Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-01-07

explanation was that q commissionaire
brought the letter of Adonis from mil
itary club, but that he did not see the
gentleman who sent it, as it had been de-
livered to him by the club porter.
Funny, this!' thought George. They
are determined to keep the affair dark
but we will let the light in on it present
ly. Patience till Friday, patience!
The milliner was, on her part, very
curious to learn all she could from FitZ.
gerald about what was going on, but did
not obtain very much satisfaction from
that gay young officer.
81 am sure, Captain Fitzgerald" said
| she, cts not marriage in joke but mar
rage in earnest we've been looking for
between you and Miss Nina, the hand
| soonest, sweetest, charmingest young
lady in all Dublin at this minnit."
| Although the miliner called herself
Madame" she spoke no French or En-
glish, but, in fact, Irish.
You compliment US both, madame"
said George.
d" Whist now, Captain, and be aisy wild
ye. Shure they all say that Miss Nina
will have an illigant fortune from Mrs.
| Villiers."
81 am not hat lady's lawyer, so cannot
| say. Good-by, madame,' and gayly re-
| sisting her entreaties to stay AN chat
| Fitzgerald made his ESCAPE into the
street and, hailing car, drove off to the
| barracks in rather moody disposition
that day.
On this particular Friday there hap
pened to be a review of troops in the
Phenix Park, close by, that proved more
attractive to the idlers than wild beasts,
and the gardens were, comparatively
speaking empty when George and Nina
Fitzgerald entered them The cousins
rode to the gates and left their horses in
charge Of some ragged hangers-on of
equestrians; then they walked down to
the bears den, Nina little nervous, but
full Of expectation of the scene she was
to witness. George looked at his watch
and found that it wanted ten minutes of
the time, which he employed in selecting
a secure position for himself and cousin
behind some dense laurestinas close to
the den. He could not have found bet
ter place for his purpose, for it COM
handed the bench, which was not ont of
ear-shot, and yet it was at the same time
so well concealed in foliage that no one
would have suspected the eavesdropper,
or thought of looking for one there.
Three O'clock passed, and five minutes
more in this state of agony of suspense
and George was thinking of going home
when a step was heard coming down the
winding walk the step of a man. and
| the cousins peered anxiously out of the
bushes.
"Halloo! Why, here's the governorw
said George, almost aloud, in the excess
of his surprise. "What on earth can the
old boy be doing down here9'
"Uncle" exclaimed Nina, AT the same
time disappointed at is very awkward !;
he will certainly drive our friends away :;
besides, if he was to discover us here"
and she blushed at The notion
BY .Iove, that would never do" OBJ
served George, in no little alarm.
Meanwhile Mr. Fitzgerald, senior,
strolled jauntily down the path, twirling
a cane with one nicely-gloved hand and
arranging his wig with the other. He
was dressed, as usual, with great care,
and was so padded and squeezed by his
tailor and valet that at distance he
might have well passed for man of five
andtweutv. 1t was only when one de-
tected the brown wig and false teeth.
and the wrinkles so carefully disguised
on his old visage that speculation az to
his age became impossible. Somewhat
to the relief of his son and niece perdus
in the bushes-he passed the bench
without even glancing at it, and walked
to the bears cage where he was saluted
with a rumbling growl that seemed to
come from the depths of its occupants
stomach. The two cousins We're so intent
on watching his movements that they
never noticed new arrival upon the
scene; but at length Nina, happening to
look round, could scarcely suppress a
scream on seeing her aunt seated on the
bench.
"Georgel George! aunt auntW was all
she could stutter under her breath, and
it is almost needless to say that if George
was agitated by the presence of his
father, he was now ten times more so by
the near proximity of lady to whom it
would be impossible to explain the
anomalous situation in which he found
himself 1t was in vain that the cousins
cudgcled their brains to account for the
presence OF Mrs. Villiers in such spot
That Mrs. Nilliers should choose to come
and walk all alone in the Geological Gar
dens in a blue silk dress, and u bonnet
adorned with rose-buds, was circum-
stance so astonishing that Nina half for
got her fright in admiration of her aunt's
toilet. Not So our gallant young Hus-
sar That officer tried to make himself
as small rs possible by kneeling on the
hard clods in the shrubbery, and in this
attempt he made such rustic that his
father threw stone at him, supposing
no doubt, that he was goose, or some OF
the waterfowl that had strayed oft the
lake. The stone ratified among the
branches within foot of young George 5
head and he was expecting another
when happy his parent observed the lady
on the bench, and approached her with
much caution The old beau WAS a wag
: In liz AAlA- nd ,anrhans thnm nht ~ sa,r-