The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-02-16

She could hardly believe such stupidity
existed in the mind of man but she de-
termined to try what modest and retir-
ing behavior would effect. So she dis
missed Will, and became, to all outward
resemblances, little nun. Still no ad-
vance on the doctors part. He came
and went constantly to the house, how
ever. Matty gave up all hope, finally,
of ever coming to better under
standing with him, when something hap
pened.
DR.. Gibson dropped in one morn
ing, when Mrs. Killicott sat sewing on
the pleasant veranda in the cool, re-
freshing breeze.
"You mustn't come here" she called,
as he tied his horse to the hitching-post.
"My work requires my undivided at
tention besides, you'll step on the ruff
fes. 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 hurried glance at the bright bot
tom of tin pan she was holding, found
herself presentable, 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
80 beautiful. He would just stand on
T. little brick pavement under the win
dow, and lean over the sill.
So there he stood under the grape
vine trellis, with little golden sunshine
falling over his hair and shoulders.
Matty observed that he looked thorough
ly unloverlike, and concluded that he
didn't intend to propose. She also no.
ticed rip in his coat, and wondered
who would mend it for himi
Someway the talk veered round from
the weather to womans rights.
Matty, on this, spoke up.
She didn't at all believe in the second
hand influence which reached the ballot
box through the agency of husbands and
brothers. "When 1 vote," she said,
"I want to march to the polls and put
in nv own vote my own SELF"
"What pretty spectacle you'd make,
Matty, with that rolling-pin in your
hand, and"
I'm not at all sure that 1 want to
vote," she interrupted. "But / just
would Like to make some laws, that's
ALL"
"Well, you might petition the Legis-
lature," suggested the doctor, gravely.
"Oh, they're not legal laws only
social customs and usages. I'll tell you
just what / mean" She laid the roll
ing-pin aside, with an emphatic bang,
placed her foury arms akimbo, looked
very earnest and determined, and quite
regardless of the fact that she and DR..
Gibson were in. love with each other.
"Now, at party, when a lady sits alone
in a stuff chair all the evening, not
dancing, simply because she hasn't any
partner, and can't ask any one, oh, you
know, DR.. Gibson, you know"
"How it is myself }" interpolated he.
"How it was at Mrs. Campbell's the
other night. If / had been Anna Rad
cliffe, or Dora Collard, I'd have asked
some of you men to dance with me-"
"Then you think women should have
the privilege of asking for whatever
they wishs" he retorted, with half a
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 you mention, but
also in more serious affairs. For in
stance, women might, with perfect pro-
priety, make proposals of marriage"
Now, such an idea had never entered
Matty's foolish little head, and she siezed
the sugar box with great embarrassment.
The doctor went on, with much gravity
I" I am aware that it would be very
unconventional proceeding, and I am
afraid that no woman will ever be wise
enough to take the initiative and yet /
an persuaded that in many instances it
would be the most natural and beauti-
full thing she could do"
He was looking unconsciously up at
the blue sky shining through the filagree
work of vine-leaves above him. 1t was
evident he was thinking in the abstract
only, but faltering little CDR. Glib
son" recalled him to the concrete. And
there stood Matty smiling, blushing,
dimplng, ready to extinguish herself in
her brown gingham apron.
cdr. Gibson, / like you ever so
much I" she faltered, bravely, but breath
lessly.
The doctor jumped through an open
window, and made his proposal over
again. Sunday Times.