The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-12-07


sat on the piazza he reading, or pre-
tending to read, while she sewed dill
gently. Neither uttered word for
more than half an hour.
Presently Matty shook out the mus
lin cap she was making, and laid it on
her work.box, put her little silver
thimble aside, and dropped her hands,
one over the other, into her lap. Then
she looked up.
Tom was staring straight at her.
She colored violently, and 50, for that
matter, did he.
''Tom," she began. "don't be angry.
Oh, do forgive me!' She paused, try
ing to think how she could tell him
softly but she wen:: on bluntly, II
want to end our engagement
$50 do H. rejoined he, with difficult
ty suppressing a whistle. Then both
burst into a hearty laugh.
t'You see, Mat," said Tom when he
could speak, II love some one else."
Matty appeared to be taken quite by
surprise at his declaration.
But 1 couldn't help it, indeed
couldn't. She is
t'She is young lady whose name is
Kate, and her eyes are the blackest,
and her cheeks the reddest, and she
sings under the Stars with guitar ac-
companiment,' ratified Matty all in a
breath.
1t was Toms turn to stare, "Where
did you find all this out :" he asked.
MY dear little bird, etc. / think
I'll go and write to my future cousin"
and off she ran glad to escape the ques-
tions which she feared he might pro-
pound.
*But you haven't told me- he
called after her.
"And never shall,'' she returned,
whisking into her own room.
In less than an hour she had recon.
ciled her mother to Fate's decree, and
written to Miss Kate Spencer, and per.
suaded Tom to write also, and had
done much towards informing the
whole village Of her altered prospects.
In due time Tom was married. .Matty
officiating as first bridesmaid.
Matty, after the excitement of
Toms wedding, bethought herself
what she should do. There were her
summer dresses to be made up, her
music scholars to attend to, the sew
ing circle and the flowers; but these
occupied neither all her time nor
thoughts. There ought to have been
DR., Gibson, too, she could not help
thinking but that gentleman, instead
of falling at her feet rs soon as he
heard she was free, paid her no more
attention than before. She waited fol
him in growing wonder and worry, an
eternity,-two weeks,-and then took
measures to bring him to his senses.
She employed only recognized and
ladylike means, however. She began
by flirting little with different gen
tlemen.
There was Will Ellis. This young
gentleman had offered himself to oul
heroine, on an average, four times a
year, ever since she was Is. She had
invariably refused him, decidedly and
emphatically but they were the best
of friends in the world. She now told
him in so many words, that she would
accept all the attention he would offer
her during the next week, taking care
to remember that this singular decla'
ration proceeded not from any special
regard for him, but was made in pur.
suance of some occult design on hel
part. Forthwith the pair embarked
on what seemed to be the stormiest
filtration Skinnersville ever saw. In
the long morning they drove or rowed
together they dined at Mrs. Kelli.
colt 8, and Immediately after sailed
forth on some other excursion. Both
were excellent equestrians, and Matty
gloried in galloping over hill and dale,
on one Of Wills handsome horses,
(Will, by-the-by, was the son of rich
man, Then they drank an early tea
on the veranda and spent the evening
at the piano or in reading. At the
hour Of 8, Matty always sent Will
home, without a particle of ceremony
or regret at his departure. In short
what appeared to Skinnersville as q
serious courtship was, in reality, q
pure business matter, and SO under
stood between the two parties to it.
This state of affairs continued for al
week or so during which time the
Doctor ignored Matty's existence
except as she was the daughter of hi.
dear friend, Mrs. Kellicot. And all tn.
time the girl was raging inwardly al
her quondam suitor.
#9S ,. .