Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-11-04

rate"
Esculapius retreatet In wild disorder,
and did not appear again until supper
time Wien The meal wac finished, Col.
carvis followed me IS | walked TO the
piazza
at it amt presuming, madame, he said
Jonfldeuiaily, "'d like to ask your ad-
vice. take it you're from the city,
now"
"Yes," | answered with preteroatural
gravity; what makes you think soIn
even, | knew by your gait, mostly. A
woman that's raised IN the country walks
IS If she vas used TO hsvin' the road to
herself; city women are generally good
steppers. But that amt the point. Pm
engaged to be married."
My dlscomposuge under this announce
ment was good deal heightened by the
TACT that Esculspius, who had sauntered
out after u, humming an air from Pima
fore, became suddenly quiet and tumultu-
Gus, alternately.
Engaged to be m,rried ?" l said "Lat
me congratulate you, Colonel May |
hope to see the fortunate young LADY =
THAT depends. You see, I'm in row
the biggest kind OF q Tow, by good
deal; and thought you might give me
lift She's q Frisco lady, you know; one
OF your regular high flyers black eyes,
bangs, with no end o. spirit. You gee
she was visiting over at Los Nietos, and
We made It up, and when she went back
to Frisco thought I'd send her ring;
so | bought this" fumblin' in his pocket
and producing the most astounding com.
bination of old glass and pinchbeck;
land, ny godfrey, she sent II back to me
Now, don't see anything wrong about
that ring; do you"
at Is certainly 3 little-well, peculiar,
at lesst, for an engagement ring, perhaps
she would like something less snowy. La
dies have great many ~hims about jew
elry, you know"
Exactly. That is just what | reflected.
SO l went and bought this" triumphant
~ displaying narrow gold bsnd); NOW
that's what | call genteel; don't your
Wen, il you'll believe IT, she sent that
back, too, by return mail | wished Ia
leichcl you the letter she wrote; il 1t
wasn't the spicicst piece OF literature ever
read by anybody. Shed have me to IN.
deistapd she wasn't BARNARD nor
Quaker; and If J. didn't know what was
Que to lady in her position I'd better
learn before aspired to her hand etc.
Oh, | tell you she's grit; no end O. mettle.
80, you see, I've struck q bowlder, aud 1t
gets me bad because | want 10 see the par
son through with his well here, and then
go on TO Frisco and get married. Now,
if you'll help me through and set me into
sand and gravel agair, and your man de
cides 10 settle in these parts I'll guarantee
you No. ! well, good, even .two-inch
flow, aud all expense but pipe and board
in hands. III do it by some means"
"Oh no, Colonel" | said, struggling
with a laugh. 81 couldn't allow that 1t
gives me great pleasure to advise you,
only it is very delicate matter, you
know --aLd-Teally"-l was casting about
wildly for an spiratlon-"woolcnt Ii
DC better to go on 10 the city az you in.
tended, and ask TIE lady to 60 with you
and exercise her own choice IN choosing
ring ?"
Ny companion took q step backward,
folded his arms aud looked at me admir-
i3gly.
"Well, il it don't beat all how woman
looks through u milestone! Now, that's
what call neat. Why, God bless you,
madam, I've been bOrin' at that thing
for week steady, night and day, by
myself, aud making no Roadway ii
makes me think OF my mother. Robert
she used to say (aud she had a very small,
trembly voice Robert, q womgn's little
finger weighs more than a mans whole
carcass and she was right. I'll be de-
slrOyed ii she wasn't right!'
Escu,apius laughed rather unnecessar.
lily when | repeated this conversation 70
him.
II am willing to allow tn /. is funny"
said; "but after oil, there Is ru0e
pAthos in the man, an un'utOred chivalry
Nearly every man loves and reverences
W man. Ii Is old-fashIoned, | know, but
il hes a breezy sweetness of Its own, like
the lavender and rosemary of our grand.
mo hers; don't you lhlnk sou
There was no reply. | imagine that
Esculapius is insens, bic at times OF his
want OF Ideally, and feels deltcacy In
conversing with me. 50 / went on mus
ingly.
with such natures love is an instinct;
and II is TO instinct, after all that We must
look for everything that Is fresh and
poetic in humsnily. We have all made
This sacrifice to culture--a sacrifice OF
iurce to expression. Isn't it so, my lover"
Still no reply.
81 like to picture to myself the sffec-
tion OF which such man is capaoie-tor
40 doubt he loves this girl Oi whom he
speaks; not, of course, rs you--ss you
ought TO love me, bat with rude, wild
siucerity, sort otrugged grandeur. I'm.
aeine HIM betrayed by her. A man OF
the world might grow white about the
lips and sick at heart, but he would tiud
relief in cynlclsm and bitter words. This
man would act some wild, strange act
Tn. ,,,lf,,r.J ia