The Red Cloud chief., 1882-09-08
MR.. PIPER's PROPOSAL.

MR.. PIPER'S PROPOSAL.
iii ask her to marry me this very
Gay. 10 be sure she's young, but Il
Will renew my youth 10 have her for q
wife. ! must first speak 10 her aunt
and get her consent Uncommon fine
woman is Miss Marcia More suited 10
my age. l dare say, than her pretty
niece; but Mollie ! love. and Mollic I
will marry, il she will have me.
Strange that l should be such a fool
over a girl at my age! Here / have
lived single for fifty years, and have
looked forward 10 spending the rest of
my life in the same peaceful manner;
but rs soon as ! saw Mollie / forgot ali
about that declare | fell in love with
her on the spot! I'm an old fool, but,
as said before. I'll marry her il she
will have me-"
Ibis conclusion was reached by Mr..
Theodore Piper after many hours of
anxious thought, during which he had
viewed the subject from every stand
point, carefully reasoning away all
doubts; for. in spite Of the fact that for
the first time in his life he was in love,
he was not 30 blind that he could not
dimly perceive the folly OF his inten-
tons. lie had lived n bachelor all his
life. feeling no desire TO change his con-
dition, when fate. in the person of Miss
Mollie Danvers. upset all his placid
serenity, scattered 10 the winds his
visions Of a peaceful future Of single
~blessedness, and created within him a
desire To possess her for a wife.
Mollie Danvers was the orphan niece
of Miss Marcia Parmlee, who lived in a
charming cottage on one of the
~pleasanlcst streets of the pretty village
Of C~herryiicld. Upon the death of her
widowed sister. fourteen years before
my story opens, she took her dOubly-
orphaned daughter. then a child of four
years, TO her heart and home. She
never regretted her kindness. for with
the coming Of the bright little fairy 10
her quiet home came also a great
source OF pleasure inio her lonely life.
and she often found herself wondering
what she should do without the mis-
chievous child. who was mt once tho
pride and torment of her existence.
Thus lifo flowed on. calmly and IN
eventually. for ten years. til Mollie was
fourteen. and Miss Marcia decided that
she must 60 away TO school. and receive
the advantages OF a better education
than the village academy afforded; and
she was forthwith sent TO Mime. Blanks
select seminary for young ladies'. stu
ated in a distant city. to go through a
four years course. During the last
veal of her absence ut the school the
population of Cherryficid was increased
by tho arrival Of MIR. Theodore Piper.
who purchased a handsome residence
next door to Miss Parmlee's pretty cot
tage, and settled down with two or
three staid old servants to keep his
household affairs in running order.
Great was the excitement of the old
maid element of the village-Miss Mar
cia excepted-over his coming. and
many were the efforts put forth to at
tract the attention of the wealthy
bachelor, who, however. while polite TO
all, seduously refrained from asking
any of the anxious fair mes TO share his
lot.
lie lived a very quiet life. avoiding
society, as he was very bashful. and it
was some time before he overcame his
aversion 10 females sufficiently To be
neighborly with Miss Marcia; but find
ing, after a while, that she had no de-
signs upon him. and not being SO much
afraid of the kind-hearted, but some
what prim. old maid rs of the rest of
the Chcrryfield spinsters, he gradually
became quite sociable. and often used TO
send her fine fruits and vegetables
from his own garden. Miss Marcia
eia,yht bin, s.a r.yhf nt.a ma ~ and
was often beguiled out of her primness
us they talked in a neighborly fashion
over the garden fence that separated
their respective domains. telling him
of Mollie, and how proud she was oil
her.
Thus things went on until the last
year of Mollie's stay at school drew to
q close. One morning in June. MIR. Pr
per crossed his garden and presented
himself at Miss Parmlee's side door
vfsl Hbasket of very fine strawberries.
u - opened by that usually serene
Ser herself. TO all appearances in a
~ >f great excitement. while from the
glimpse he obtained of the interior of the
cottage he concluded that a revolution
of some sort was going On. After 10
ceiving the berries and thanking him for
them she said:
My niece IS coming home on Sat
urday. l have not een her since her
last vacation, a year ago. She has I'm
ished school now. and is coming home
for good. The house is all upset, but
do come in. won't youP"
Hastily declining her invitation. Mr..
Piper wendell his way oward his domi-
Gle in no pleasant mood at the prospect
of an addition TO his neighbours small
family.
40, deary' he ~groaned. To-day is
Thursday, and she's coming on Sat
urday. Only one more day Of peace
and quietness. Of course she's q Tightly
Young thing, who will upset the whole
neigh orhood with her tantrums. just
as / had got settled and was living qui-
etly, to be tormented so-it is really
too bad"
Thus with great apprehension and
many misgivings on his part and much
scrubbipg. dusting and airing by Miss
Marcia, Friday and Saturday passed.
and lust as the cool summer dusk was
falling, Mollie came.
When she came into the pretty parlor.
her aunt stood still and looked at her.
Such . change Is the last year had
made! Such q very pretty Mollie, blue.
eyed and dimple-cheeked, with mischief
in every flash of the bright eyes. and
in every curve of the pretty mouth.
"Well, auntie. what do you think OF
mel Have l not grown. and am l not
Q very charming young lady?" said
Mollie. with . merry laugh. Is she tossed
her hat in one direction. gloves and
parasol in another, and without waiting
for Q reply 10 her question. proceeded
to inform her aunt that she was despe-
rately hungry.
This awoke Miss Marsia's hospitality,
and busting around. q soon had Mol.
lie seated 1t the Widespread table. "a
whose contents she did ample ~jnstics,
while her aunt. with unusual volubility.
proceeded to enlightsn her in regard =
CherryHeld affairs. not forgetting n
mention Mr.. liper. and say ..sach !
nice man, dear! only very bashful;
know you win like him"
After To repast WA finished Motile
bads her amt goodnight and retired
70 clooo her blue eves in siunsbor snf
--a-