Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-02-20

four wax candles on the counter and
two in the window besides the regular
lamps; and wore my new gray meri-
no dress with blue bow at the throat
and another in my hair (my hair doesn't
ripple and wave as much as mothers,
but it is the very same color, and
mother wore her gray dress with hand
some black lace rosette among the waves
and ripples.
80 Very pretty indeed p said Mr.. Null
tahney, going up to the stove to warm
his hands a moment, and then turning
his back upon it and smiling approving
ly around.
Were trying to rig up Christmas
tree at our house, Mrs. Welton," he
went ON to say, "and I'd be pleased to
have you and Miss Faith come over as
soon as you can and give us the benefit
of your excellent taste. The children
will be gone to bed in q few mo-
ments-"
Just then the store door flew open,
and the two eldest children came run
ming in, little Robbie limping after
them.
ooh, papa. !" cried Lily, nurse says
if you don't come back 'mediately
she'll go crazy, for we uW peep into the
room where she's fixing something, and
pound on the door when she locks us
out, and the grocer forgot the raisins
and currants for the pudding, and"
"Oh dear. oh dearw said Mr.. Null
tahney, grasping his curly black hair as
though he meant to tear it out then and
there.
~ will go with you, Mr.. Mullaga-
tawny," said my mother, distressed for
the poor man, rs she always is for any
body in trouble, land do all I can
for you"
The fact is mother and 1 had often
been over in odd moments and smooth
ed things in this tangled household,
and made the children presentable be-
fore the MASTER" as nurse called him,
returned home; SO we knew the ways
Of the place as we'll rs we did our own.
"Thank you, ma'am," said Mr.. Null
tahney. "It's very kind of you; and if
anybody can bring order out Of disor-
der, you can. l wish from the bottom
of my heart you would stay there for
everw
Mother looked at him in mild sur
prise. and went for her bonnet and
shawl.
Dear me-" l thought to myself,
" can he be going to ask mother to be
his housekeeper? III never consent,
though he offer her ever so much, and
it is only across the way"
"Please come too, Miss Faith, for
half an hour" said Mr.. Multahney,
coaxingly; ave can come back to the
store afterward, and"
"And l wish you'd stay forever"
broke in that darling Harry, who had
been prancing about, fourishing q
wooden sword he had taken from the
counter.
"And so do l" said dear little Robbie,
climbing upon the stool at my side and
putting his arms about my neck. |
Don't you, papa?"
with all my heart" said papa.
"Why can't she?" asked Lily, drop
ping the cat and looking earnestly up
in her fathers face. 1--WE all love her
dearly-best of anybody but YOU"
"The Gray children have new
mamma" said that dreadful Harry,
and she amt half as nice as Faith and
Faiths mother"
felt the bushes rising to my face
and spreading all over it, until l must
have been red from my chin to my
forehead and away back to my ears.
"My dear Faith" said Mr.. Multah-
ney, his eyes sparkling mischievously,
" the children have proposed to you.
Will you accept them-and me?'
Istood confused and silent: for though
l liked Mr.. Multahney very, very much,
1 had never thought of him as hus-
band, having, in the first place, made
up my mind to be an old maid, and, in
the next, never having suspected for an
instant that he thought of mo save as
the daughter Of my mother, she being
so much more attractive. When mother
returned:
"Say yes, dear Fairy" whispered
Robbie, kissing my cheek.
Say yes, Miss Faith" shouted Harry,
and We'll have no end of fun
Say yes, say yes, say yes I" teased
Lily:
Eyes to what?' asked my mother.
smilingly.
ITO question I've just asked her"
answered Mr.. Multahney-"w whether
she would be my wife"
Mr.. Mullagatawny y said my
mother; and then laid her bonnet on
chair and sat down upon it.
"Why, ma'am, there's nothing sur
prising about my part of the affair"
said Mr.. Multahney. "A young lady,
sunny-faced, sweet-tempered, devoted