,
the Wild Irish Girl, presumably we