American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-10-28
THE COLONEL's PROPOSAL

THE COLONEL'S PROPOSAL
Twas giving the last artistic touches
to dress of my own construction, wher
a light, prolonged tapping assailed the
back-door of my room. 1 knew tha
knock well.
"Come int" cried.
A woolly head, above a long white
apron, showed itself at the aperture
and the owner thereof said:
"Miss Alice-he, he, te, he he! dere
is a gemmen in de poller to see you,'
smoker, smoker, swallowed and smoth.
cred, followed this.
"Who is it, Tobya" I asked, sol
EMMY.
s'He's Colonel sumthnn," Toby gasp.
ed, rolling his wonderful orbs.
That's not at all Definite" I went
on, still more solemnly. "Can't you
describe him, TobyP"
"Yes, Miss" grinning bravely; "he
is de tall gemmen wild de quar- eye, {"
and Toby grabbed his woolly head
with both hands and fairly shook with
laughter.
"That is Colonel Little" 1 answer.
ed, reaching the superlatively solemn
"Toby, you should not laugh at 9
person for having quar- looks, as you
say"
emo, Miss" Toby submissively re-
Piled, looking as grave as a judge.
"Please, Miss Alice" he said, after
had given him my message, "please.
Miss Alice. Use curious to know why
Colonel Little amt named Colonel Big,
cause he's, o golly! awful tall"
"Never mind. Go on down, Toby, -
and, as he closed the door, rap on the
opposite one was followed by the hasty
entrance Of Cousin Kate, her sweet face
all awry with merriment.
"Oh! Ishan die!" she managed to
exclaim. "Cousin Alice, Col. Little is
in the parlor. He has come to propose,
I know he has. Think of calling at II
O'Clock in the morning! I know he has
come to propose, or to ask you to go to
Barnum's Hippodrome. He adores the
Hippodrome;" and Kate had another
spasm of laughter.
"Graciousl" shouted, tragically,
ST hope it's the latter. I do want to
see the Hippodrome, but I do not want
Col. Little. Stop laughing, Kate, and
tell me, must change my dressp''
"No. You look very nice. Do hur-
~ down; 1 know Colonel Little is dis
arranging every chair, sofa, and otto
man cover in the parlor, and they were
all fresh last week. You know he al
ways does it. Col or mamma will tear
her hsir!''
ST shall pin him to the Sofa" said
severely, as I took the shine off my nose
with little powder. "Don't you dare
listen, Kate.''
"That's just what I am going to do, j"
she answered. 81 know the beau ideal
q ebsefE eetoofy-it i tie landing On
the stairs. I shall lie fiat down there
and look through the banisters right
into the parlor. Oh! oh! obi" and
left her with scornful little shrug of
my shoulders.
Cousin Lou waylaid me in the pas
sage. s'He has come to proposed" she
said, her face ludicrous and scarlet.
SCOT your answer ready, Sis?'' call
ed out hoarse voice from the 4ibrary
as I passed its open door.
"Colonel Little has come to propose
to cousin Alice" heard whispered as
I shot by grandmother's room.
From all this you may imagine I was
fully prepared to have Colonel Little IS
fame and fortune, six feet two, and one
eye laid at my feet.
I am sorry to destroy romance by
revealing that the Colonel had not lost
one Of his really fine gray eyes in the
service of his country, although he had
fought bravely for her cause. The loss
was occasioned by some accident when
he was q boy. However, this is d.
erosion.
"Good morning, Miss Allen" said
the Colonel, rising to his tremendous
height, as entered the room.
"Good morning." replied, looking
up from my diminutive five feet two.
81 hope have not selected an in
opportune hour for my call, Miss Allen.
/ was up this way, and-in fact, would
come to see you every day If dared, :"
and he looked pathetically sentimental.
"Oh! If you came every day you
would often miss seeing me, for 1 am
often out during some part of every
pleasant day." answered.
81 am glad 1 found the courage to
come this morning." pursued the Col
onel, after short pause; "for I have
several important questions to ask
you"
We were seated upon the sofa by this
time, and 1 endeavoring to prevent the
restless Colonel from twisting the dam
ask cover into string.
"Tell me-" he continued, "don't
they laugh at me in this house?"
Laugh at you'll" I exclaimed, in a
voice of supreme amazement. 1t was
well done, for how was to answer yes
or no to the question:
Eyes, laugh at me. know they do,
and because come to see you so often.
OF course they know come to see you,
for 1 come dozen times now to where
I came once before you were here. The
fact is, you know, 1 find your society SO
agreeable, so fascinating. You are al
ways kind and pleasant and never laugh
"a fellow. You never make fellow