The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-02-03

heels of the servant girl.
when he arrived he found Tom in high fe.
yer and delirous. He pronounced it severe
case of typhoid fever, and privately added II
doubt that be would recover lie sent TO MS
own house for changes of clothing, prepared
TO devote himself 10 the sick man. Alatly,
too. was unwearied in her work, and, being
necessarily much in Toms room, consequent
ly saw the doctor constantly. He and his pa.
tient presented marked contrast to each 9th
en- The latter was captlous and peevish to
an unheard of degree and talked almost in.
cessanlly OF some unknown being named
Kate. On the other hand, DR.. Gibson was so
patient and gentle so strong and helpful, and
doing so much for Tom, and yet not forget.
ting one of his accustomed duties, that Marty
opened her eyes in admiring astonlshment,
One morning, as the doctor prepared q
sleeping draught for somebody, and dictated
to Matty q prescription for somebody else,
she said. with real soliCitudc;
CDR. Gibson, you will certainly Kill your.
self if you keep on at this rate; and It's my
belief thatyou are overworked, and you ought
to take rest"
"Do l appear to be at deaths door? ?" he in.
quired strengthening up and squarinC his
shoulders, as if proud OF his proportions.
|" No, Matty," he continued, solemnly, though
with merry twinkle In the honest eyes,
work, as Mrs. Bowers frequently remarks,
is pannaky." Matty understood him, and
Colored crimson.
AT last Tom was pronounced out Of danger,
and now the Doctor felt that he must remove
himself and his belongings from Mrs. kelli-
colts house to his own Matty, hidden by
the honeysuckle vines over The piazza, watch.
ed him 60, and cried little.
The morning after, Tom and Maty sat on
the piazza-he reading, or pretending to read,
while she sewed diligently. Neither uttered
a word for more than half an hour.
Presently Matty shook out the muslin cap
she was making, and laid 1t on her work box,
put her silver thimble aside, and dropped her
hands, one over the other, into her lap.
Tom was staring straight at her. She col
ored violently, and so, for tnat matter, did he
"Tom," she began, "don't be angry. Oh,
do forgive me" She paused, trying to think
how shr could tell him softly; but she went
on blunly, Il want to end our engagement. )
$50 do |, rejoined he with difficulty sup.
pressing a whistle Then both burst into
hearty laugh
"You see, Mat" said Tom when he could
speak, II love some one else
Ma,ty appeared to be taken quite by sur
prise at this declaration
But couldn't help it; indeed | 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 breath.
1t was Toms turn TO stare.
Where did you find all this out % he asked
My dear little bird, etc. | think III 90
and write to my future cousin And off she
ran, glad 10 escape the questions which she
feared he might PROFOUND.
But you haven't told me he called af- !
ter her.
"And never SHALL she returned, whisking
into her own room.
In less than an hour she had rtcDncilcd |
her mother to Faes decree. and written to
Miss Kate Spencer, and persuaded Tom to
write also, and had done much toward in
forming the whole village of her altered pros.
poets.
In due time Tom was married. Matty off, !
ciaiing as first bridesmaid.
Matty, after the excitement of Toms wed |
ding, bethought herself what she should do.
There was her summer dresses to be made up,
her music scholars to attend to, the sewing
circle and the flowers; bHt these occupied
neither all her time nor thoughts. There
ought to have been DR.. Gibson, too, she could l
not help thinking; but that gentleman, in
stead 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 lady.
ike means, however She began by flirting
| little with other gentlemen.
There was viii Ellis. This young gentle
nan had offered himself to our heroine on |
IN average four times year, ever since she
was fifteen. She had invariably refused him s
decidedly and emphatically; but they were {
he best of friends In the world She now [
old him in so many words, that she would '
accept all the attention he would offer her 9
Turing the next week, taking care TO remem. l
)cr that this singular declaration proceeded v
lot from any special regard for him. but was r
nadc in pursuance of some occult design on !
Ter part Forthwith the PAIR embarked up S
IN what seemed to be the stormicst Irritation r
'kinnervllc ever saw. In the long morning I
hey drove or rowed together; they dined at @
Yrs kelllcotts, and Immediately after sailed !
orth on some other excursion. Both were a
EXCELLENT equesirians, and Matte gloried in v
,ailoping over hill and dale on one of Wills II
handsome horses. (Will, by the by, was the C
on OF rich man. Then they drank an ear. b
y tea on the vcrandah ard spent the evening Il
| the piano or IN reading. AT the hour of v
line Matte always sent Will home without 4
PARTICLE OF ceremony or regret at his depart h
ire. In short, what appeared TO Skinnervilie s.
S n serious courtship, was, in reality, pure Il
business matter, and so understood between c
he two parties 10 it. "
This state OF affairs continued for week or S
%, during which time the Doctor ignored II
laItyS existence except as she was the il
laughter of his dear friend Mrs. Kellico,t d
md all the time the girl was raging iuwardly Il
1 her quondam suitor. "
why don't he ask me at once again 2" she d
ucried, mentally; I'm sure he loves me, "
I'D any one might see that love him; but II
ant, and | suppose that | shall be M old Sc
laId" nj
But the Doctor was not 10 blame. \ man Ii
the world would have seen through Maitv's W
but he did not; he imagined Tia, ST