The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-01-04
WHO MADE TIE PROPOSAL2

down to the gate with her daughter
Matty.
Matty was twenty years old and the
doctor was thirty. Her eyes were brown,
and his were gray. She had on pink
calico dress and white muslin apron /;
he wore clean, cool looking linen clothes
and wide Panama hat.
The gentleman admired the lady
flowers very much, especially the While
roses,-one Of which, by the way, she
had tucked under her ear. She inquir
ed with considerable show of interest
about the Ruggles children, who had the
measles. He told her gravely all about
Tommy and Ben, Alice and Kit and
when he had finished, silence fell upon
them
NIatty was leaning on the gate, look
ing down the village street. She thought
how funny il was for Mr. Scott to palnG
his new house pea-green with lavender
trimmings, and was about to say 20 DIR.
Gibson, when he stopped her:
He said the very last thing she would
have expected to hear. He said:
"Matty, L love you, and want you to
marry mel
The very look in the bright, brown
eyes would have told him, without q
single spoken word, how thoroughly un-
looked for such proposal had been.
She had never, in ail the years she had
known Dr.. Gibson, thought for 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 il
that way. But the tears came into her
eyes. as she saw the quiet face grow a
tr1f1e pale.
81 hardly believed you did care for
me, he went on, after pause, 'sBut
I hoped you might yet learn to do it. "
"Bnt-but-" said Matty, with en-
barrassment, ''I thought every one knew
L was engaged to my cousin Tom
'.Your cousin Tom l' echoed the Doc
tor. 1t was impossible to mistake the
impression which passed over his face.
1t was not merely personal regret at the
fact she announced, but an impartial
disapproval of the match.
He made no comment, however, but
directly said
''Matty, L shall never get over this-I
mean that I shall always love you, AMI
if you need q friend Or protector, or
any one, you'll'come TO me, won't you?"
She promised and held ont her hand
to him. He shook it warmly, said "God
bless you - and left her hurriedly.
sMatty, 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 I should
jilt you %
Tom stroked his downy upper lip and
looked pensive.
Couldn't say" he replied. after some
moments of reflection. ''You might try
and see."
perhaps L will," she replied more
soberly than the occasion seemed to
warrant. Tom stared very hard at her,
but Immediately forgot the incident.
Nearly year passed. One day Mrs.
Kellicott's help" rushed frantically in
to DR.. Gibson's house, and breathlessly
announced to that gentleman that ''Mr.
Tom would be deader'n a 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 mind to consign him to the
tender mercies of good, stupid old DR..
Wells but his better nature prevailed,
and he started for Mrs. Kellicott's at the
very heels of the servant-girl.
When he arrived he found Tom in
high fever and delirious. He pronounc-
ed it a severe case Of typhoid fever, and
privately added doubt that he would
recover. He sent to his own house for
changes of clothing, prepared to devote
himself to the sick man. Matty, too,
was unwearied in her work and, being
necessarily much in Toms room, conse-
quently saw the Doctor constantly. He
and his patient presented marked con-
trast to each other. The latter was can
tious and peevish to an unheard of-de-
gree, and talked almost necessarily of
some unknown being named Kate. On
the other hand, DIR. Gibs on was SO pa
tient and gentle, SO strong ard helpful,
doing 50 much for Tom, and yet not for
getting one of his accustomed duties,
that Matty opened her eyes in admiring
astcnishment.
One morning as the Doctor prepared
a sleeping draught for somebody, a.lt
dictated to Matty prescription for
somebody else, she said with real solici-
tude:
''Dr. Gibson, you viii certainly xiii
yourself if you keep on at this rate and
It's ny belief that you are overworked,
and ought to take a rest
''Do appear to be at deaths door %
he inquired, Strengthening up, and
squaring his shoulders, as if proud of
his proportions. ''No, Matty," he con-
tinued solemnly. though with merry
twinkle in the honest eyes, ''work, rs
Mrs. Bowers frequently remarks, is a
pannaky." Matty understood him and
colored crimson.
At last Tom was pronounced out of
6a1,rra,. o,,l ,,oxz- the noctar fell that he