Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-01-05

sent Will home, without a particle of Ger.
emory or regret at his departure. In short
what appeared to Skinnersville as a seriou!
courtship was, in reality, a pure business
matter, and so understood between the
two parties to it.
This state Of affairs cont n for a weel
or so, during which time the Doctor ig.
nored Matty's existence, except as she was
the daughter of his dear friend, Mrs. Kelli
colt. And all the time the girl was raging
inwardly at her quondam sutton.
"Why don't he ask me at 0 nee again p
she queried, mentally II am sure he loves
me, and anyone might see that [ love him,
but he can't, and 1 suppose 1 shall be an old
maid"
But the Doctor was not to blame. A
man Of the world would have seen through
Matty's stratagem, but he did not he i'm
agined that she was either trying to drown
her disappointment at losing Tom, or had
really decided to marry the enamored VIII
The truth occurred to Matty at last.
She could hardly suppose such stupidity
existed in the mind of man but she de-
termined to try what modest and retiring
behavior would effect. So she dismissed
Will, and became, to all outward resem-
blances, a little nun. Still no advance on
the Doctors part. He came and went
o0nctapt1u fo fl,o bopca hourouor NTcttr
gave up all hope, finally, of ever coming to
a better understanding with him, when
something happened.
DR.. Gibson dropped in" one morning,
when Mrs. Keliicott sat sewing on the
pleasant verandall in the cool, refreshing
breeze.
"You mustn't come here" she called, as
he tied his horse to the h1tching-p post.
"My work requires my undivided atten-
ton; besides you'll step on the ruffies.
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 a hur-
ried glance at the bright bottom of a tin
pan she was holding, found herself pre-
sentable, 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 pavementvunder the window,
and lean over the sill.
So there he stood under the grapevine
trellis, with a little golden sunshine falling
over his hair and shoulders. Matty OBJ
served that he looked thoroughly unlover-
like, and concluded that he didn't intend
to propose. she also noticed a rip in his
coat, and wondered who would mend it for
him
Someway the talk veered round from the
weather to woman's rights.
Matty, on this, spoke up"
She didn't at ali believe in the second
hand influence which reached the ballot
box through the agency Of husbands and
brothers. "When L vote" she said, II
want to march to the polls and put my
own vote in my own SELF"
"What a pretty spectacle you'd make,
with the rolling-pin in your hand,
ssI'm not at all sure that I want to
vote, y she Interrupted. but | would just
like to make some laws, that s ALI"
"Well you might petition the Legisla-
suggested the doctor, gravely.
"Oh, they're not legal laws only social
customs and usages. I'll tell you just
what 1 mean.o She laid the rolling-pin
aside, with an emphatic bang, placed her
fioury arms akimbo, looked very earnest
and determined, and quite regardless of
the fact that she and DR.. Gibson were in
love with each other. Nov, at a party,
when a lady sits alone in a stuff chair al
the evening, not dancing, simply because
she hasn't any partner, and can't ask any
oh,-you know, DR.. Gibson, you
know"
"How it is myself, ~interpolated he.
Glow it was at Mrs. C%ampbell's the
other night. If | had been Anna Radcliffe
or Dora Coliard, I'd have asked some of
you men to dance with me-"
'sThen you think woman should have
the privilege of asking for whatever they
wish 2" he retorted with half d smile.
She answered that she thought just that.
"Well, Matty. | quite agree with you. |
not only think they should have this right
in such a case as you mentioned, but also
liz more serious affairs. For instance,
women might, with perfect propriety
make proposals Of marriages"
\ Now, such an idea had never entered
Matty's foolish little head, and she seized
the sugar-box witt great embarrassment.
The Doctor went on, with much gravity
* al awar that it would be a very un
conventional proceeding, and | am afraid
that no woman viii ever be wise enough to
take the initiative; and yet l am per-
suaded that in many instances it would be
the most natural and beautiful thing she
could do"
He was looking unconsciously up at the
blue sky shining through the tllagree work
Of vine leaves above him. 1t was evident
he was thinking in the abstract only, but
a faltering little ''Dr. Gibson" recalled him
to the concrete. And there stood Matty.
smiling. blushing, dimpling, ready to ex-
tinguish herself in her brown bingham
apron.
CDR. Gibson, I like you ever so much ~
she faltered, bravely, but breathlessly.
The Doctor jumped through the open
window, and made his proposal over
again.
WHAT IS DEATH?-What but a mere
circumstance i'll an endless existence, less
deplorable than Punishment to a far coun-
try, less than an unworthy deed, less than
the rupture of friendships ties, less than
the hour of physical distress, which you,
my friend, have often experienced !! Like