Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-09

hour Mr.. Ammindon was conscious of a
keen disappointment that astonished
himself. s.
"At all events, my object shall be ac-
complished, so far as | can accomplish
it." he thought.
And he took his gold and ivory pen,
and wrote and ardent, courteous, unde-
niably eager statement of his case, asking
her to be his loved wife, and begged an
answer on the morrow, when she should
be visiting Mrs. Benedict.
az accidentally learned you would
take tea with us tomorrow night" he
wrote, "and [ must know at once when [
meet you if [ am the blessed man |
hope to be. If you can look favorably
on my suit let me know by answering
Yes to the first question l put to you.
If it is otherwise, | will not trouble you
further"
Then he signed himself suitable, put
the folded and addressed note conspicu-
ously on the top of pile of newspapers
and sheet music on the piano, aud took
his leave, in strange whirl of excite
ment and expectation.
Half an hour later Mrs Baldwin came
in. stopping as she passed the dining-room
door to speak to the girl q"
You carried all those papers and the
music up stairs, Annie, as told your
"The very minute the gentleman went
away, Mrs. Baldwin-it was Mr. Ammi-
don, and he came just as you went out"
Oh, that's too bad that was not in !!
Mrs. Mays little Edith is very, very sick,
| Annie" ..-,b IL. ,:
And so Mrs. Baldwin never knew of
the precious letter, as she sat there alone
by the fire, thinking of the caller she
had missed with genuine sorrow and pal
/ ing cheeks and eyes full of disappoint-
ment. ma s...s"a-a.
| For pretty Mrs. Bessie, with her soft
/ blue eyes and rebelliously curly hair, and
! small, perfect figure, was more interested
! in the handsome bachelor than she cared
/ to admit even to herself.
The next day she dressed with unusu-
al care for her afternoon visit to Mrs.
/ Benedict, wondering, as she basted the
soft little ruching in the neck of her
sleeveless velvet jacket, and adjusted the
! pouts of her black silk overskirt, whether
! or not Mr.. Ammidon would think she
| looked well, and whether, possibly, he
! lily III uOG GSCOIl. lGI 1lOIllo. So s.
+ n So her eyes were dancing with radiant
blue sunshine, and her cheeks were flush
ing most delicious rose pink hue, and
! lovely mouth dimpling into bewitching
smiles, when Mr.. Ammidon came into
the sitting room, several minutes before
/ the time for the dinner bell to ring
Mr. Ammidon, handsomer than she had
ever seen him, in dark blue cloth suit,
with white tie, and his face SO grandly
Intelligent and animated as he went up
to her and offered her his hand, looking
straight into her face as he spoke very
quietly, but with all his fate in his words
and she so smiling so unconscious
g [ am very glad to see you, Mrs. Bald
win. Didn't you find it very cool this
| afternoonW III pa vTIoeW hafaa--
Then she met his gaze, and hating her
self because her heart was throbbing so
gladly at the sight ofhim, and despising
| herself because he had thrilled her from
head to foot. -....-.,..,..-.,..-|i =. + T7i9
Then, never knowing. her fate was in
it, she turned her beautiful face carelessly
away and withdrew her hand, and an
swered him: '''..'''''-.'''
."No; 1 thought it was charmingly
pleasant" -s-
: And Mr.. Ammidon recoiled as if he
had been struck a dreadful blow, and
could not, for the life of him, console
himself with the conviction that women
were fools and men were well rid of them
The next day he. told Mrs. Benedict he
would not want his apartments any
longer, and had his trunks packed and
sent to hotel. ........sdr g -saen .-rt.....
Mr. Ammidon determined to kill two
birds with one stone-to get out of the
possibility Ct having to meet often Mrs.
Benedicts friend, the pretty, merciless
little woman, than whom he had never
loved another, and to make his home
where house cleaning. was unknown, and
! Bessie cried till her eyes were red and
swollen to think how entirely indifferent
Mr.. Ammidon was to her. r. "- 7.G.
And the winter crept softly along in
soft, white, snowy robes, and several
times Mrs. Baldwin saw Mr.. Ammidon
driving past, although he didn't do
more as he passed than glance carelessly
at the window and bow. id. t.- ~.
And the sweet, warm spring days
came, and with perfumy hints Of roses
and woodbine, and fresh emerald leaves,
and climbing vines and bursting bios
SONS, came Bessie Baldwin's fate, in the
shape of the unromantic, the inevitable
spring cleaning that must be undertaken
and accomplished, no matter how tempt
ingly balmy sunshine and fragrant
breezes and cloudless skies in order to
welcome them. @ a'a
Thus it happened that Mrs. Baldwin
was ensconced in one of her chambers,
with a blue veil tied tightly over her
golden hair and her muslin dress pinned
up in front, disclosing ravishingly lovely
feet despite the half worn boots, with a
basket lying in readiness beside her, and
her faithful ally, Annie, waiting to con
sign piles of waste to deathly ignominy,
md the paper aid rag man. ii
"Only one pile more, Annie, and
aren't you glad we're SO. nearly done?
Here, you sort the papers, and I'll see
that nothing worth saving has been put
with this music"
~ And minute after the soft, rustline
stiffness was broken by a sudden ejacula-
ton from Mrs. Baldwin, and Annie look