American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-12-09

Presently Matty shook out the muslin
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 look
ed up.
Tom was staring straight at her. She
colored violently, and so, for that mat
ter, did he.
"Tom," she began, "don't be an
CRY. Oh, do forgive mel" She paused,
trying to think how she could tell him
softly; but she went on bluntly, 81
want to end our engagement"
$50 do l." rejoined he, with difficult
ty suppressing whistle. Then both
burst into hearty laugh.
"You see, Mat,'' said Tom when he
could speak, Z" 1 love some one else"
Matty appeared to be taken quite by
surprise at this declaration.
"But 1 couldn't help it, indeed l
couldn't. She is"
"She is young lady whose name is
Kate, and her eyes are the blacklist,
and her cheeks the reddest, and she
sings 'Under the Stars with guitar
accompaniment" ratified Matty all in
| q breath.
1t was Toms turn to stare. "Where
did you find all this outP" he asked.
"My dear little bird, etc. l 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 toward informing the whole vii
lage 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 schol-
ars to attend to, the sewing 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 as soon as he heard she was free,
paid her no more attention than before.
She waited for 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 gentle
men.
There was Will Ellis. This young
gentleman had offered himself to our
heroine, on an average, four times
year, ever since she was Is. She had
invariably refused him, decidedly and
alphabetically; 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 dur
ing the next week, taking care to re-
that this singular declaration
proceeded not from any special regard
for him, but was made in pursuance of
some occult design on her part. Forth
with the pair embarked upon what
seemed to be the stormiest Irritation
ever saw. In the long
they drove or rowed together;
they dined at Mrs. Killicott's, and i'm
mediately sailed forth on some other
excursion. Both were excellent eques-
trians, and Matty gloried in galloping
over hill and dale, on one of Wills
handsome horses. (Will, by-the-by,
was the son of a rich man, Then they
frank an early tea on the veranda and
'pent the evening at the piano or in
reading. At the hour of 8, Matty al
ways sent VIII home, without particle
If ceremony or regret at his departure.
IN short, what appeared to Skinnerville
Is serious courtship was, in reality, a
pure business matter, and SO understood
between the two parties to it.
This state of affairs continued for a
week or so, during which time the Doc
or ignored Matty's existence, except as
he was the daughter of his dear friend,
drs. Killicott. And all the time the
,irl was raging inwardly at her quon-
lam sutton.
Why don't he ask me at once
lgainp" she queried, mentally; ssI am
ure he loves me, and any one might
zee that love him; but I can't, and 1
oppose shall be an old maid"
But the Doctor was not to blame. A
nan of the world would have seen
through Matty's stratagem, but he did
lot; he imagined that she was either
ryiDg to drown her disappointment at
osing Tom, or had really decided to
marry the enamored Will.
The truth occurred to Matty at last.
'he could hardly believe such stupidity
xisted in the mind of man; but she de-
ermined to try what modest and retir-
ng behavior would effect. So she dis :
Missed Will, and became, to all out
Tara resemblances, little nun. Still
70 advance on the Doctors part. He {
anne and went constantly to the house,
owever. Matty gave up all hope,
nally. of ever coming to a better under ,,
landing with him, when something i
{
DIR. Gibson s'dropped in" one MORN +
ng, when Mrs. Killicot sat sewing on 9
ha plaa varanda in tho oooJ 30