The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-02-09
who Nlade she proposal.
From the Portland Times.

DIR. Gibson, having made an unpro-
walked down to the gate with her
daughter Matty.
Matty was twenty years old, and
the Doctor thirty. Her eyes were
brown and his were gray. She "had
on" pink calico dress and white
muslin apron he wore clean-looking
linen clothes, and wide Panama hat.
The gentleman admired the ia6y's
flowers very much, especially the
white roses-one of which, by the
way, she had tucked under her ear.
Sne inquired with considerable show
of interest about the Ruggles children,
who had the measles. He told her
gravely all about Tommy aud Ben,
Alice and Kit; and, when he had
finished, a silence fell upon them.
Matty was leaning on the gate,
looking 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 pr. Gibson. when
he stopped her;
He said the very last thing she
would have expected to hear. He
said:
Matty, 1 love you, and want you to
marry me!
The very look in the bright, brown
eyes would have told, without a single
spoken word, how thoroughly unlock
ed for such proposal had been. She
had never, in all the years she had
known DIR. 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 trifie paler.
L hardly believed you did care for
me, he went on after pause. But i
hoped you might yet learn to do it.
But-but- said Marty, with embar-
rassment. 1 thought every one knew
was engaged to my cousin Tom.
Your cousin Tom! echoed the Doc
tor.
It was impossible TO mistake the
impression which passed over his face.
IG was not merely personal regret at
the fact she announced, but an Impair
rial disapproval of the match.
He made no comment, however, but
directly said:
Matty / never shall get over this-I
mean that l shall always love you,
and if you need q friend or protector,
or-Or any one, you'll come to me,
won't you?
She promised and held out her
hand to him. He shook it warmly,
said God bless you! and left her
hdrriedly.
Marty, 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:
Tom, what would you do If should
tilt you?
Tom str eked his downy upper lip,
and looked pensive.
Couldn't say, he replied, after some
moments of reflection. You might
try and see.
Perhaps will, she replied more So
berry than the occasion seemed to
warrant. Tom stared very hard at
her, but Immediately forgot the INCL
dent.
Nearly year passed. One day Mrs.
Bellicott's "help" rushed fraaticalIy
into DR.. Gibson's house, and breathless-
ly announced to that gentleman that
Mr.. Tom woald be deader'n q door
nail long before he got there, If he
didn't jump.
For two seconds. thinking Of him
as his rival in Matty's affections, the
Doctor had half q mind to consign
him to the teRder mercles of good.
stupid old DIR. Well; but his better
nature prevailed, and he started for
Mrs. Kellieott's at the very heels OF
the servant girl.
When he arrived he found Tom in
high fever and delirious. He pro-
nouced It q severe case of typhoid fe-
yer, and privately added doubt that
he woRld recover. He sent to his
own house for chaEges of clothing,
prepared TO devote himself TO the sick
man. Matty, too, was unwearied in
her werk, and, being necessarily
mach in Toms room, consequently
saw the Doctor constantly. He and
and his patient presented q marked
contrast TO each other. The latter
was captioRs and peevish TO an un-
heard Of degree, and talked almost
necessarily of same unknown being
named Kate. On the other hand, DR..
Gibson was sn patient and gentle. so
strong and helpful, doing SO much
fer Tom, and vet not forgetting one
of his accustomed duties, that Mntty
opened her eyes in admiring .astonish-
ment.
One mernlng, as tbs DoefAr nrzuar-
ID zlespls9 dTnuxht Coz se1zeko5v.
else. she said with real s0lieisuds:
d. Gibson, Feu viii certainly kill
yeaEself 4 you keep On ssss<s i.ss.s,,..
and he ny beiief that