The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-05-28
A Tale OF - Coaa~Teaa.
BY ). q. NJ. JR.

no She was pretty az 3 |
picture, and she was as sweet as |
May morning; but when one lives on
street, in house with high |
wall around it, with maiden aunt for
a duenna, and papa who scowls at the
bare mention OF marriage" ole runs
a poor chance of meeting ones tate.
Mimi was just eighteen, and though
she was brought up like . sreclnse, she
began to think It was high time she
had lover.
cne evening assshe sat lathe eosn-
pany OF her father and Aunt Diane, shs
remarked suddenly, in plaiutive voice.
Lucy Marshall was married last
Tuesday"
"And very silly, at her age 90 re-
tnrted Aunt Diane. A mere chit
she ought TO be at school"
Mimi had her own opinion upon the
subject, but she prudent'y kept it to
herself merely rernarking
"Niillie Dupont is married, tco, and
she is six months younger than l am"
"And what then F'' asked papa look
ing up from his newspaper.
"Oh, nothing" Mimi replied
sighing profoundly. "Harriet says she
was married at ST. Louis, with six
bridesmaids, aud veil, aud train
three yards Tong"
"IIaFriet is an idls, gossping SER
vant," interrupted her aunt, who has
no business filling your head with such
nonsense"
"And does my little girl envy these
young ladies ?'' Mr.. Legrand inquired.
1--WE ell,'' resurDed Mimi, in non.
committal tone, ''it must be very nice {:
all my friends are marrying and-and
am getting to be quits an old maid %
"Marriage is not the chief aim of
life," said Miss Diane. severely "There
are nobler and higher things TO which
a woman may devote herself"
"Oh, bother !'' aud Mimi shrugged
her saucy shoulders.
"aIimi," said her father, seriously,
you must give up tilese foolish
thoughts. You might find great un-
harpiness IN luyer."-
"But, papa" arged Mimi, "I am sure
you married"
"And bitterly repen'ei IT." her father
might have replied, looking back up
on lis unhappy welded life /; but he
only frowned, and raid, "Let us have
ne more of This folly Mimi.'
Thus subdued, size did not dare to
cay more but she pouted. and thought
to herself, ST might az well be fright,
for no one ever sees me. Uuless car
slip away, | never can 90 out walking
without Aunt Diane, and even then
she makes me bundle my head in a
veil, until, no doabt: every one thinks
have had smallpox. AS for . walk
on Canal street, Aunt Diane says the
men are inpndent and stare too much,
SO she takes ME roundsby all the alleys
and two-cent streetP. It's q shame
that's what It is I''
But the darkest cloud has q lining
One afternoon. when papa was away
at his business, Aunt Diane had '.jus,
stepped out to see a FRIEND" Mimi
mediiaied upon what use che could
make of her liberty. She sat down to
the piano, and began ''I love my love, -
then jumped up with yawn.
The only thing she could find in
the shape of romance was "Telemma.
chuA;" but she coon flung it into cor.
ner, and went out on the balcony.
It was a beautiful April day, and
as she bent over the tiower-boxes, there
came q round ring at tie bell. Hang.
ing over the railing regardless OF ap.
pearances, she descried handsome
youth standing on the steps.
* man p she exclaimed inwardly,
.'oh joy !"
A Jew minutes later, Harriet came
up stairs and said, "Miss Mimi, dere'r
gentleman in de parlor, calling him.
self Mr. Wolfe, an he wants TO see