Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-03-12
OLYMPIA WASHINGTON TERRITORY FRIDAY MARCH 12 $780,

! Uoou tnofuluS, MT. FOpkluS
Where might you be going, and
what for ?"
"To Harrow" said Mr.. Popkins,
in his most polite man, answering
the first question and ignoring the
last.
"Do tell" and the round face
fairly beemed with placid surprise.
"Going to marry? Well, 1 told
Hester last night that was the besl
way to settle the suit, after all.
There amt no more capable girl
anywhere than Sallie, and I'm glad
you found it out. Aud Mr.. Pop.
kins is wonderful clever" turning
to Sallie, "and instead of there be.
ing two farms and lawsuit, there
need be only one. Law bless mel
rubbing his hands with increased sat-
isfaction, elf it amt a tip-top ar.
rangement!'
Mr.. Popkins clutched at his throat
as if he were choking to death, and
made spasmodic efforts to utter a
word of explanation but bis tongue
was utterly palsicd, and failed him
in the emergency. Miss Sallie, with
her face the deepest rose color.
placed her hand to her mouth and
shouted 80 as to startle the horses
am going to see Mr.. Stiles on
business!
Oh, day of blunders! Mr.. Stiles
was her lawyer, but the unfortunate
girl was unaware that Presbyterian
minister had the same delightful
cognomen.
"Mr. Stiles" said our friend,
well, I have heard him we'll spoken
Of; but I never expected you, Sallie,
Baptist, to be married by any one
but a minister of your own church.
But suppose you gave way to Mr..
Popkins, and it shows downright
good disposition"
Miss Sallie gave up in dispair,
and looked tixedly out of the WIN
dow, while Mr.. Fopkins' lips moved
occasionally, as though he were ask
ing for water. But the unconscious
cause OF the turmoil sat serene and
happy, indulging in an occasional
chucklo and knowing glance at Mr..
Popkins; but at this moment he saw
he had arrived at his destination,
and, wishing his victims much hap
piness, he left them to their thoughts.
The human heart is strange af-
fair, to say the least of it. Had any
one advised Mr.. Popkins to marry
Sallie, be would have rejected the
idea Immediately, and she herself
would have taken it as an insult;
but the totally unexpected manner
in which the matter had been
brought up, made altogether diff
ferent affair of it. He stole q glance
at Miss Sallie. Her face was turned
away, ard she was apparently study
ing nature. She was pretty, Mr..
Popkins couldn't deny that. What
if-if-and his heart gave tremend-
GUS bound. What fool he had
been all this time! He must try at
any rate, and risk repulse. So,
without any more hesitation, for our
hero was brave, he took Uncle Ben's
seat and said quietly:
Miss Sallie.
The face turned the eighteenth
part of an inch toward him. Not
much encouragement, certainly, bu:
q little.
"Miss Sallie," he repeated, 81
have been fool and a brute"
Oh, wise Mr.. Popkins. he had
started on the direct road to wo-
mans heart. Either from contrari-
ness or a sense of justice. they al
ways take the opposite side. Miss
Sallie made up her mind from this
moment that he was q gentleman
and second Solomon, and she
turned her face completely round
for him to admire.
"Do you Think" he continued,
4" that we can settle this lawsuit IN
the sensible manner suggested by
Uncle Ben? d. love you, Miss
Sallie, and by George, 1 believe l
loved you oil the time, and never
knew it until to-day"
Miss Sallie was completely van
quished, but the answer, although
whispered, was heard above the
noise of the wheels and the crack OF
the drivers whip.
The suit of Popkins rs. Hopkins
was dismissed that day. The Bap-
tist minister got fee, and the peo-
pie are firmly Convinced that Mr..
and Mrs. Popkins are the best
hands i'll the world to keep secret.