The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-05-14
A TALE OF A COAT-TAIL.

Mimi Legrand had made up her mind
that spinsterhood was to be her lot. Not
that she was ugly or ill-tempered-o oh,
no! She was pretty as a picture, and
she was as sweet as a May morning; but
when one lives on Esplande street, in q
house with high wall around it, with a
maiden aunt for duenna, and papa
who scowls at the bare mention of ssmar-
riage," one runs poor chance of meet
ing ones fate.
Mimi was just eighteen, and though
she was brought up like recluse, she
began to think it was high time she had q
lover.
One evening, as she sat in the company
of her father and Aunt Diane, she re-
marked suddenly, in a plaintive voice,
''Lucy Marshall was married last Tues
day
Sand very silly. at her ager' retorted
Aunt Diane" GA mere chit-she ought
to be at school,"
Mimi had her own opinion upon the
subject, but she prudently kept it to her.
self; merely remarking:
s'Millie Dupont is married, too, and
she is six months younger than am.''
tAnd what then?" asked papa, looking
up from his newspaper.
ssOh, nothing" Mimi replied, sigh
ing profoundly. "Harriet says she was
married at st. Louis, with six brides
maids, and veil, and q train three yards
long"
Harriet is an idle, gossiping servant, :"
interrupted her aunt, ''who has no
business filling your head with such nom
sense"
"And does my little girl envy these
young ladies?" Mr.. Legrand inquired.
tWe-ell," returned Mimi, in non
committal tone, sit must be very NICE
all my friends are marrying and-and
and I am getting to be quite an old
maidp'
Marriage is the chief end of ife,'
Miss Diane, severely. There are nobler
and higher things to which a woman may
devote herself
ooh, botherp' and Mimi shrugged her
saucy shoulders.
'sMimi," said her father, seriously,
you must give up these foolish thoughts.
You might find great unhappiness in a
lover"
= "But, papa" urged Mimi. ST am sure.
you married"
s'And bitterly repented it," her father
might have replied, looking back upon
his unhappy welded life; but he only
frowned, and said, 9Let us have no more
OF this FOLLY, Mimi.
Thus snnbbed, she did not dare to say
more; but she pouted, and thought to
herself, "I might as well be fright, for
no one ever sees me. Unless I can slip
away, I never can go out walking with
makes me bundle up my head in veil,
had smallpox. As for walk on Canal
street, Aunt Diane says the men are inn
pudent and stare too much. SO she takes
me round by all the alleys and little two
cent streets. It's shame-that's what
it is!'
But the darkest cloud has silver
lining. One afternoon, when papa was
away at his business, Aunt Diane had
'sjust stepped out to see FRIEND - Mimi
meditated upon what use she could make
of her liberty. She sat down to the
piano, and began 81 love my love-" then
jumped up with a yawn.
The only thing she could find in the
shape of romance was ''Telemachus;"
but she soon flung it into corner, and
went out on the balcony.
Itwas lovely April day, and as she
bent over the hower-boxes, there came a
round ring at the bell. Hanging over
the railing, regardless of appearances,
she deserted handsome youth standing
on the steps.
"a man!'' she exclaimed, inwardly,
'"Oh joyr'
A few minutes later, Harriet came up
stairs and said, "Miss Mimi, dero's q
gentleman in de parlor, calm hisseH
Mr.. Wolfe, an he wants to see Miss
Diany."
.sAunt Diane is not at home, answered
Mimi.
ssI done tole him dat already, an he
says any OBJ de famlyll do jes as good"
s'l will see him." said Mimi, with dig
s9De law, miss! will you?' cried Har-
riet, awe struck by such bravery; adding
discreetly, "But what'll Miss Diany say?'
Whatever she chooses, said the little
rebel, with parting glance at the
mirror.
Meanwhile, George Wolfe was gazing
around the old-fashioned room, with its
tarnished gliding and spindle-legged
chairs, and deciding that its its inhabit-
ants must be dreadful set of old fossils,
when the door opened, and the sweetest
creature in the world came in. George
had never seen curlier dark hair, or such
soft, laughing eyes.
Once in the presence of that awful
OlOuStci, kuau, WhOAiA oAAO udo co
often been warned, Mimi lost courage,
and faltered out, turning very red, eff
you please, sir, what do you want?"
The stranger did not seem at all abash-
ed, but answered, my aunt, Miss Tarl-
ton. commissioned me to place these
papers in the hands of Miss Legrand.
They are the minutes of the Society for |
the Propagation of female Independence.
I suppose. that is. I mean to say-are
you Miss Legrand?"
stI'm not Aunt Diane" she returned in |
an insulted tone, I'm Mimi"
ssOh! / did not think it probable that |
you were the President of the Society;
however, I suppose the papers will be
safe in your hands," said George, and
having finished his errand, he SHOULD |
have gone. But he still fingered, and |
remarked brilliantly, eve are havingl
beautiful weather.
stBeautifulr' assented Mimi, looking |
at him under her long eyelashes, and |
thinking tine man was not SO black as |
Aunt Diane painted hinl.
II suppose, he xoHtinned, deperately,
s'you enjoy wal Ig in Canal street,
these pleasant moons 2"
vi little know Aunt Diane if I
1se anything Of the sort. Dear