Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-10-29

sHe would go out OF his mind II Buch q
thing was even limited to him." declared
Snooks wildly "Try to help me out Of it,
Wilding, can't you2'
81 don't see what there is to do, except
marry her. l only hope Lady Snooks and
Miss Cornchandler will get on. And you
should think of her beauty, you know /;
doubtless it will console you when Sir Peter
cuts you of with the customary shilling"
II suppose had better cut my throat and
put an end TO il, said Snooks dismally, and
then-overcome, no doubt, by the melan-
choly Of this suggestion-he breaks down aud
gives way TO tears.
81 say, don't do that, you know" e1claim-
cd Wilding Indignantly. Weeping all over
ly make you look worse fool than nature in
tended when you go out of the room II
you have put your foot in it, at least try to
bear misfortune like a man. Look here"
angrily, ''if you are going to keep up this
hideous boohooing I'll leave the room, and
you too, 10 your fate. It's downright indie
cent. They will hear you in the next house
if you don't moderate your grief"
As the nearest house was quarter of a
mile of, this was severe.
~ shouldn't care il they heard me in the
next town, said Mr. Snooks, who was quite
too far gone for shame.
lubIb ID Just Oub CuhuCt IOT yOu huu Ou
ly one," said Wilding slowly. II have an
idea, and you must either follow it, or-go to
the altar"
''Tll follow anything eagerly. "What is
''You have proposed to Miss Katie, SOL
emnly. 'Now go and propose to the other
three"
As Wilding gave vent to his idea he turned
abruptly on his heel and left the room.
'I'll do it," said Snooks valiantly, drying
his eyes and giving his breast tragic tap,
"whatever comes Of it."
Going into the hall, be saw Hetty standing
near an entrance a little way beyond her
was Katie conversing with a tall and lanky
youth. Not daring to glance in the direction
of the latter, who plainly expected him to
come straight to her on the wings of love, he
turned and asked Hetty to dance.
Thov danced, and then Ct was a custom
with the ball-goers in this suburban neighbor-
hood he drew her out under the cleaning
stars and up the dark avenue, that few min
utes since was the scene Of her sisters hap
piness.
There he proposed in due form, and was
again accepted. Hettys conduct indeed,
was perhaps a degree more pronounced than
Katie's, because she laid her head upon his
shoulder, and he felt he was bound by all the
laws of sentiment to kiss her. Her nose
looked lovely in the pale moonlight so 1
daresay he did not find the fulfilling of this
law difficult.
After that he had some more, a good deal
more champagne and then he proposed to
Miss George, who also consented to be his.
There now remained but one other step to be
taken. He crossed the room and asked the
youngest Miss Browning to dance. He was
getting rather mixed up by this time, and was
on the very point of asking her to marry him
instead so customary had the question grown
to him now. Miss Lily, however, declined to
dance, on the plea that she was tired, and
could exert herself no more that night. With
questionable taste he pressed the matter, and
begged her to give him one, just one. At
this she told him frankly that she did not Rd-
mire his style Of dancing, which of course
ended the conversation. So he asked her to
come for stroll instead and, having arrived
at the momentous spot, delivered himself of
the ornate speech that had already done duty
three times that night. l forget what it was,
but know it wound up with the declaration
that he adored her and wanted to marry her.
"It's extremely good of you, I'm sure, "
said the youngest Miss Browning calmly.
but, uncivi as l fear it must sound, don't
want to marry you"
Don't you, by Jove !" said Snooks, hasti-
ly. wen, lnhl hWIully h-- NO, no
pulling himself up with a start Il don't
mean that, you know 1 mean that it is aw-
fully horrid, you know. In fact" warming
to his work through sheer gratitude, aiyou
have made me miserable forever you've
broken my heart"
Dear me, how shocking !" said Miss Lily
frivolously. Let us hope Time will mend
it, I'm not very sure that you did not speak
the truth at first really believe it is kind,
my refusing you. And now, Mr.. Snooks, if
were you, should go in and say good-ni night
to mamma, because you have been having a
good deal of papa's champagne, and it is try
ing to the constitution"
Snooks took the hint, bade farewell to Mrs.
Browning, who, to his heated imagination,
appeared to regard him already with a moist
and motherly eye, and taking Wilding's arm,
drew him out of the house.
well 2" said the latter interrogatiyely.
II don't know whether it is well or i'll, y
replied he gloomily. "But followed your
advice and proposed to 'em ALL"
"And they accepted you?"
The most OF EN-. But Lily, the young
est, she"
II always said she was a sensible girl, ," put
in Mr. Wilding soto voce.
did you 7" with much surprise. "Well,
sine refused me sort of said she wouldn't
AhNO LIZ u MY PAASOs ~ goh oIS 1SN WV
wrong"
II always knew she was one of the most
intelligent girls ever met" Mr. Wilding re-
peated, in a tone so difficult that his compan.
ion for once had sufficient sense to refrain
from demanding an explanation.
The next morning, as Kate Browning turned
the angle of the hall that led to her fathers
sanctum (whither sense of tilial duty beck
| oual harA Oh oil int tha Of baV
three sisters, all converging toward the same
spot from different directions. Simultane.
ously they entered Mr.. Brownrig's study
| (He called it library but that word is too
often profaned for me to profane it, so shall
draw the line at study But to return. Miss
| Lily being the youngest, was of course the
first to raise her voice.
81 had a proposal last night papa, and
have come to tell you about 1t, " said she, in 0
tone replete with triumph.
1t is SO sweet to the mind of youth to out.
| do its elders. But ION this occasion only
the elders refused to be outdone. They each
and all betrayed smile of inward satisfac
ton, and then they gave way to speech
"No!" they said in breath. They did
not mean to doubt or be impolite they only
meant surprise.
The curate," said Hetty in a composed
| but plainly contemptuous whisper. 1t was a
stage-whisper
''Old Major Sterne," said Miss George
promptly.
Perhaps Henry Simms, suggested Katie
with some sympathy. Then turning to hei
| father she said with conspicuous blush
at is very strange, papa, but l too had
proposal last night"
"And so had L." exclaimed George and
Hetty in a breath.
"Eh 2" said papa, pushing up his specta
cles. He was fat and pudgy, with sandy haii
and a habby nose. He was powerful man
too, and one unpleasant to come to oper
quarrel with. Proposals in the Brownril
family were few and far between-in fact
curipsities-and so much luck as the girls de
scribed falling into one day overpowered
him.
zone at time; my breath is not what il
used to be-" he said addressing Katie. Of he
! had said breadth il would have been equally