Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-01-17

breath, "thatH fetch him II he |
backs out, or Pm no Judge of ju. !
ries." "But," said the heartless
young man, "the clerk looked at
me with panied surprise and said,
'An engagement ring? Alas, sir,
you have not heard-and yet you
appear to move in the best society
that engagement rings are no
longer in fashion-nay, are regard
ed by the bong tong as the most
vulgar sf solecisms.' Then he
showed me the books, Mrs. Admiral
Dahlgren and Count D'Orsay and
all of them, and they all said what
he did. / shudder to think what a
social precipice l came SO near drag
ging you over through my thought
lessness. Then l reflected that, as
you have just said, $500 would go
so far towards furnis sang our happy
little cottage home, aud | didn't
buy the ring. Wash t / right2"
Her previous injudicious remarks
had involved her in a dilemma
from which she could not easily es-
cape, and she had no option but to
shed a few inward tears, and say
that he was. Besides, she had a
trump card il reserve. Gently and
blushingly drawing from her pocket
a little slip of paper, she said, 80,
Alonzo, won't you have this put in
to-morrow's Tribune?" The miser-
able man gazed upon it with a
nerveless eye. It was an engage
ment noticel "But, darling" he
said, "these things are never PUB.
lished here" 81 know it," she
said, "but they are published in
Europe and in New York, and
should like to see the fashion here
in Chicago. 1t would be-" and hei
voice faltered with pride, ga big
thing. You will, will you not"
He sat transfxed, and in hi
fancy saw that fatal notice in mex
days Tribune; copy of next day.
Tribune (marked Exhibit A.
handed in by the counsel for thl
fair plaintiff; and the Tribune's ad
vertising clerk summoned to identi
[ fly him as the person who inserted
, the advertisement; then heard, a
/ in a dream, the foreman say, with
out leaving the box, I'VE find 70
the plaintiff $4,000 and costs.
> But he rallied himself, and in
grave voice said, dearest, m,
} Uncle Charles was here from Madi
/ son to-day. He was my mother
: only brother, and / have ever bee
: his favorite nephew. He has al
! immense property-not mortgage
/ or uuimproved real estate, or sucl
truck, but in bonds-and he spend
: $36 year for scissors to cut off tn
s coupons with. But, alasl he is
}, misogynist-yes, l will say it agai
e and say it slow, a mis.o.gyn-ist,
t hater of women. He was Tilted i
Z his youth by d beautiful woman c
J. Warsaw, Ind, and ever since he hs
j. borne a deadly enmity to the Sc
r and to marriage. When l went
!, see him to-day and wish him th
e same, he said, Nephew, my doctC
D tells ME | must fade as a leaf, an
in the course Of a few months
e may be only weeks-be laid in th
a silent tomb. We brought nothin
r into the world, and we can tax
e nothing out of it, and l intend
d make you my sole heir and residU
# airy legatee. Now, not one cent {
J my money shall ever go to a marie
d man, or to a man who is engage
/ to be married. Of course, / can
= help what you'll do when you al
y rolling in my hard-earned million
D. after l have passed away, but | al
e firmly resolved as to what can an
n shall do in life. Are you engaged
a What, 0, what could l say?" sal
Y the young man, with admirabl
T. counterfeited agony; "tell the trut
70 and forfeit the chance Of insurin
i. for you life of comfort-nay,
d luxury, with as many new dresst
d as you can shake paras,
n at; or by a loving falsehoOd say
l. it all? With a mental prayt
is to heaven for forgiveness, | perure
|, myself like a whole brigade Of ssI
IS ing bank presidents. | did it wit
le such zeal that the old cus-I mea
Ie my venerable relatiye's-suspicior
Of we're aroused, and, looking at n
70 sharply, he said, q heern som
is one tell me you was soft on a g
l.. up to Union Park. Is that so
to Fancy, dearest, if you can, my fee
4, ings at this moment! Some traitC
had given US away! But | collecte
ly myself as well as / could, and r.
d Piled, Respected sir, there is
IN most estimable, accomplished an
', beautiful young lady in that vicil
,u ity, among whose friends | al
er proud to be reckoned. But
h, softer sentiment than friendshi
n we have never spoken : Kerreot
/" said the venerable ruffian; 'YC
It. bring me her written acknOwledi
" ment to that effect within twent
,0 fnnr hours or else I will immed