The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-04-12

Ing for some new silks that young lady ha
ibrrn lndul~'nT in which were conspicuous
.loid out on the doctors table. And PRESENT.
N,hr doctor began to storm and philosOphizc o
tar eNlruvagance Of women IN general and hi
Town daring daughter in particular, when sh
painted hrr hu ger ~ Loreta "schusI like dls
IL, pDd Raip>Hcd had sad and that treasur
hogan
$50 it, You Oil loo' TIA, Ia, la! Old fool
IGo at"
What de- you mran:' said the doctor, wh,
HAD not vet nude Loreta'S acquaintance, turn
iug sharply to hi, daughter.
4 "Go It, You old fool" yelled Loretta, still IN
Idcr the Influence of The finger, with hyste.i
Ical laugn, IN winch the doctor joined heartily
! And that settlcd the little trouble about the
dresses
Miss Mollic WIS Il little woman with soft
hrccy brown q 'jr 'aut r,uld never BE coaXcC
to stay in the same direction five minutes AT /
time, hr; Eht gray eyes, a tender little mouth
land vivuciOlls rs - cricket. She always had d
suite Of followers II, train, and At Saratoga
last summer, "h'reycr Won heard the ripple OF
Moilic'S LAUGH, there Wcre you sure to find a
large coiyyic 81 her aduircls.
i "ilNr ,ou -~rn frcaultcii, today | asked
Jack :lprscc, one lay.
Com" h"rc," 81 Jack taking me by the
arm and leading 'nr 10 short distance to where
"a straw .rniOrcd g.pyc lay ON the ground, then
Il little father on 4 DIT of blue ribbon "FOI-
low that trail up, said Jack, "and you'll ind
him"
And sure enough y, did find Miss Mollie
surrounded 10y all The FrcShfcld boys, Harry
Darling, Darius YcrZcnay and old Gen Turf
man of Rouutowu
"A big icld,' whispered lIorsec, but the
running is all between old Huffman and Oar
| ling"
The General seemed to be making the best
of the "runnHu." lie was an arstoCratiC-
looking gentleman Ot-I don't know how
many winters, but wa, old enough to look
on Mollic in IA protecting manner, and lad
frequently heard my mOIhcrand aunt speak of
what u gallant beau Gen Huffman was in the
days of their girlhood And all these many
days the gay old General had led Il bachelor,
butterfly existence, draining to the dregs such
pleasures ~ 'ltc afforded IN ROuntown. His
form was ~lill erect, his hair and teeth models
of art, but time, and perhaps club dinners and
burgundy had Crcpt into the old bcau's JOINTS.
His attentions 10 MOllic were very marked.
Perhaps he had grown lonely most OF the
men Of his set had broken down under The
pace Perhaps he had begun to think there
were many other and better things III life
than club dinners and champaign and burgun
dy, and thc'1,a.y companionehip of boSc men,
tired Of themselves and each other
And NOl.Ic did not seem at all avcrsc To the
gallant old Generals attentions; for although
she USED to chat with the Frcshtields and take
long walks with Harry Darling III the morn
ings, in the afternoon She was seen driving he.
hind the General high Stepping blOodcd bays
to the lake, and at night she let him hold her
bouquet IN The ball room and whisper CALAMITY
in her ear
one night, shortly after The summer had
fled, the General called ON MolIic He was
dressed even more carefully than usual; there
was rose in his buttOnhole, and serious
look IN his face that made HIM appear really
handsome. He evidently meant business"
When Mollic came doWn, looking very sweet
and bcwiching, the General lost no time, but
made bold charge on the fair enemy of his
peace before him He sank on his knces-not,
however, without twingc in his gallant, equity
old joints
Miss Brighton" he began; dear Molic, if
may call you SO, and here he seized her
hand, and held tia firm prisoner IN spite Of her
effort 10 Withdraw it,-"dearcst Molie, YOU are
the sole star of my lonely existence; the sun
whose rays bring light and warmth and com
fort 10 my heart; without you, life will prove
n dreary wastc-with you, Il garden Of supreme
delights"
eco it, you old fool, Ila, ha, ha, Go it,
yelled Loretta, from behind the window cor
nice where she had been concealed witness
Of the Generals offer. As Raipszeid said, some
times she did it "midout dot finger
Mollic whose face had been very serious, was
seized by paroXysm ol laughter, which she
did not try 10 suppress.
Miss Brighton" said the old General, what
the" shaking his fist at the bird.
$50 il, you old fool, la, ha, ha, Go il!
Go it' again sang out Loretta, and MoIIie was
seized with Il fresh paroNySm, and before She
could recover sufficiently to apologize 10 the
General, he had Indignantly departed
Just then the bell rang again, and IA came
Harry Darling.
"Molie, darling" he said, II can't stand
tins suspense Will you be my beloved and
honorcd wife? | have not much besides my
heart and my profession to offer you but God
knows how dearly love you, and how faith
fully will work for you all the days of my
life"
"Go it, You old fool" sang Loretta,
But this time Molhc did not laugh Her
soft gray eyes were full of tears, and she put
two white arms around llarrys neck.
Harry, dearest Harry she whispered "FrsI
been an old fool long enough
Perhaps she had.