The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-06-16
this STYLE. Probably she is

i down the room. e.,,-
"My rriend-I cannot call her Mrs. SqulIls
has departed this liie,a you say, proceeded
Mrs. Wickerly; but ere her demise she made
will. The doctor had been generous 10 her;
he left her rich, and she gave all to her daugh'
ter on c0ndtti0B hat she HarTfed yoU. Other
wise she Is penniless Though, OF course,
should you formally refuse to accept her
nand she not being to blame, would be still
an hciress."
"All right, then" said Waverly. II refuse,
Just write as much to the young lady, and
calm her tcrrors' >,
There are these conditions attached SAID
Mrs. Wickerly. You must have met each
other on three separate occasions
"If that IdIotc woman were not dead"
began Waverly.
II have a letter from the young lady" sad
Mrs. Wickerly. 81 wrote to her. ., these
young people. She replies-well-much as
YOU do; bat | have gained her permission
| that YOU shall see her. Only says she, let
the gentleman know that there may he an end
to all this nonsense, and that by his formal
refusal of my hand which shall consider
great favor, | may not be made penniless.'
She impertinenlly adds that AS her poor
mamma was too old to be childish when she.
made the compact, any too young to be sol
when she died, she cannot account Tor thiSI
absurdity. Doubtless she IS like her father
true Squills. But it may be girlish Alicia
ton Ofcourse she must pretend to be averseI
to your offer; it would not be maidenly II she
were not. You will go and see her, vii! you
not, Waverly:"
"She appears to tc a girl of good strong
common sense said Waverlyi Il will save
her fortune for her, by declining her hand,
after seeing her three times |
But If you see her, you may admire her,
said Mrs. Wickerly. Don't be prejudiced,
Waverly. If my Araminas daughter could
be mine, should be happy That is, II she
resembles her mamma"
(Which she evidently does not" said Wa
verify; nevertheless, | will go at once to ireeI
the enchanted princess"
He left the room as he spoke, and Mrs.
Wickerv drew her chair before the tire, and
remark i 10 herself:
"Rash ,Uu'h; but feel that it is fated that
Aramntas CHILD shall be my daughter"
| The next day Wayerly started for Il. in a
very peculiar state of mind He was angry
and mortified, but there was dash OF adyen
tnre In the affair, after all, and he felt liule
curious to see the young lady who had been
chosen for his wife
He hurried along one Of the thorougn'ares
of b. on the evening Of his arrival
"Ah, here 1t is, and here is the name-Dr
Squills She must have a brother. wonder
whether he knows Of this !udicrous affair."
He rang the bell. a woman servant an
swercd it.
as Miss squills at home?' politely inqair
ed Waverly.
"Name, please sir" said the servant.
Waverly offered his card. The woman
showed him into small parlor, and went up
stars. In few moments she returned.
THE doctor will be down in a moment, "
she said, with a courtesy.
"Bu' it was for Miss Squills inquired, !
said Waverly.
Yes" said the woman, Miss Squiils is the
doctor. She Il be down in moment and
she vanished
! In little while there was q CHATTER on the
| stairs as Of heavy boots, and some one SAID
aloud in the hall:
"By the way, Jane, if the students bring that
subject here tonight, have it put in the par
lor and tell them III be back at nine pre-
cisely"
And the door opened, and Waverly turned
his eyes towards it, and saw young woman
with "A case Of surgical instruments under her
arm. She had n protty-iaCc and II fine head
of hair, braided in one long plat down her
back, and she advanced with polite bow.
"Glad to see YOU" said she. "Mr, Waverly
| Wickerly, presume, by The card you sent up |
| have just five minutes to spare. lave just
returned from case Of ampuatlon, swallow
ed my dinner, and am of TO the dissecting-
room at once Professional people have no
time for society; but since our mothers have
placed us in this most absurd plight, all we
can do is to get out of ii as quickly as posi-
| bic. You are to see me three times. This is
the first time. Shall we appoint tomorrow
and the day after at this hour? Good. TheI
day after tomorrow you Will kindly decline
to offer me your heart and hand, | know"
My dear Miss Sqrlls," said Wavery,
choking down his mcrrimcnt ~ should great
! ~ prefer that you should refuse me-"
Cant do it," SAID Miss Squlls. by thel
Way, | like to be called doctor, if You don't
mind. Poor mammals remarkable will re
quires that you shall decline the homer. My
| property goes to the Society for the Rcsusci-I
taiion Of Drowaed Kittens, ii do.N
| She glanced at her watch.
"Sorry to hurry you" she sall "bpt dis
section like time and tide, waits for no man.
With which words she bowed Wavcrlyl
| Wickerly out to the door.
| Waverly kept his appointment the next
evening, and found this extraordinary young
| tiancee more extraordinary still
| She came TO him in an apron and sleeves,
with a large knife in her hand, and invited
him TO be present at an operation Of a very
dangerous character in which the patient
was likely 10 die under the knife. He declin-
ing she requested hun to take a drink, and
set the decan'er before him, expressing her
sorrow that the necessity for steady hand
| forbade her To join HIM, and hurrying HIM
away with flourish Of her knife that was
quite alarming.
One more visit remained, and on the even
! ing appointed tor this there fell storm OF
hail which rmp'ed the streets of passengers
and made them as slippery as though paved
with glass. However Waverly was too anX
| ious to complete his little affair 10 be kept at
home by any amount of bad weather lie
presented himself 80 Miss SqUilis at the hour
| appunted. and found her Craver than usual,
with paper and pens upon the table before
! her.
"Sir," she SAID, in a quiet tone, II am oblig.
ed 10 you for coming. You will kindly write
Your retnsai 10 completn That absurd com act