The Republican journal., 1875-03-04
Did he Propose /?

I
. 1t was Just the seductive hour before
: the gas jets are lighted and window blinds
pulled down-the delicious twilight, hen
CRATE fires shine like burning masses OF
ruby, and people sitting beside them grow
mildly confidential It was showing a
little outside; all the better. for the click
of the crystalized pearl against the plate
glass filled up the silences, and made the
cozy warmth of the room luxuriously de-
lightful And Martyr EIlerslie's pleasant
brown eyes, fixed full on the fire, saw-no
one can tell what or how much they saw
Suppose she should say Nor" he
burst out, seemingly aprop0s to nothing
at all.
"Suppose she shouldn't" observed Guy,
dryly
Il tell you, old fellow, it's exactly like
having tooth out. Your friends stand by
and say: BE man; it's nothingn 1t
isn't they who are under the doctors for
ceps"
Complimentary to Miss Glen
Nonsense. You know what | mean
But really and truly I've tried and l can't
d. it,
Very well" said Barnes, indifferently,
''then it is an understood thing that you
are to live and die an old bachelor"
Il didn't say that"
"Oh, beg pardon, You expect Fanny
is going to propose to you; that is it y
"4ou are a heartless mscreant," Ellers-
I lie cried out, half laughing, half impatient,
as he sprang to his feet and tossed the
remnant of his cigar into the fire, land
shall not waste any more words upon You
unless, indeed, you'll 90 round to The
fair with me-"
"Where Fanny Glen has a stand Not
if | know it, The money market is rather
| tight with me Just at present. and these
| fancy fairs are no better than den of rob-
| bers, where a defenceless Young man is
| concerned"
And Martyr Ellersie went on his way
alone.
The hall was all a-glitter with gas lights
and fragrant with flowers when he got
there the pretty feminine spiders lurked
each behind her we'll laden table, all
smiles and dimples, while the throng of
victims cbbed and flowed around them.
| Mr.. Ellerslie found himself greeted with
| acclamatons.
'You will take a share, Mr., Ellerslie ?"
''Do please put your name down here,
Mr.. Ellerslie; there's only ten blanks left"
"Oh, Mr.. Ellerslie. you are the very one
we are waiting for. I've kept seven for
you-seven is always lucky number"
Mr. Ellerslie Mr.. ElIersle don't,
pray. spend all your money until you've
taken q share in this mammoth doll, with
trunk full of clothes"
And thus our hero was flung hither and
yon, on the waves of the fair, drawing
nearer, however, with every subscription,
to the table over which shone the blue
stars Of Fanny Clen's eyes.
But when he got there he was smitten
with sudden silence.
| Fanny looked wonderingly up.
"It's fine evening" he hazarded
is it ~ asked Fanny. "Why, | thought
it was showing T.
$50 it is, said our hero, growing worry
red, and overturning with his elbow
crimson Venetian flask (tor which he inn
medlately had TO pay q sovereignty Il
mean it isn't a very fine evening"
"Oh - said Fanny.
Yes" said Mr.. Ellerslie. feeling acute
y that he had made q donkey of himself.
| And then he went away, and didn't see
Fanny Glen again the whole evening
probably because she was the only person
! in the whole room that he cared tig
about seeing at all, But so unkind is fate
| to love and lovers.
Just as he was edgng his way out of
the place, in a very dspirtel and detected
frame of mind, there was a rush and a
tlutter and he heard his own name called
| in all the notes Of the human gamut.
| "What is it ?" he demanded, vaguely
staring around him.
you've drawn the big doll - cried lit
tie Sibyl Percy, dancing up to him, and
| I H..
nation, with its tlossy yellow curls and
imposing pink and white complexion;
while somebody else brought. the big
trunk and little bandbox.
Its just like travelling with a wife,
said Sibyl, mischievously.
But what the-ahem what am to do
with it ?'' asked our bewldered hero.
''Give it to somebody p said siby, iu-
wardly hoping he would act promptly on
the suggestion. and bestow his prize on
her Any one would be delighted to re-
ceve such a present.
do you think they would ?" asked Mr.,
Ellerslie, vacantly And then--he Went
away.
Great stupid fellow - cried sibyl,
spitetully, and she tripped back to her
table.
!
Darlington, who had three little sisters OF
her own at home.
''But what am to do with it ?" said Mr.
| Ellerslie to himself, as he traversed the
wintry gloom OF the midnight streets
"Oh. have it! I'll give it to Fanny
Clen-and she can make Christmas pres
ent of it to her little blacll-eyed cousin r
And he laid the doll, rejoicing, on a
sofa, and went to bed, sinking into dream
land Just about the time that Fanny Glen
was taking the hair pins out Of her mag
nitcent golden hair before the dressing
bureau in her own apartment.
"Why, Fanny, what ails you?n cried
Dora, her eldest sister. you're crying
''rm 50 tired" guiltily confessed poor
Fanny
And she wept herself to sleep, thinking
how foolish She had been, and that of
course Martyr Ellerslie didn't care straw
about her. Why should he?
Mr. Ellersle rose the next morning tull
of his momentary resolve, and made such
a toilet the very landlady's little boy, see
ing him go out with big doll-neatly en-
casea in her pasteboard boX-Ilnder his
arm, calculated, protanely;
''Oh, my eye, what a swell y
L ne pldch-eN eu llLlic coltSli auulltltU
him. Yes, cousin Fanny was at home
would he walk into the parlor?
And our hero. before he had fairly made
up his mind in what terms to bestow his
gift. found himself bowling to tair-haired
vision in sunny little room, surrounded
by heaps of cut flowers.
"How do you do, Mr.. Ellerslie? ?" said
Fanny, coloring and smiling. Il am max
ing bouquets. you see, for tonight
'.Exactly So" said Martyr, and then he
reflected how much more appropriate a
remark he might have made, and turned
very red.
pray sit down." said Fanny.
"I-I--the fact it, Miss Glen, said Mr..
Ellerslie, plunging in sheer desperation
into the midst OF his subject. "l have
caled-I hope you won't be vexed-you
have only to say so if you don't like it,"
Eopov ,lropnaI har SDrimp of hpi lotrpnp