Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-02-27
A Neat Way to Propose.


Dr.. Gresham, threw himself YEARLY
into the great arm chair in Mrs. Hyle's
cozy sitting room. He had Just re.
turned from q professional visit, and
long ride in the cold and wind had
given him severe headache. The doc.
tor was Mrs. Hyde's boarder, but he
had been 80 long in the family that he
seemed like one of them. 90, OIL.
Queenie Brian, Mrs. Hyde's niece,
sat by the window. busy with some
needle-worE.
Qusenic was a brilliant, slender little
thing of seventeen, with short, boyish
ourls and big, roguish brown eyes.
On the death of her parents years
before, she had been adopted by her
aunt. Queenie was Maynard, willful
and bewltching, and ruled right royalty
in the little village of Wayland. Her
cousins, Tom and Johnny Hyde, were
her devoted slaves, and she alternately
petted and leased them. Only Of Dr..
Gresham was she shy and sometimes
he even was not quite safe from her
wild pranks. But 'afterward he would
invariably find u peace. offering in the
shape OF sone favorite delicacy on the
tea. table, or perhaps, his dressing gown
and slippers comfortably warmed and
ready for him on his return from
long, tedious ride.
1t is not to be supposed, however.
shat she confessed to any of these
weaknesses. am afraid, on the con
trary, that my small heroine manufac
tured innumerable fbs when ques-
toned closely. ..
DR.. Gersham had grown wise through
experience and generally accepted these
little fayors with smile and but few
words. r.,. .f..H
a On the morning of the opening of
my story, as the figure in the arm chair
gave a sigh of WEAKNESS and pain,
from the room. She returned presently
with al armful OF cushions, which she
arranged invitingly on the lounge, and
wheeling it closer to him, motioned the
doctor to the impromptu couch.
He smiled and obeyed her gesture,
catching her hands as lie sank back on
the pillows. ~
why did you do this, Queenie 2"
She lauged archly, trying to release
herself.
81 don't know guess because
love you" 10 '.~
do you-do you?" he asked, his
face flushed eagerly. 81 ;,I
Il don't know. Do you love me y
All! have you need to ask me that,
grille? Kiss me " ..''
He endeavored to draw her face down
to his. but she slipped from his grasp.
81 shall not kiss you, because the
man whom kiss Of my own free will,
will be my future husband" and away
abe danced, saluting Tom in the hall
with merry jest. ,,
DR.. Gresham sighed.
"She is only a child" he said; a
bright, beautiful, happy child. will
be thirty.two years old to- morrow-too
old and steady for a little humming
bird like Queenie."
Several evenings later Queenie en-
tered the library where the doctor sat
reading his journal.
doctor, see if don't look nice"
"Oh, don't bother me, he answered
shortly, burying himself still deeper in
his journal.
Humph! Cross thing! am going
with Charlie Will skating on the creek.
There is sure to be crowd, and want
to know if look nice"
He put his paper aside and looked at
her. 1t was impossible to help admir-
ing Queenie at any time, and in her
jaunty skating costume she was more
bewitching than ever. But the doctor
only said, as he struggled with the pas.
sionate love in his heart
" Iou are a very vain little thing
you look we'll enough"
-Queenie shook her skates together
with a musical clash, tried to frown on
him, and laughed instead, then asked
with mock gravity -
DO you love me US well as you did
last Tuesday,
"Yes."
Queenie hesitated "a moment, swayed
tward him, roguish dimple coming
~ one corner of her mouth; then bel
Wa.n breath swept his face, as, with a
M.iden movement, she turned and left
ne prints of her wicked white teeth on
his cheek! The next instant she had
flown. while her tantalizing laugh
foated back to the solitary man sitting
in the library.
Dr. Gresham was great lover OF
music, and a handsome organ, his
property, occupied one corner of the