Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-09-23

uoh mean tuat, you know; | mean It's
a@fully horrid, you know. In fact"
warming 70 his work through sheer graft
tude, you have made me miserable for
ever; you've broken my heart"
Dear me- how shocking" said Miss
l. ly trivolously. LET Us hope Time
will mend it. I'm not very sure you did
non speak the truth at first. | really be.
lieve It is kind, my refusing you. And
now, Mr.. Snooks, if were you | should
60 4 aud say goodnight to mamma, be-
Cause you have been having good deal
@. papa's champagne, and ii is trying to
the constitution"
Snooks took the hint, babe farewell to
Mrs. Brownrig, who, to his heated imag-
ination, appeared to regard him already
with moist and motherlY eve, and, tax
ing Nllding's arm, drew him out Of the
house
Well?' said the latter, interrogatively
81 don't know whether it is well or iii, ="
returned he, gloomily. but | followed
your advice and proposed to 'em ALL"
ANA they accepted yOu?"
:" The most of 'em. But Lily the young
est, she -
always said she was sensible girl,"
put in Mr.. Wllding, soto voce.
Did your with much surprise. "Well,
she refused me; sort of said she wouldn't
have me at any price So you see you
were WrOngw
81 always knew she was one of the
most intelligent girls | ever met" Mr..
Willing repeated, in il tone so difficult
that his compani n for once had sufficient
sense to refrain from demanding an eX.
PLANTATION.
The next morning, rs Katie Browning
turned the angle of the ball that led to
her fathers sanctum (whither a sense OF
filiaI duty beckoned herr she almost ran
into the arms of her three sisters, all con
verging toward the same spot from differ
ent directions. simultaneously they en-.
tered Mr.. Brownies study (He called
1t library; bat that word is too often
prolaued for me to profane it, so shall
draw the line at stody) But to return,
Miss Lily, being the youngest, was of
coure the first to raise her voice
" had proposal last night, papa and
/ have come to tell you about it," said
she, in a tone rcplete with triumph.
1t is so sweet to the mind of youth to
Guido its elders. But 8" on this occasion
only " the elders refused to be outdone.
They each ana all betrayed a smile of in.
ward satisfaction, and then gave way to
speech.
Not" they said in a breath. They
did not mean to doubt or be impolite;
they only meant surprise.
"The curate, said Iletty in acomposed
but plainly cOntemptuOus whisper 1t
was a stage-wh'sper.
"Old Major Sterne" said Miss Georgia
promptly.
Perhaps Henry Smms," suggested
Katie, with some sympathy. Then turn
ing TO her father she said, with a
conscious blush, 1t is very strange, papa,
but /, too, had a proposal last night"
And SO ha :" exclaimed George
and Hetty in breath.
Eh?" said papa pushing up his spec
tacles. He was fat and pudgy, with sandy
hair and a tlabby nose. He was a power
full man, too, and one unpleasant to come
to open quarrel with. Proposals in the
Browning family were few aud far be
tween -- in fact, curiostieS - and so much
luck as the girls described falling into
one day overpowered him.
Zone at a time; my breath is not what
it used to be" he said, add cssing Katie,
IF he had said breadth, it would have
been equally true, as his mother - if she
was TO be believed - always declared he
was a lean baby May | ask the name
of your lover ="
Mr. Snooks" said she with downcast
eyes aud timid smile. She took up the
corner OF a cherry colored bow that
adorned her gown, ana fell to admiring
it. through what she fondly thought was
bashfulness
Impossible !" exclaimed Georgia,
angrly
"What a disgracetul untruth :" cri ed
Hetty rudely. Mr. Shocks proposed to
me, to me, last night and | accepted
HIM"
what is it you say? Oh, | am going
out Of my mind; my senses are desefting
me, >" said George, putting her hands to
her head with a dramatic gesture. 81 Or
is il dream that he asked me to marry
him, and that too said yes ~"
seldom visit the clouds" said Lily,
with a short but bitter laugh. And |
certainly know tie made me a noble offer
of his hand and heart; both which treas
ures ! declined"
Where" demanded the other three,
as though with one mouth.
In he laurel avenue.
At this they all groancd aloud,
"Peridjous monster - said Hetty from
her heart.
Am | to understand,' began Mr.
Brownrig, with suppressed but evident
fury. that this - this ~ unmtigatcd
scoundrel asked you all to marry him
last ntght9
"If we speak the truth, yes" replied
the girls dismally.
He was drunk" said papa, sayagely.
- can't believe il" said Katie, who
was dissolved in toars-in fact, like