The Van Buren press., 1878-12-24

ieeo oa oHooSe, pu1 IL wager ula-
mond ring that will lead my bride te
the alter in less than year, and she vii
be no other than the fair Jennie Kings
ton"
Her face grew a little paler, and the
lace handkerchief went up to the brown
eyes again. Suddenly a new thought
seemed to disturb the serenity of Jim's
mind, for he glanced up in her face anx.
iously, and Intercepted
{. Jennie, you don't mean to say thu,
you're in dead earnest 2"
q les, jim, am"
A long silence, finally broken by the
abrupt inquiry;
"Why, won't you marry me"
"Why, you see, Jim, the truth is, I'm
engaged"
Engaged" he yelled furiously,
springing to his feet; then Selling her
arm almost rudely, he demanded in a
low tone: Jennie, tell me who this fel
low is.
81 WON'T
Yes, you will
"Well, then, it's Colonel Dalton"
Colonel Dalton! What, bald headed
Old
"Sr Yon will please recolect that
you are skeaking of my future hus
band"
Husband! Why, Jennie, he's old
enough to be your grandfather: but then
he's rich
81 certainly have no no occasion .c ), to mar
True, you have not; hence fail to
comprehend yonr sudden determination
to marry Dalton. You don't love him.
Jennie-you can't
"Jim. it is rude and nnkind for you to
talk to me as you do"
swell, I'm not in the humor for ut
tering polite commonplace. | want to
know if you love that man."
You have no right to ask me such q
qestion."
Yes, have! the very best right in
the world. | have worshpped you from
my boyhood, and the idea of relnquish.
ing you to any one half maddens me
How much more the thought of your
bestowing that little white hand--my
little hand upon one who can never
possess your heart! Tell me the truth,
Jennie. Have you any real affection for
him ?"
"No."
Hurrah! / knew it! Now listen to
me. I am going to ask you for the last
time. Do you care anything for me? ?"
"Of course do"
81 know that also; but it does my
very soul good to hear you say SO. Now
give me kiss my"
"Go away, jim! have not the slight
est idea of kissing you"
"WhY how queer you are What's the
matter3 l thought that was the regular
wsy to settle NY this business"
"What business?'
"Our engagement.
slim, don't you, can't you under
stand that have solcmnly promised to
marry that old mean Colonel Dal-
ton -
Jim laughed provokingly. "Did he
kiss your
81 should have boxed his ears if he
had attemted such thing"
After long pause, Jim inquired, sad
ly, "Jennie, what on earth name you do
I'm tell you all about it, she an-
swered "You have of course observed
that he has been one of my most devo-
ted followers ever since we came here.
l have discarded HIM two OF three times.
but it does not do the least bit of good
He comes right back again as attentive
and persistent as befsre. Well, last even
ing, he enticed poor mamma out on the
balcony, and they had a long talk togeth-
err. Shortly afterwTd. mamma enticed
poor me up to her pom, and we had a
long talk together, i'm, she was inexora-
BILE Nothing less thin an immediate and
unconditional rurrader would sotisfy
her. ! said everything | could think of
called him few nmes, which she de
clared burt her feelfigs very much, but
! could not moove br an atom, Finally
| got scared, and wht do you suppose
/ told her? l said hat ] was going to
marry you! You oght to have seen her
them She gazed ame moment pre-
cisely as if had snted an intention of
leaping to the mooo. Then sue inquir- !
ed placidly; IIasJames ever asked
you to become his wife 2 Now, you
poor unhappy sinnel what could ! say to /
that, but no? Tnenollowed a most in, |
teresting Demonstrating forth in
startling manner the folly and madness
of those erring femes who place their
hearts young affectins upon ay individ-
ual who has not take the trouble to nsk
for them. She wenon in this strain till
became very mud ashamed of my
self, and just ittleit angry with you.
While was yet in th comfortable frame
of mind, l ohancedto encounter the
colonel, and, like attic idiot, / accep-
ted him That is alDlm." Vt this mo y