Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-11-20

was givQn in his honor, and was hecn;l.
ed INTO making speech, from which
much fun was expected. threw cold
water on this scheme. Twas afraid
You see, that Miss Hartley might sec IN
1t another malicious trick and he firth.
er incensed against me. But once a
Dali OF such, sort is set rolling, it REQUIRES
hand of peculiar force to stop it.
NINE was not able for the feat. and NV
friends arranged their plan of action
without me. After all. I think I WAS
not sorry that he should make a fool of
himself publicly before Miss Eleanor
1t would be sure to destroy any senti.
mental liking size might have had for
nm, SO held my peace, and the event
ful day came on.
How nervous was that evening! I
remember was obliged to call in the
assistance OF one of my friends to adj
Just my necktie. and he was obliging
enough to tell me that l looked as vel,
low as a guinea. A comfortable as.
surance, truly, when l had wished to
look my very best, for had not seen
Miss Hartley since my unlucky story,
and wanted to make my peace with
her. But when. with an apology on
my lips. l drew near the sofa where
she was sitting, l found, to my infinite
relief, that no apology was necessary.
She was as friendly in her manner AS
ever. She was exquisitely dressed that
evening in-well, l can't exactly saw
what-some dead white material, that
fell in delicious folds about her stately
figure. The girl could always dress
herself to perfection. She looked
superb. Beyond doubt she was the
queen OF our party; certainly we felt
as proud of her as if each one of us
had been her father or brother She
did not speak to our newcomer, and
this relieved me. But at the dinner
table l felt little more uneasy. She
and he sat at opposite corners of the
table. 1t seemed to me that she was
quietly watching him, from time to
time, and ut such moments there was
IN her face q wonderful light of happi-
ness and pride. l understood it all
presently.
The long dinner passed; dessert was
on the table; the usual toasts had been
given and responded to. Then my
friend rose, and in a few serious words
which, as some Of us knew yelled a
real irony proposed the health of the
youngest man at the table, our dis
tinguished guest, whose arrival had
been so long anticipated and so eagerly
hailed.
All drank the toast, and there fol-
lowed an awful pause. Every eye,
Eleanor Hartley's among the number,
was fixed on the newcomer. He rose
to his feet, anI l ventured to glance at
her. All was explained.
Oh, woman, what strange being you
are! Soft and yet triumphant was the
beautiful face of our queen. She bent
little forward; her eyes glistened; you
would have said that she was listening
to some exquisite melody.
About him, too, there was change.
| was excited, and of course what
saw and heard was colored by my mood
but l could have declared that the
young mans form had expanded, and
that an indescribable dignity had crept
into his gestures. He stood upright,
his voice was clear and unfaltering; he
did not shrink from, he rather courted,
the multitude of glances that were
bent on him. As for his speech--sir,
have knocked about pretty much, rs
you know, and now and then Mt dinners
and elsewhere l have knocked up
against distinguished men, but have
never heard speech to match this one.
In substance it was review of the
time he had spent in the settlome nt.
To hear him one might have believed
that he had seen through our practical
jests from the first, and while seeming
to be their victim, had been quietly
amusing himself at our expense. Its
manner the delicate irony, the wit, the
forcible piquancy, ! should be glad
indeed to reproduce, but Of such an
effort | am incapable. Here was a
turning of the tables! My friends
were bewildered; those not in our
secret applauded vociferously. alone
knew who it was who had planned this
triumph; and | was not surprised
when, few days later, it was rumored
abroad that Eleanor Hartley and our
newcomer where engaged to be mar
ried. Rumor, for once, told n true
tale. Before that cold season was over,
/ was invited by clear Hartley's father
to his daughters wedding.
"And ] would wager" said the
gentleman who had asked for the story,
that my lady kept him in order"
"On the contrary" replied our guest,
"she was model among wives-de-
voted, adoring. | believe she thought
that man half divine. "Well, poor
fellow, he was always delicate, and,
after two or three years of happiness,
he died."
And his wife ?"
81 think you have met her."
what? She cannot be-"
Al. l. l..