Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-09-23

is "A very pretty girl. Such eyes, you
knowl l really congratulate you, my
dear fellow"
"Wilding," desperately, "can't you do
something? IL don't know how it
happened. 1t was the champagne, sup
pose, and of course you know she is pref
ty; but | don't want to marry any one,
and L know the governor won't hear to
it."
He will have to hear of it now, won't
he p asked Wilding unfeelingly.
He would go out of his mind if such
a thing was even limited to him." decla-
red SnoOks, wildly. TRY to help me
out of it, Wilding, can't y0u?'
81 don't see what there is to do, ex-
cept marry her. l only hope Lady
SnOOks and Miss Cornchandler will get
on. And you should think of her beau
ty, You know; doubtless it will console
you when Sir Peter cuts you off with
the customary shilling"
Il suppose had better cut my throat
and put an end to it." said SnOOks dis
mally, and then-overcome no doubt, by
the melancholy of this suggestion-he
breaks down and gives way to tears.
81 say, don't do that, you know" ex-
claimed Wilding Indignantly. Weep
ing all over the place won't improve
matters, and will only make you look a
worse fool than nature intended, when
you go out of the room. If you have
put your foot in it, at least try to bear
misfortune like man. Look here" an
grily, IF you are going to keep up this
hideous boOhooing I'll leave the room,
AID you too, to your fate. It's down.
right indecent. They will hear you in
the next house if you don't moderate
your grief
As the nearest house was a quarter of
a mile off, this was severe.
Il shouldn't care if they heard me in
the next town." said Mr.. Snooks, who
was quite too far gone for shame.
There is just one chance for you, and
only one" said Wilding slowly. Il
have an idea, and you must either fol-
low it, Or-go to the altar"
I'll follow anything" eagerly. What
is it?"
You have proposed to Miss Katie"
solemnly. Now go and propose to the
other threeT
AS Wilding gave vent to his idea he
turned ,.bruptly on his heel and left the
room.
"Ill do it," said Snooks valiantly, dry
ing his eyes and giving his breast trag
ic tap" whatever comes of it."
Going into the hall, he saw Hetty
standing near an entrance; 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.
They danced, and then (it was Gus
tom with the ball-goers in that mild su-
burban neighborhOod) he drew her out
under the cleaning stars and up the
dark avenue that few minutes since
was the scene of her sisters happiness.
There lie proposed in due form, and
ives again accepted. Hetty's conduct,
indeed, was perhaps degree more pro-
nOunced than Katie's. because she laid
her head upon his shoulder, and he felt
he was by all the laws of sentiment
bound to kiss her. Her nose looked
lovely in the pale moonlight; so 1 dare
say he did not find the fulfilling of this
law difficult
After that he had some more, a good
deal more, champagne; and then he pro-
posed to Miss George, who also consent
ed to he 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 by this time, and was on
the very point of asking her to marry
him instead, so customary had the ques-
ton grown to him now. Miss Lily,
however, declined to dance, on the plea
that she was tired, and could exert her.
self no more that night. With ques-
tiOnable taste he pressed the matter, and
begged her to give him one, Just one.
At this the told him frankly she did not
admire his style of dancing, which of
course ended the conversation. So he
asked Eer 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. forget what it was,
but know it wound up with the decla-
ration that he adored her and wanted to
marry her.
Its extremely good of you, I'm sure"
said the youngest Miss Browning, calm
ly. "But, uncivil as fear it must sound,
l don't want to marry you"
don't you, by Jove!' said Snooks
hastily. "Well, that's awfully XII No,
nor pulling himself up with start; 81
don't mean that, you know; mean it's
awfully hodrid, you know. In fact,
warming to his work through sheer
"you 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 you did
not speak the truth at first. 1 really be- |
ieve it is kind, my refusing you. And
now, Mr.. Snooks, if were you, should |
90 in and say good night to mamma, be-
cause you have been having a good deal |
Of papa's champagne, and it is trying to
,he constitution"
SnOoks took the hint, bade farewell to
Mrs. Browning, who, to his heated i'm
igination, appeared to regard him with
4 moist and motherly eye, and taking |
arm, drew him out of the
house.
"WellP" said the latter interrogative-
y.
II don't know whether it is we'll or
IL" returned he gloomily. "But fol-
Owed your advice, and proposed to 'em
ALL"
"And they accepted you?"
"The most of EN-. But Lily, the
She"
81 always said she was a sensible
GIRL" put in Mr.. Wilding sotto voce.
"Did you?' with much surprise. |
We'll, she refused me; sort of said she
have me at any price. So you
see you were wrongr'
81 always knew she was one of the
most intelligent girls l ever met" Mr.. |
repeated, in tone so difficult |
that his companion for once had sufli-
cient sense to refrain from demanding
IN explanation.
The next morning. rs Katie Brown