Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-02-16

sealed IL, ana put III III MS pocket oe-
fore he made his evening call on
his beloved Belinda.
Now it so happened that that very
evening Belinda herself had come to a
resolution. Her twenty fifth birthday
was approaching, and she could not
afford TO "waste time"
When Mr.. Softheart reached the
house of the Bellows he found the
field quite clear, Miss Belinda had
artfully contrived that it should be so.
That perfGious young person had act
ually purchased tickets for q concert !;
requested young Spooney, who was
halt mad with Joy at the idea, to ac.
accompany Angelina and herself; and
on the evening in question was smit-
ten with terrible attack of neuralgia
Reclining in chair, with lace kcr-
chief held to her cheek, she regretted
her inability to go but, after all, MIR.
Spooney should not have his trouble
for nothing-mamma and Angelina
would 90. She had rather be alone,
she was so cross and nervous. They
really must 60. And, knowing very
well why, the ladies acquiesced; and
what could Spooney do' As a gen
tleman, clearly nothing but regret
Miss Belinda's illness and be delight
ed with the society of the mamma Of
fifty and the sister of fifteen.
Yet a wretthed man was Mr.
Spooney that night and both his
companions on their return pronounced
him "stupid."
Ten minutes after the departure OF
the trio Miss Belinda, arrayed in blue
silk, with flowers in her hair, was play
ing at such rate on the piano that it
seemed quite certain that the demon
neuralgia must have vanished. She
did not even hear Mr.. Softheart's s
knock, and started in sweet confus ion
on his appearance.
'.I'm all alone" she said. "Mamma
and Lima won't be home until eleven
o'clock. I'm afraid you'll find it very
stupid" "
But Mr.. Softheart was not afraid of
that; and the two talked together IN
very low voices, sitting very close tc
each other on twin chairs. Mr.. Soft
heart looked and sighed and uttered
romantic sentiments, but he did not
pop the question. Miss Belinda did
all that a modest young lady could to
further this object, but in vain.
She did not knCw-how could she ?
that at the door Mr.. Softheart had
said to Biddy, the housemaid, "Look
here. girl, put this in Miss Belinda's
room, where she will be sure to see it,
and that he had presented her with
the billet containing his proposal,
crowned by a fve-shillng piece!
How should she guess that even at
that moment the offer MIR. Softheart
could not make in words was in her
work basket? At all events she did
not.
If the man did not avail himself of
such chance, after six months court
ship, plain even to the servants in the
kitchen, why, he meant nothing. And
the unhappy, unlucky MIR: Softheart
did not utter the expected words, and
lett at quarter to eleven, with quo
tation from Byron and sigh.
"He's contemplate firt !" said
Miss Belinda. "What did he mean
by squeezing my hand and by signing
SO, and by saying such pretty things,
and by looking in my eyes so? Gen
tlemen friends never do such things.
III show him my heart is not broken.
XII marry Spooney."
And Belinda wept, for she was bit
tsrly mortified, and Mr.. Spooney did
not own large mansion.
Belinda wept, as we bave said, and
went to bed in the dark. OF course
she did not see the letter in her work.
basket, and no one else saw it until
the first of April dawned.
Now, in their moral condition, with
no love affair on the tapis, the Bellows
were merry people, who indulged in
practical jokes, and April Fools Day
was always regularly kept in the fam
lily. A new trick was always hatch.
ing the year through, and bundles of
rubbish were sent by express, and cot
ton cakes made, and door-bells rupg,
and alarms of fire given, and people
sent post haste to remote regions to
find April fool awaiting in one shape
or other.
Rut th;s voor tho thraa part icul,r n