Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1880-09-08

"Nol" they said in q breath. They
did not mean TO doubt or be impolite;
they only meant surprise.
The entAtci' said HettSi ia 4 Aertts
posed but plainly contemptuous whis-
per. II was a stage whisper.
"Old Major Stene," said Miss Geor-
gle promptly.
"Perhaps Henry Bimms," suggested
Katie, with some sympathy. Then turn.
itik 10 her fatket she said. With b cens
scious blush, ut is very strange, papa,
but I too had o proposal last night
"And 10 had II exclaimed George
and Hetty in a breath.
tacles. He was tae, and pudgy, With
sanity hair and d flabby nose, He was 4
powerful man, too, and one unpleasant
b cpraeto open Huarrel With PFoposab
ia ihs Browning family were few and far
between lin fact curiosities-an md 20
much luck, as the girls described, falling
into one day overpowered him:
Zone 1t q time, MY breath is not what
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 believed-always declared he
was a lean baby "MayI ask the name
Of your lover ?"
"Mr. Snooks," said she, with down,
cast eyes and a timid smile. She took
up the corner Of a cherry-colored bow
that adorned her gown, and fell to admir-
ing it, through what she fondly thought
a bashfulness.
'.Impossible!. exclaimed George an
grily.
"What 4 disgraceful anttuth!" cried
Hetty. hMr. HncBks PROPOSED to me
last night; and I accepted him."
what Is it you say? O, l I'm going
out Of my mind; my senses are deserving
nc" said George, putting her hands to
her head with q dramatic gesture. s.Or
is it q dream that he asked me to marry
him, and that 1 too said 'yes?'"
II seldom visit the clouds" said Lily,
with q short but bitter laugh. "And /
certainly know he made me a noble offer
Of his hand aud heart, both which treas
ures l declined"
"Where?" demanded the other three,
as though With one mouth.
"In the laurel avenue!"
At this they all groancd aloud,
"Peffidious motister!" said Hetty
from her heart.
Sam / to understand" began Mr..
Browning, with suppressed but evident
fury, "that Observation-Disclosures
scoundrel asked yon all to marry him
last night?"
"L wo speak the truth, yes" replied
the girls disinally.
81 can't believe it," said Katie, who
was dissolved in tcars-in fact, "like
Niobe, all tears by this time. "Noth-
ing could be nicer than the way he did it.
His language was perfect, and 80 thor
oughly from the-heart.
che addressed me in a most honora.
bic, upright and Christian fashion, said
Hetty. 81 am sure he meant every
word he said"
She was thinking ~uncasily of that kiss
in the moonlight. Could any one have
seen her? Was old Major Sterne any
where about at that moment?
81 certainly considered his manner
strange, not n bit like what n reads y
said George honestly; "but l thought
Of the title and the property, and / said
yes directly"
81 thought him the very greatest muff
I ever spoke to-" broke in Miss Lily,
with decision. 81 refused him without
a moments hesitation, and told him to
60 home. I'm sure it was well l did. /
daresay if he had stayed here much
longer, he would have proposed to NAM
mn next. and afterwards to the upper
housemaid. I agree with you, papa, the
champagne was too much for him."
ell think he is fond of me-" said
Katie, in a low and trembling tone. Her
fingers are not playing with the cherry
colored bow now, but her cyelids have
borrowed largely of its tint.
Don't be a goose, Katie" said tho
youngest Miss Browning, kindly but
scornfully; "you don't suppose any OF
us would marry him now, after the way
he has behaved. DO have some little
pride"
"Perhaps he is mad" said Hetty
vaguely. just ut this moment, as a slave
to her wounded vanity, she would have
been glad to believe him 50.
mo, my DEAR" declared Lily; "he
has M brains worth turning"
she said something, papa, about call
ing to-day at 4 o'clock" said Kate very
family.
"Then / shall sit here till four" re.
turned Mr.. Browning, in an awful tone.
"I shall sit here until five; and then
shall go out and find that young mar
and give him such ahorse- whipping rs ]
warrant you he never got before III al
his life."
Don't be too hard on him papa,
said Katie weakly.
II shan't my dear, but my whip will,
said pa..a grimly.
So he waited until five; he waited til
half-past five, and then he took up 1
certain heavy gold-knobbel whip thaI
lay stretched on the table is though il
readiness, and sailed forth in search o
Snooks' rooms. And he found them
and Shocks, too-in bed, suffering from
a severe catarrb, caught, l presume, il
the laurel avenue.
And no man knows what he did Il
Shocks. But Mt least he gave him nj
increased desire for his bed, because fol
n fortnight afterwards he never stirred
out Of it.
When Nh. Wilding hcald of this / re
greet to saw he gave way to noisy mirtl
in the privacy OF his chambers; and wa,
actually caught by his washerwoman-
who peeped through the keyhole-per
forming a wild dance in the middle O
the floor.
he Forgot the Bullet.
from the London Telegraph