The daily gazette., 1880-12-09
Written for the Gazette.
ONLY IN FUN.
BY DELAWARE,

Maynard sat reading.
"No, Auntie, l have not seen him
since dinner. Did you want him for
anything particular ?"
81 wanted him to go to the postof- |
ice your uncle will be tired when he |
comes in, and will want the paper.
lie is expecting letter, too, l think"
There was a momentary struggle |
between kindness and selfshness in
Alice's heart, for the book she was
reading was an interesting one and
it was half mile to the village post
Office, but kindness gained the victory;
and she answered pleasantly, 'I'll 60
for the mail, Aunt Minnie"
swell wait a minute-here is q let
ter | want posted" said Mrs. Howard,
then she added to herself as Alice ran
up stairs for her hat, "Dear Child,
what should do without her !" She
had found warm place in her aunt's
heart when she came to her an orphan
three years ago, and now she seemed
almost as dear as an own child.
Alice put on her hat, and casting
look at the fair, sweet face reflected in
her mirror, started on her walk. She
soon reached the postoffice where she
received beside the paper and letter
Tor her uncle, letter for herself.
81 wonder whoA this can be FROM"
thought she as she broke the seal,
"Oh that tiresome Win Fordham.
What could he have written to me forP
Guess uncle would tease me ifhe knew
it but he shall know nothing about it
so there and finishing reading it she
threw it in the envelope and put it in
her pocket.
1t was lovely autumn afternoon.
Quite too lovely to spend in doors,
Alice thought SO she turned aside into
the woods, adjoining her uncle's
grounds, for stroll. Coming to lit
tie stream that wended its way over
mess-covered stones through the
woods, and finding s. cluded spot she
sat down to rest and soon was deep
in her favorite occupation of day
dreaming. She was aroused from the
reverie into which she had fallen by
the sound of voices near her /; and look
ing up she saw two yound ladies of her
iCtulllbhuNC1 OhiJ U iON
steps apart from where she sat. She
was about to call to them, when the
words of their conversation caught her
ear, and held her spell bound. The
words she heard were these
"Jessie do you think Fred Walton
cares anything for Alice Maynard ?''
"Well, don't know. He pays heI
a good deal Of attention but that
may be because she is SO intimate with
his sister,"
"One thing is certain she cares fo,
him, whether he does for her or not. ,
"Do you think so? Oh Laura, lePi
find out whether she does or not"
And Jessie Mills eyes sparkled will
| fun.
"What mischief do you propose get
ting into noW, Jessie Have you for
gotten your last attempt at fun ; anC
how it ended ?'
"No, no, but this will be such fun
| you come up to our house Tomorrow
afternoon and we will write Alice
letter--a proposal of marriage and sigl
| Fred's name to it. | heard her sa
Yesterday she had never seen his writ
ing. We can send little Sam jackson
with it, and he can bring the answe
back to us. Oh, won't we tease Alice
Pm most sure she will say yes. Blu
come it's time we were going"
Picking up the baskets filled witt
ferns and bright leaves, the girls start
ed in the direction of the village leav
ing Alice to say the least, very indig
nant at what she had heard.
Well, girls % she exclaimed as 500
as they were out of hearing, "Yo
have laid nice plan must say, but
don't think it will turn out as yo
think it will. How lucky that hear
you for''-but Alice will not think Q
what the answer might have been,
she had not heard. Rising she pur
sued her way homeward, but so occu
pied was she with what she had jus
heard, when she reached the house sh
walked into DR.. Howard's study an
hauded him with the paper her owi
letter instead of his.
Now DIR. Howard, seeing the letter ii
rected to himself in Alice's hand, sa,
the mistake at once, but being fond of
joke said nothing but took the lette
aud read it. When he had finished h
gave a low whistle which caused Alic
to look up.
mPretty good, Alice, but didn't kno '
Fordham was sweet on you"
"Uncle what have you done? HoS
could you"
| "WhyW asked the Doctor innocently
you handed it TO me" and he laughed
Alice left the room hastily and went vi
stairs. "Now,I guess I'll see no peace TO
week. said she as she entered her owl
room. "It's all because l was thinking
of that plot those girls have made.
wonld ike to shake that Jessie Mills; sh,
| is always into some mischief"
There came knock at the door, and {
| ohlId's voice saying, "Cousin Alice
| mamma says come down to supper"
"Tell auntie | don't want any supper
| and won't be down any more tonight,
| reDhed A lice, and fastening the door
she knelt down and repeated her eve
| ming prayer, and was soon ready foI
he'd: hut it was long time before sleep
visited her pillow that night.
The next afternoon as Alice set in the
norch. with her sewing she saw Sam
j ackson coming up the walk with a
letter, which proved TO De the one SHE
was expecting. AS she read u she could
not restrain a merry peal of laughter,
when she thought of what pains the
girls must have taken to write 1t. Coil e
into the house she wrote most en-
nbatic refusal OF the honor conferred
nnon her; and returning gave 1t to Sam
who Immediately took his departure.
But Laura and Jessie waited in vain
far his coming. 1t had not occurred to
them tn at he could read, but so he could,
and he had not gone far before he
tboueht he would look at the writing
"Hn1io bow's this? L AM to take this
-.-n u tha lndiaa and II Is addressed