Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-12-26

and Nannie's grandmother did il
her affections.
But one morning when Mrs
Stillman was shipping her geran'
iums in the sitting-room, and John
was reading the mornings news,
paper, Mamie burst in, her beauti-
full face all aglow, her eyes bright
with delight, crying:
"Oh, grandma Walt has come
home ! saw him from my window
riding up the road"
She was going then, just as John
exclaimed:
"Confound Walt ?"
"Who is Walt Z" l naturally in
quired.
"Walter Bruce, the son of one
of our neighbors. He has been
like brother to Mamie all her
life, but went off to Europe two
years ago, when he became of age.
They wanted to correspond, but |
forbid that. So lie has turned up
again"
1t was evident that John was ter
ribly vexed, and | very soon shared
his annoyance. Walt, a tall, hand
some young fellow, improved, not
spoiled by travel, just haunted the
house.
He was generally off with Nan
ME as soon as he arrived, and blind
to Mrs. Stillman's ill-concealed
GOODNESS, and Johns sarcastic
speeches about boys and puppies
AS for me, by the time my sleepy
eyes were opened in the morning,
Mamie had taken long ride with
Walt, was at the piano when l
would come into the room. Walt
was walking beside Mamie when
the hour for our usual stroll arrived.
And the very demon of mischief
possessed the girl. There was no
freak she was not inventing to i'm
peril her life, riding, driving, boat
ing, and | fairly shivered some
times at the prospect of my nervous
terrors when it would be my task
to try to conceal the quicksilver
temperament.
But one day when I was in the
summer-house, a very rueful little
maiden, with a tear-stained face,
came to my side.
"Walt is going away ]" she said.
Indeed !"
ayes, and he says I'm a wicked
flirt!" with a choking sob; 81
thought l would ask you about il"
about what Z"
"Our getting married. You know
papa told me l was to marry you
ages and ages ago!"
"Yes."
"And I knew it was all right if
he said so. But Walt says you
must be a muff if you want a wife
who is all the time thinking of
else.
"And you know l can't help it.
Walt has been my friend ever since
we were little, and We were always
And when he was in
Europe, papa wouldn't let us write
to each other, but | kissed his pic
ture every night and morning, and
wore his hair in n locket, and
thought of him all the time. And
he saws YOU won't like il after we
are married"
"Well, not exactly" said dryly.
you'll have to stop thinking of
him, then"
81 don't believe l ever can. And
so thought I'd tell you, and per-
haps-"
The wistful hope in the large |
brown eyes was touching to see.
perhaps you will tell papa we
don't care about being married aft
er all. l don't think could ever
be sedate and grave, like an old |
lady, and of course | ought to if /
am to he an old mans wife,"
"Of course"
"And l am so rude and horrid, |
know. | am not nice, like city !
girls, and | am altogether hateful
but Walt don't care"
l rather agreed with Walt as she !
stood in shy confusion before me,
her eyes still misty, her sweet lips
quivering. 1t was sore wrench
to give her up, but | was not quite
an idiot, and l said, gravely:
"But your father"
ayes, | know he'll make a real
storm. Rut then his storms don't |
last long, and may be you would |
tell him that you have changed |
your mind. You have, haven't
you :"
Eyes; the last half hour has
quite changed my matrimonial
views"
/ could not help smiling, and the
next moment two arms encircled |
my neck, a warm kiss fell upon
my cheek, and Mamie cried:
you are a darling, a perfect
darling, and / shall love you dearly
all my life"
So, when / lost her love / gained
it. She fitted away presently, and
| gave myself a good mental shak-
ing up, and concluded my fools
paradise would soon have vanished
if | had undertaken to make an
"old lady" out of Mamie.
Johns wrath was loud and vio-
lent. He exhausted all his vituper,
alive language in the dictionary
and then ant down pantino hint fn