The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-02-11
rHE WHEELING DAILY MORNING FEBRUARY H. IL
MAMIE.

Il
myself, that i was to marry his daugh-
ter, Mamie, when she was old enough.
have an impression that she was In lonl
clothes at the time we first talked otiL
Her mother died when she was little
girl, and old Mrs. shllman took her
home to the family at Owls Corner, one
Of the prettiesl little villages ] ever had
the good fortune TO see. But Mamie wa
eighteen when frat met her oman
and this was tho scene Of our meeting.
John had sent for me TO come TO OwPt
Corner on certain July day, promising
to drive out TO the station and meet me
as my elderly legs covered the ground but
slowly. We had retired from business,
rich men both, some Eve years before, and
corresponded.regularly. But l had beer
abroad, and this was my first yisitto Owl.
Corner in ten years. l remembered
Mamie as romping child, fond Of swing
ing on the gates, climbing up grape ar
bors and imperilipg her neck fifty time'
a day, John always saying on such occa
sions.
ashes little wild, but she'll get over
that"
Iwaited at the station for half an hour
then, seeing no sign oil John, / started 70
walk to the house. It was midday, ant
fearful hot, and when had accomplished
but half the distance turned of the road
and started through a grove that gave
me a longer walk, but thick shade. l was
resting on a broad stone, completely hid
den by the bushes on every side, when ]
heard Johns voice:
"Where have you been?
There was such dismay and astoniSh-
ment in the voice that l looked up in sur
prise, 10 find that be was not greeting me
but tall, slender girl coming toward
him. Such sighti Sine was dark and
beautiful, dressed in thin dress Of rose
pink faltless about the waist and throat
but from the waist down clinging to her,
one mass OF the greenest blacklist, thickest
mud and water.
ain the duck pond" she answered, with
voice as clear and musical as a chime
OF bells. "Don't come near me !"
"You are enough to wear man into
bis grayel'
"There, don't scold," was the coaxiug
reply; "little Bob Ryan fell in, face down
Itdid not make any material difference in
his costume, but | was afraid he would
smother, SO | waded in after him. The
water Is not over two feet deep, but the
mud goes clear through to China, / i'm
agine. 1t is rather pity about my new
dress, isn't III"
"a pity |" roared John, you'll come tc
an untimely end some day with your
freaks. ASH there was nobody TO pick
an Irish brat out Of the duck pond but
your
"There actually was nobody else about
There, now, don't be angry. III go up
to the house and put on that bewitching
white affair that came from New York
last week, and be all ready to drive over
10 the station with you, at what time p
"About 8. Lawrence is coming on the
21O."
And I had come on the 1910. This
accounted for the failure 10 meet me. !
kept snug in my retreat until John and
Mamie were well on their way home
ward, wondering little how many young
ladies in my circle Of friends would have
so recklessly sacrificed new dress to
pick up beggar's brat out Of the mud.
When !, in my turn, reached the house,
John was on the porch waiting for Nan.
MES temperance. He gave me most
cordial welcome, ordering luncheon,
called Mamie, his mother, and man TO
go for my trunk, all in one breath, and
seemed really rejoiced TO see me.
Presently a slender girl with a truly
Overwhelming" white dress trimmed with
dashes Of scarlet ribbon, and smoothly
braided black hair, tied with scarlet
bows, came demurely into the room and
was introduced. Never, however, in that
first hour could the widest Imagination
have pictured Mamie Stillman wading
into duck pond. But the half shy, half
dignifed company manner soon wore
away, and Mamie and / were fact friends
before dinner. She sang for me in q
voice as deliciously fresh as birds carol,
she took me 10 see her pets, the new
horse that was her last birthday gift from
"papa," the ugly little Scotch terrier
with The beautiful brown eyes, the rab.
bits, Guinea hen, and the superannuated
old pony, who had preceded the new
horse.
In week was as much in love as
ever John could have desired. Mamie
was the most bewitchiug maiden l had
ever met, childlike and yet womanly,
frank, bright and full Of girlish freaks
and boyish mischief, and yet well educa.
ted, with really wonderful musical gifts,
and full Of noble thoughts. She was q
perfect idol in the village, her friends and
neighbors thinking no party complete
without her, while the poor fairly wor-
shipped her.
John allowed her an almost unlimited
supply Of pocket money, and she was
lavish in all charity, from blankets for
old women, tobacco for old men, to can.
dies for children, and rides on her horse
for the urchins. And she had way OF
comforting favors that never wounded the
pride Of the most sensitive.
We rode together every morning, We
walked in the cool evening hours, We
spent much time at the piano, and dis.
cussed our favorite authors, and one day,
when asked Mamie 10 be my wife, she
"w6y, Of course, 1 thought that was
all understood, long agoP
! was rather amazed at such matter.of.
fact wooing, but delighted at the result,
How could / expect any soft, blushing
speeches. Isuppose / ranked just where
John and Nannie's grandmother did in
her affections.
But one morning when Mrs. stillman
was nipping her geraniums in the sitting.
room, and John was reading the morn.
ing newspapers, Mamie burst in, her
face all aglow, her eyes bright
with delight, crying:
"0h, grandma Walt has come home
| saw him from my window riding up the
road.o
She was going then, just a, John e1.
claimed:
'DoAiound Waltz
"Who is Walt" naturally inquired.
"Walter Bruce, the son Of one Of your
neighbors. BE has been like. brother
10 Mamie all her lie, but went of to
Europe two years ago, when he came Of
lge. They wanted TO correspond, but /
forbade that. So he has turned up again"
II was evident that John was terribly
Vexed, and | very soon shared his annoy.