The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1880-09-04
- always said she was a sensible

glrl, put III Mr.. Nlldlng soto voice
Did you? with much surprise.
Well, she refused me; sort of said she
wouldn't have me at any price. SO YOU
see you were wrong
Il ALWAYS knew she was one of the
most intelligent girls | ever met" Mr..
Wlldlng repeated, in tone so difficult
that his companion for once had suffi-
cient sense to refrain from demanding an
explanation.
The next morning, IA Katie Browning
turned the angle OF the hall that led to
her fathers sanctum (whither a sense OF
tilial duty beckoned herr she almost ran
into the arms of her three sisters. all
converging toward the same spot from
different directions. simultaneously
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 re-
turn Miss Lilly, being the Youngest.
was of course the first to raise her voice.
8 had a proposal last night, and !
have come to tell you about it, said
she, in tone replete with triumph.
1t is so sweet to the mind of youth to
/ Guido its elders. But son this occasion
only the elders refused to he outdone.
They each and all betrayed a smile OF
inward satisfaction, and then they gave
way to speech.
"No!' they said in a breath. They
did not mean to doubt or be impoite:
they only meant surprise
1.-The curatc, said Hetty, in a com
posed but plainly contemptuous whis-
per. 1t was a stage whisper
cod Major Sterne, said Miss Geor-
gle promptly.
''Perhaps Henry Simms," suggested
Katie, with some sympathy. Then turn
ing to her father she said, with a con.
sclous blush, " 1t is very strange, papa,
but | too had proposal last night.
"And SO had II exclaimed George
and Hetty III breath
'Eh 2 sad papa, pushing up his spec.
tacleS. He was fat and pudgy, witt
sandy hair and Il tlabbv nose. He was
powerful man, too, and one unpleasant
to come to open quarrel with. Proposals
in the Browning family were few and fal
between in fact curiosities-and Sc
much luck, as the girls described, falling
into one day OyerpOwered him.
Zone at time; my breath is not wha
it used to be, he said, addressing Katie
Of he had said breadth, it would have
been ebually true, as his mother if She
WAS to be belicyed-always declared he
was a lean baby) MAY | ask the nam,
of yOur lover 2"
"Alr. Snooks,' said she, with down
cast eyes and timid smile. She tool
up the corner of a cherry-cOlored bow
that adorned her gown, and fell to admir-
ing it, through what she fondly though
was bashfulncss.
Impossible" exclaimed George an
grily.
"What disgracefuI untr7ltht" criet
Hetty. "Mr. Shocks proposed to me
last night, and [ accepted him."
"What is it You say? O, am going
out of my mind, my senses are deserving
me, said George, putting her hands t
her head with dramatic gesture. 60
is it a dream that he asked me to MARI,
him, and that [ too said 'yes?'"
4 seldom visit the clouds, said Lily
with short but bitter laugh. "And
certainly know he made me noble offcl
Of his hand and heart; both which treas
ures | declined"
Where?" demanded the other three
as though with one mouth.
Gin the laurel avenue.
At this they all groaned aloud.
"Pcrfidious monster. said Hett,
from her heart
Gam | to understand" began Mr.
Browning, with suppressed but eviden
fury, that -this-unmiJiga
scoundrel asked you all to marry hin
last night
"Jf we speak the truth, yes, replied
the girls dismaily.
g" He was drunk, said papa savagely
" can't believe it, said Katie, who
was dissolved in tears-in fact, elk,
Niobe. all tears by this time. "Noth
ing could be nicer than the way he did it
His language was perfect, and SO thor
oughly from the-heart."
He addressed me IN most honOra
bic, upright and Christian fashion, sale
: Hetty 81 am sure he meant every
word he said
She was thinking uneasily of that kis
in the moonlight. Could any one hay,
seen her? Was old Major Stene any
where about at that moment?
- certainly considered his name
| strange, not a bit like what one reads,
t said George honestly; "but | though
t of the title and the property. and | sal,
| yes directly"
, q thought him the very greatest nut
, [ ever spoke to, broke in Miss Lily
with decision. :" i refused him withou
| a moments hesitation, and told him t,
90 home. I'm sure it was well ! did.
: darcsav if he had stayed here mucl
| longer, he would have proposed tomam
| ma next. and afterwards to the uppe
: houscmaid. | agree with you, papa, tn
champagne was too much for him.
I'll think he is fond Of me, sail
: Katie, in a low and trembling tone. He
fingers are not playing with the cherry
colored bow now, but her eyelids hay
| borrowed largely Of It's tint.
: Don't be goose, Katie, said tn
: Youngest Miss Browning, kindly bu
| scornfully; "you don't suppose any G
us would marry hin now, after the wa
| he has behaved. Do have some httl
pride
, "Pcrhaps he is mad" said Hett
vaguely. Just at this moment, as slav
5 to her wounded vanity, she would hay
> been glad to believe him SO.
, NO, my dear, declared Lily; g h
has no brains worth turning.
; He said something, papa, about call
ing to-day at t o'clock, said Kate yer
family.
"Then I shall sit here till four, re
turned Mr. Browning, in an awful tone
| Il shall sit here until five; and then
shall go out and find that young ma
: and give him such ahorse-whipping as
warrant Won he never got before IN a