The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-02-11

ing out for a wife before longP"
IL don't KNOW" said Esther, and
in her embarrassment dropping half 8
dozen stitches from the stocking which
she held in her hand.
mot that | approve of marriage-ai
least, In my own case" said Philip. nci
noticing this little demonstration, 'sbui
it may be different with Mr.. Bigelow. =
He has no sister to superintend his es-
Enlistment. 1 don't know, however,
whether there is anybody like to suit
him in this village. Let me see-there
is Miss Preston; she might do"
mo, Idon't think she would suit him
at ALL" said Esther, with a spirit which
considerably surprised her BROTHER
''She knows very little about housekeep-
ing"
a.Why. l thought you and Miss Pres
ton were friends said Philip d little
puzzled.
"'Well, so are we," returned Esther
in her usual tone; s.but IL hardly
think she would suit MIR. Bigelow."
perhaps not,n he rejoined, and so
the conversation ended.
From the conversation which we have
recorded above the reader will obtain
some insight into the character OF
Esther's feelings towards Mr.. Bigelow.
She would hardly confess it to herself;
l,ut, as a matter of fact, her ideas OF
marriage had suffered q material change
within a brief period
Meanwhile the gentleman cont aucd
his visits. Of.entimes he would ask 10
see the bed Of flowers on which Estner
rather prided LersoE, and sometimes
he would petition for seeds, being very
fond of flowers, rs he said, and very
anxious to introduce them in his own
garden.
On one of these occasions Mr.. Bige-
low, after a little visible embarrassment,
lid. Eesitat;ngly:
II would like to ask your advice, Miss
Esther, on rather a delicate subject, and
one of great importance to myself.
There is one thing | wish to secure t.
nake ry establishment complete, b.:
! hardly know in what manner to ask
for t."
What is it you refer TOP" asked
Esther, uIsuspiciously.
"a wife, WIS the significant reply.
Instantly a deep crimson flushed
Esther's checks. She did not trust hcr-
self to speak.
..Need / say that you are the one
whom of all others 1 would seek to place
in that position?"
He took her unresisting hand and
kissed it with all tho ~gallant:y of o
young lover.
'But what will my brother sayp" in
quired Esther, when she found voice to
speak.
What should he sayp You are yous
W mistress, surely"
"Yes, but he is always ridicu!iug the
idea of marriage, and couldn't venture
to tell him."
mo need of it. Let's nun away to
New York and getmarriei. You know"
he added gaily, WI "a both young and
romantic. and it would be quite In
character"
Esther at first objected. but when she
came to consider that In this way she
would be relieved Of . great portion of
the embarrassment which such o step
would naturally bring with it. she con-
scented, and that day week was appoint
ed for the departure. She required this
time to make preparations.
Meanwhile, If Esther had not been SO
exclusively occupied with her own af-
fairs, she might have noticed that o
change had come over Philip. He was
often absent evenings, and when at
homo was more silent and distracted
than his wont. The former she readily
attributed to the cause which he assign
cd, namely, q pressure of business.
The latter she did not observe, her
mind being ~pre-occupied. We, who are
In the secret, may take the liberty of
following him on one of his business
calls. It was at a neat cottage, from
whose front door dangled an immense
knocker, that Philip Mason knocked.
Tho door vas opened by the same Miss
Preston, who, some months before, he
thought might do" for Mr.. Bigelow.
! "Good evening, Maria" was his
salution as he entered. After q brief
conversation about the weather, the
crops and other standard topics, which,
however trivial they may seem, could
hardly be dispensed with, he began to
show signs of embarrassment, and final
ly calculated:
"Maria-Miss Preston-Imean Maria,
what are your opinions about mar
riager
"Why," said she, II hardly know. 1
Il don't think l have given much con-
alteration to the subject"
because" continued Philip, 81 find
my opinions have suffered . great
change on this point There was a
time when I thought it unwise, but now
If could get a good wife, such as you
for example, 1 should be inclined to try
It."
80, lor, Mr.. Manson" said Miss
Pceston, in some perturbation, show
you talk"
Five minutes afterwards Miss Preston
bad accepted tho proposal of Philip,
and the two were, to all intents and
purposes, engaged.
''The only thing l think Of" said the
gentleman, after o pause, sis that my
sister Esther is a decided enemy to
marriage, and hardly dare tell her
that / IN about to marry. II we only
go away and have tho ceremony per-
formed it would be ~pleasanter."
Suppose we go to New York." sug-
gested the bride-elect.
"a good idea. Well go. When can
you be readyP"
Next Monday morning"
So next Monday morning was agreed
upon. 1t 30 happened that Esther was
TO start on Monday afternoon for the
same place, with tho same purpose in
view-but Of this coincidence neither
party was aw9sc.
The reader will please 60 forward q
week. By this time the respective
parties have reached New York, united
in the holy bonds Of matrimony, and
are now legally husband and wife.
They were located at hotels situated on
the same street, and eve on the same
side of the way, but were far from be-
ing aware of the ~propinquity. On the
morning succeeding tho two marriages,
for by . singular chance they happened
on the same day, Mr.. Bigelow and
Esther started out for q walk down