The Van Buren press., 1878-04-16
MISCELLANY.
Which Proposed -?
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DR., Gibson, having made a friendly
visit 10 Mrs, kellicott, walked down to
garden-gate with her daughter Matty
| Matty was 20 years old, and the Doctor
was 30 Her eyes were brown, and his
were gray She chad on" pink calico
tress and a white muslin apron; and he
wore professional black. The gentleman
admired the lady's flowers very much
especially the roses, one of which, by the
way, she had tucked under her chin
She inquired, with considerable show Of
interest. about the Ruggles children, who
mad the measels. He told her. gravely
all about Tommy and Ben, Alice and Kit
and when he had finished, silence fell
upon them.
Matty was leaning on the gate, look.
ing down the village street She thought
how singular it was for Mr. Scott to
paint his veranda pea green, with laven
der borders, and was about to say so to
Dir. Gibson, when he stopped her. He
said the the very last things she would
have expected to hear. He said, MAT
ty, ! love you, and want you to marry
mep
Her very look would have told him,
without a single spoken word, how thor
oughly unlocked for such proposal had
been. She had never, in all the years
she had known DR. Gibson, thought fol
a moment of the possibility of his low
ing her. She was very sorry, she told
him, but she didn't love him one bit, at
least in that way But tears came to her
relief, as she saw the quiet face grow a
trfle overcast
81 hardly believed you did care for
me- he went on, after pause. "But
hoped you might learn to do it,"
"But-but," said Matty, with embar.
rassment. "I--I thought every one
knew was engaged to my Cousin Tom. :"
"Your Cousin Tom echoed the Doc.
tor.
1t was impossible to mistake the ex.
preston which passt d over his features
1t was not merely personal regret at the
fact she announced, but an impartial dis.
approval OF the match, He made no
comment, however, but directly said /:
."Matty, | shall never get over this-I
mean that | shall always love you; and
if you ever need friend or protector,
or-or any one, you'll come to me, won't
your"
She pre- missed, and held her hand to
him He shook it warmly, said "Bless
you," and left her hurriedly.
Matty, sill leaning on the little wood
en- gate, watched the retiring figure out
Of sight She was very quiet all day,
and in the eveninG rropnnndad this ali
surd question: Tom, what would you
do if should jilt your"
Tom stroked his downy upper lip, and
looked pensive.
"Couldn't say he replied, after some
moments of reflection. you might try
it, and see"
perhaps l will she responded, more
seriously than the occasion seemed to
warrant. Tom stared hard at her but
Immediately forgot the incident.
Nearly a year passed. One day, Mrs.
Kellicott's servant rushed into DR.. Glib.
sons house, and breathlessiy announced
to that gentleman that "Mr. Tom would
be dead as a door-nail long after he got
there, if he didn't run" For two sec
onds thinking of Tom as his rival in
Matty's affections, the Doctor had half a
mind to consign him to the tender mer-
cies Of good, stupid, old DR.. Wells; bnt
his better nature prevailed and he start
ed for Mrs Kellicott's at the very heels
Of the excited servant girl. " hen he
arrived, he found Tom in a high state of
delrum He pronounced it severe
case of typhoid fever, and privately
added doubt whether be would recov-
err H sent to his own house for some
changes of clothing, and prepared to
stop for the present with the sick man.
Matty, too, wac unweared in her work.
and being necessarily much in Toms
room, consequently saw the Doctor con-
stantly.
He and his patient presented marked
contrast to each other; the latter was
cross, captous and peevish to an un.
heard of degree, and talked necessarily
of some unknown being named Kate.
On the other hand, DR.. Gibson was so
patient and gentle, 50 strong and help
tul doing so much for Tom, and yet
not forgetting one Of his accustomed
duties, that Matty opened her eyes in
astonishment.
One morning, as the Doctor prepared
a sleeping draught for some patient and
dictated to Matty a prescription for some
body else, she said, with real solicitude,
"Dr, Gipson, you will certainly kill your
self, if you keep on at this rate, and it's
my belief that you are overworked and
you ought to take a rest
do appear to be at deaths door p
he inquired, Strengthening up, and squar
ing his sholders, as if proud of his
proportiong. "No, Matty,' he con-
tinued, solemnly, though with merry
twinkle in his eyes; "'work, as Mrs.
Bowers frequently remarks, lis a pan
acea.' Matty undestoodd him, and col
ored crimson.
AT last Tom was pronounced out Of
danger, and now the Doctor felt he
must remove his belongings from Mrs
Kellicotts house to his own. Matty,
hidden by the honcysuckle vines of the
piazza, watched him go, aud cried lit
tie.
The morning after, Tom and Matty
sat on the lawn; he reading or pretend
ing to read, while she sewed diligently,
Neither had uttered word for more
than half an hour. Presently Matty
,Ix,nly ont tho m N 9 lin cn,, shn wac m l.