Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-12-22

ems in the blackness, as she stood face
to face with destiny. And, feeling that
Il was destiny, she put her right hand in
those that prisoned her left, and said,
also in q whisper;
Well, then--Yes."
The next instant there was an excla.
nation, somewhere beyond in the dark
space, that sounded very profane. The
coat collar or the arm Of the individual
nearest Tillywa seized by q third person,
and the lover she had Just accepted was
whirled violent against the opposite wall
There was a scufile in the dark. Tilly,
little coward that she was, uttered loud
scream and ran back upstairs as fast as
her feet would carry her. Just as she
reached her own door the parlor doors
below burst open, and an indescribable
hubbub followed. lilly, crouched in
the dark, with her heart beating vio-
lently, could distinguish nothing until,
after several minutes, she cautiously
crept back to the head of the stairs. The
crowd was going back into the lighted
rooms. Neither Jones nor johnson was
to be seen. Amidst the loud laughter
and indistinct speculation below her,
Miss M'Ewens caught sentence here
and there.
Punching in the dark, warn't it9
They never were good friends"
Wonder which would a come out
ahead if they'd gone on"
Not Jones; he went off sullen enough.
Wish johnson d a fought 1t out"
"Who on earth was that that screamed ?"
Guilty Tilly drew her head back, ran
to her own room, locked the door, and
threw herself on the bed in state of
mind impossible to describe. To one of
her lovers she was at last engaged--but
to which? And as for the other, who
had, of course, been also waiting to way
lay her in the hall, there was nothing in
the world more certain than that she had
seen the last of him. All plain enough
except identity. 1t would be difficult to
record the speculations, hopes and fears
that tormented Miss M'Ewens as she lay
for two mortal hours on that patchwork
covered bed with her face hidden in her
hands. Only two hours, yet it seemed
five to her, before the door was shaken
and Polls voice demanded admittance.
Tilly sprang to the door.
go Poll" was her first anxious ques-
tion, did either of them hurt the other
and which did itP"
Poll nearly dropped the lamp, but re.
covered herself, and sat it down deliber-
ately; then turned and surveyed Tilly's
disheveled figure.
"If you amt picturel What on earth
have you been staying up here for? I've
been half badgered to death to find you,
and came here the last place. He's
downstairs yet waiting"
Who's downstairs, Poll?"
"You don't say you don't know!
Which of 'em spoke to your Hain't you
settled it YETI"
Zone of 'em did, Poll, but it was dark,
and don't know which. And / said yes,
and they had that dreadful fight"
We'll, if you amt the beatermost!'
and Polls whitc-blue eyes opened to
their widest extent. "All / know is,
Johnson's downs stairs now, bound to
wait till he sees you; and Jones left
double-quick after that set-to. Both of
'em was mad enough, if that's all, but
they want hurt to speak Of"
go dear mep' Miss M'Ewens thought
of the man that fell between two stools
Perhaps Jones has gone off in huff,
and Johnson's waiting to give me piece
of his mind"
1T must be mighty pleasant piece,
then. He's as clipper as you like just
now. If l was you, I'd go down stairs
The folks are all gone. ] guess that
scream of yours scared em off,"
Once within the door of the deserted
and disordered parlor, Miss M'Ewens
did not long remain in ignorance as to
who her accepted lover was. Two arms
were thrown round her, and two lips
shaded by black mustache were pressed
to her own. Whether Miss M'Ewens
thought regretfully of the blue eyes that
were lost forever, cannot tell. AT any
rate, she smiled radiantly enough to
make Mr.. johnson forget his bruised
shoulders and sides. And when, hall
an-hour later, Mr.. johnson exclaimed
''How on earth Jones ever got into the
hall without my knowing it, l cant
think-and what aodS the good of his
pitching into me?" She only answered
with laugh.
ooh, never mind Jones'"
He couldn't stand it to hear you say
Yes to me, Tilly," was the innocent re-
joinder. "He might have known better
HarDer'S Rdz1T