Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-12-20
Who Made the Proposal :?
From the Portland Sunday Times.

From the Portland Sunday Times.
DR.. Gibson, having made an unpro-
fessional visit to Mrs. Kellicott, walked
down to the gate with her daughter
Mat Y.
Matty was 20 years old, and the Doc
tor was 80. Her eyes were brown and
his were gray. She chad on" pink
calico dress and white muslin apron;
he wore clean, ,cool-looking linen and
a Panama hat. g as@'
The gentleman admired the lady's
flowers very much, especially the white
roses,-one of which, by the way, she
had tucked under her ear. She in
quired with considerable show of in
terest about the Ruggles children. who
had the measles. He told her gravely
sill about Tommy and Ben, Alice and
Kit; and when he had finished, a
silence fell upon them. 9re 5rz.ee-..
Matty was leaning on the. gate, look
ing down the village street. She
thought how funny it was for Mr..
Scott to paint his new house pea-green
with lavender trimmings, and was
about to say so to DR.. Gibson, when he
stopped;
He said the last thing she would
nave expected to hear. He said:
Matty. | love you and want you to
marry me /"
The very look in the bright, brown
eyes would have told him, without a
single spoken word, how thoroughly
unlooked-for sucn a proposal had been.
She had never, in all the years she had
known Dr.. Gibson. thought for a mo-
ment Of the possibility Of his loving
her. She was very sorry, she told him,
but she didn't love him one bit, at least
in that way. But the tears came into
her eyes as she saw the quiet face grow
3 trife pale. -. 49,. .-.z-.
ct hardly believed you did care for
me- he went on after a pause. "But
I hoped you might yet learn to do it,"
"But-but-" said Matty, with en-
barrasment. 81 thought every one
knew [ was engaged to my cousin
Tom" l.tr .eFFs-
"Your cousin Toni" echoed the
Doctor. It was impossible to mistake
the impression which passed over his
face. 1t was not merely personal re-
gret at the fact she announced, but an
impartial disapproval of the match.
He made no comment, however,
but directly said
Matty, I shall never get over this
I mean that shall always love you,
and, if you need a friend or protector,
or-or any one, you'll come to me,
won't your"
She promised and held out her hand
to him. He shook it warmly, said
" God bless you'll" and left her hur-
riedly. EI.er9 k
Matty, still leaning on the wooden
gate, watched the retiring figure out of
sight. She was very quiet all day, and
In the evening propounded this absurd
question: ~ i5ts
Tom, what would you do if should
.jilt your"
Tom stroked his downy upper lip,
and looked pensive. aaa
Couldn't say" he replied, after
some moments of reflection. You
might try and see." ~
Perhaps WILL" she replied more
1soberly than the occasion warranted.
Tom stared very hard at her, but i'm
nediately forgot the incident.
Nearly year passed. One day Mrs.
Kelhcott's help" rushed frantically
into Dr.. Gibson's house, and breathless-
~ announced to that gentleman that
MFR. Tom would be deader'n door
nail long before got there, if he didn't
Jump" For two seconds, thinking of
him as his rival in Matty's affections,
the Doctor had half mind to consign
him to the tender mercies of good,
stupid old DR.. Wells; but his better ma
ture prevailed, and he started for Mrs.
Kellicott's at the very heels of the serv-
ant-girl. 5aa
When he arrived he found Tom in
high fever, and delirious. He pro-
nounced it severe case of typhoid fever
and privately added doubt thai he
would recover. He sent to his own
house for g change of clothing, pre-
pared to devote himself to the sick
man. Matty too, was unwearled IN
ner work. and, being necessarily much
In Toms room, consequently saw She
Doctor constantly. He and his patient
presented a marked contrast to each
other. The latter wrs captious ana
peevish to an unheard-of degree, and
talked almost necessarily of some un-
known being named Kate. On the
other hand, DR.. Gibson was SO patient
and gentle, SO strong and helpful, do
ing SO much for Tom, and yet not for.
getting one of his accustomed duties.
chat Matty opened her eyes in admir-
nag establishment.
One morning, as the doctor, prepared
a sleeping draught for somebody, and