The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-11-04
A MIND OF Her OWN.
BE HARRIET E. s. onEssY.

By HARRIET e. 8. GRESSY.
Good morning, Miss Lenox may ]
have the pleasure of walking at least
part OF the way to school with you p
said Willie Give, young man with hi,
hair parted in the middle, his face pow
dered, and wearing the finest of broad
cloth and the shiniest Of boots. He
was clerk in q dry goods establishment.
and about half the age of Miss Lenox,
who was As, and was just starting Tor
his breakfast at hotel where he
boarded as she was passing his place Of
business on her way to the school-house
where she had been ssteaching the youno
idea how to shoot for the last twenty
years.
Yes, it is always pleasanter to have
company than to walk alone" she re-.
piled, provided it is company one
would not object to"
Vel, you do not object to mine 2"
he asked.
"Oh, no but most young gentlemen
prefer the company Of young ladies of
their own age"
"It is not SO with me-" replied
Willie, looking at her admiringly. 81
believe there are those older than nv
self whose company like better than
any other-at least one speaking the
latter sentence scarcely above whisper.
Silly boy !; he really means some
thing by saying that, thought Miss
Lenox, and then she remembered that
he had several times shown her marked
attention when serving her in the ca
pacity Of clerk at the dry goods store.
And when he expressed hope that he
might often have the pleasure Of walk
ing with her on his way to breakfast she.
began to think in earnest that he rather
admired her. Il had been so long since
young man had talked to her In this
way it seemed little strange. and
rather out of place, but as yet made
little impression on her mind. When.
however, the next morning, and still the
next, and, in fact, nearly every morning
after for some time, he made it q point
to start out the moment she came along.
overwhelming her with compliments.
she was led to believe there was some
meaning to his conduct. And she found
she was in the right of it when, at last,
he asked her to permit him to visit her
at her home.
At first she said. No, no, Willie, it
would be too absurd; think Of the diff
ference in our ages
Not nearly as great as between
George Eliot and her new husband, or
Lady Burdett-C outts and her admirer.' .
he said, quite seriously.
Miss Lenox laughed at the drollery Of
the comparison, but finally agreed, as
courtships and marriages of this kind
were becoming fashionable, to permit
him to call but she was sure nothing
serious would ever result from it.
But Willie was too determined In the
matter to make child's play Of it, and
his visits became frequent and lengthy.
Rumors Of the il-propo rtioned match
were, therefore, soon ahoat.
He is after the 81, 900 she has got IN
the bank, and I should think Becky
would know it, said old Miss Joyce.
OF course that's all, . Miss jerks. the
ono addressed, replied; and just as
sartln as he gifts her he'll spend the
whole ont, and then she may whistle
And then, as soon as it's gone, he'll
run off and leave her, and marry . girl
OF his own age. So let's go over and
talk with her; I feel as il twas our
bound duty to do it, Miss jerks"
Yes, It's, Miss Joyce. Say we go
over tonight arter school you know Tn
alius ready for any good work.
Well say we do but Unjust go hum
and get mopped up fust, and get the
mems supper on the table. You know
that command in the Bible where it says
man that don't provide fur his own
family Is wuss than heather, and I
s'pose it means to hit upon women list
tbs same; we must look out for their
wants little, too. !"
Well, come along airly as Won can.
Sister Jenks, and bring along your
snuH-box, and I'll take my smelling
bottle; for I shouldn't wonder if we'd
get 30 kinder frustrated wei need some
thin to stimelate us, as 'twere, for it's
my opinion Becky's awful sot in her
way, and it'll be all-killing hard to make
her think we are in the right ont.
That's SO, Sister Joyce, but -e'u do
our best.
IF We don't, then!' said the other,
with an accent that few could have mis-
understood
IS You bet" responded little Swear
old Joyce, with twinkle in his eye, and
looking no less excited than the TWO
women to whom he had been listening.
Thus, as agreed upon, the two Set
out about 5 o'clock, and IN due time
were laboring with the schoolma' am to
the best Of their ability.
s Can It be, Becky, that Won. who
Tsvn ca kin1o,. rn& 49,, /,