The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-02-09

ne inquired, strengthening up, and
squarIng his shoulders, as if proud of
his proportions.
No, Matty, he continued solemnly,
though with g merry twinkle in the
honest eyes, work, as Mrs. Bowers fre-
quently remarks, is pannaky. Mat
Ly understood him and colored GRIM
son.
At last Tom was pronounced out of
danger, and now the Doctor felt that
he must remove himself aud his be-
longings from Mrs. kellicott's house
TO his own. Matty, hidden by the
honeysuckle vines over the piazza,
watched him go and cried a little.
The morning after, Tom and Matty
sat on the piazza; he reading, or pre-
tending to read, while she sewed dilli-
gently. Neither uttered a word for
more than half an hour.
Presently Matty shook out the mus
lin cap she was making, and laid 1t on
her work-box, put her little silver
thimble aside, and dropped her hands,
one over the other, into her lap. Then
she looked up.
Tom was staring straight at her.
She colored violently, and so, for that
matter, did he.
Tom, she began, don't be angry.
Oh, do forgive me! She paused, try
ing to think how she could tell him
softly; bat she went on bluntly, 1
want to end our engagement.
So do /, rejoined he, with difficulty
suppressihg a whistle. Then both
burst into hearty laugh.
You see, Mat, said Tom when he
could speak, / love some one else. 90
Matty appeared TO be taken quite by
surprise at this declaration.
But l couldn't help it, indeed 1
couldn't. She is
She is a young lady whose name is
Kate. and her eyes are the blacklist,
and her cheeks the reddest, and she
sings sUnder the Stars with guitar
accompaniment, ratified Matty all In a
breath.
1t was Toms turn to stare. Where
did you find all this out? he asked.
My dear little bird, etc. I think
I'll 60 and write to my future cousin
and off she IAN glad to escape the
questions she feared he might pro-
pound.
But you havn't told me he cal led
after her.
And never shall, she returned,
whiskiag into her room.
In less than an hour she had recon-
ciled her mother to Fate's degree, and
written to Miss Kate Spencer, and per-
suaded Tom to write also, and had
done much toward informing the
whole village of her, altered prospects.
In due time ToR was married, Mat
ty officiating as first bridesmaid.
Matty, after the excitement of Toms
wedding, bethought herself what she
should do. There were her summer
6rocSnd RI no i0
scholars to attend to, the sewing -cir-
Gle and the flowers; but these occupi-
ed neither all her time nor thoughts.
There ought to have been DIR. Gibson,
too, she could not help thinking; but
hat 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 grow
ing wonder and worry, an eterRity-
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 gem
tlemen.
There was Will Ellis. This gentle
man had offered himself to our hero
inc, on an average, foHr times a year,
ever since she was fifteen. She had
invariably refused him, decidedly and
emphatically but they were the best
OF friends in the world. She now told
him in so many words, that she wonld
accept all the attention he would offer
her during the next week, taking care
to remember that this singular declar-
alton proceeded net from any special
regard for him, but was made in pur-
suance of some occult design on her
part. Forthwith the pair embarked
upon what seemed the sUormies6
filtration that Skinnersville ever
saw. In the long morning they
at Mrs. Killicott's, and Immediately
after sailed forth on some other ex-
cursion. Both were excellent eques-
TRANS, 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 drank an early tea on the veranda
and spent the evening at the piano or
in reading. At the hour of nine, Mat
ty always sent viii home, without a
particle of ceremony or regret at his
departure. In short, what appeared
to Skinnersville as serious courtship
was, in reality pure business naatter.
and SO understood between the two
parties engaged in it.
This state of affairs continued for a
week or so, during which time the
Doctor ignored Matty's existence, ex-
cept as she was the daughter of his
dear friend, Mrs. KillicoGE. And all
the time the girl was raging inwardly
at her quandom sutton.
Why don't he ask me at once again
she queried, mentally; 1 am sure he
loves me, and one might see that
love him but can't and suppose /
shall be an old maid.
But the Doctor was not to blame.
A man of the world would have seen
through Matty's strategem, but he
did not; he imagined that she was
either trying to drown her disappoint-
ment at losing Tom, or had really de-
cided to marry the enamored Will.
The truth occurred to Matty at last.
She could hardly believe such stupid
ity existed in the mind Of maa; but
she determined to try what mod
est and retiring behavior weuld effect.
So she dismissed Will, and besame to
all outward resemblances, q little
nun. Still mo advance oa the Doet-
or's part. He came and went con-
stantly to the house, however. Marty
gave up all hope, finally, OF ever COM
ing to better understanding with him,
when something happened.
DR.. Gibson dropped in one morning,
whea Mrs. Killicott sat sewing on the
pleasant veranda in the cool, refresh
ing breeze.
"You mustn't come here,' she called,
as he tied his horse to the hitching
post stMy work requires my undIvid-
ed attention; besides, you'll step on
my rufies. You may GO and help
Matty, If you like.
That young woman was making pies
in the kitchen. She saw the Doctor
coming round the corner of the house,
gave hurried glance at at the bright
bottom of tin pan she was holding,
found herself presentable, and greeted
him composedly. She was very glad
to see him, she said. Wouldn't he
come in
No, he wouldn't come in, the day
was so beautiful. He would just stand
on the little brick pavement under the
window, and lean over the sill.
So there he stood urder the grape
vine trellis, with 8 little golden sun
shine falling over his hair and shout
ders. Matty observed that he looked
thoroughly unloverlike, and concluded
that he didn't intand In rron0Sa She