The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-01-22


modate his own wife. Greater mon than
you. Phineas Green. have understood
that It's sometimes their duty to sacrifice
their own duty and pleasure. Think OF
Watts and his verse,
'.Must be carried to the skies
ON owery beds of ease.
While others fought To win tho prize.
Or sailed through bloody seas
as it anywhere recorded that Watts
ever went to an Opening.'
Perhaps it isn't. but -
"Wcll it is of no uso to talk" said l,
dccisively "Whcn YOU want to send u
delegate to an oyster opening. or n
champagne opening, I'm your man; but
this affair mt Ackmans' is quite another
matter. and tell you plainly that I've
not the shadow of IL thought of going; L
Woni GO
Before | proposed to Minerva, her
mother informed me several times, ac-
cidcntally, of course, that she was
"highly accomplished" And such is
Che truth. Indeed, sho is more highly
so than the fondcst heart could desire;
for, while there may he those who are
vcrsed in greater number of languages
than she is. never had the honor of
knowing any one, apart from ono or two
of the legal profession, who can so ably
arrange and conduct their native tongue
To make an innocent being feel convinced
that he is the worst man ont OF Jail, and
the greatest wonder OF the times is, that
he is allowed to be at large. Minerva is
larynx | doubt if she has any superior.
These consist not of ''scales" and "trills'
and chromatic feats. but wonderful
execution of what | term II compound
double and tueble demi semiquaver.
with sob accompaniment.
She holds these great requirements
rs reserved powers, and only resorts to
them when the prospect of having her
own way looks utterly blank, though
how she darcs to tamper with her health
50, ut any time, is more than can under
stand.
When l said so cmphatically that l
would not go to Ackmans' and turned
over to go to sleep. she felt that the case
needed special treatment, and proceeded
to it without delay-sobbed. strangled
and balanced her breath SO fcarfully that
it threatened every minute to take Il fatal
rs she would intend, that l WAS her
murderer.
So rs my sins seemed to hc "piled
up, my eyes and head ached. and there
was nothing else left for me To do, | re-
tractcd my words and said | would go,
inwarlly wishing that Ackman and all
his friends might be burned up before
morning. But they were not; and after
breakfast | received my instructions.
which were but trifling. inasmuch as l
was only cnjoincd to take notice of every
single article Ackman owned; also to re-
member every single person who was
there. whether ! knew them or not, and
take particular note of the raiment. and
the opinions they expressed ofthe articles
displayed. during all of which | was to
keep hawk eye upon Mrs. Whitby.
At The specified time | entered upon
the scene as gracefully rs could with
ont wings. forall the ladies' ia town were
there rs Minerva had said they would
be. | felt awkward. and was on the
point of leaving. when Il handsome girl
took me in tow and led me on from gar
ment to garment, and through II course
of childrcns attire. and really had IL
charming time. and when there was
nothing more to see. left, and was half
way back to my Office when ] rcmem-
bored that had in no wise observed my
instructions. could not describe any
thing but the girl who waited on me.
had forgotten Mrs. Whitby. and worst
of all had forgotten to buy anything for
Minerva. SO | retraced my steps, sought
ont the same pretty waitress and told
her | wished to see the ladies' dresses
again And rs We stood examining one,
] recognized the voice of Mrs. Whitby
behind me. saying in low tone to some one
with her, that a certain dress was e.racfly
what she wanted, really the Sweetest
robe she ever saw, and she had decided
to buy it, turned and saw the dress
she was speaking of, fancy silk of two
poorly contrasting colors SO mixed and
pulled and braided and plated that it
had neither beginning nor end-a gar
ment in no way suited to my taste; but
that it was her taste was sufficient for
Minerva to know. and l Immediately
told the girl would take it. The bar
gain concluded, | passed around and
spoke with Mrs. Whitby, whose heart
was wrung when she learned of Min
erva's sprain.
There isn't better and more common
sense fellow in all the city than Tom
Whtby. Everybody says so, and every
body calls him Tom Whitby, and prob
ably never knew he possessed middle
name until recently, when his wife left
her newly-engraved cards among her ac-
quaintance, to the bewillerment of most
Mrs T. Hodsgate Whitby. Tom never
sanctioned it, and at first would have
been as mystifed at the sight Of it as
other people were. But it was one Of
those cnchantingly tasteful and indie