Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-08-23


did not turn and flee as he had suspected
she would, but stood awaiting him, with
calm compOsure worthy of city belle.
"Pardon me, " said Mr.. Moreau, in
venting the first fragrant lie that he could
think of, "but | am one of the trustees
of the Andover District"
The schoolma'am courtesied prettily.
"I'm deeply interested in elementary
education" he went on, and"
"I am sorry" said the pretty girl,
"but it is three o'clock and / am
just going to dismiss the children. Per-
haps you would call tomorrow if you
are staying ID this neighborhood? a"
sob, certainly" said Mr.. Moreau,
with a vagne idea that he was being
baffied by the dimpled, daisy-faced thing,
who could not have been a day over
walking down in the direction of the no.
tel?"
"No," said the blonde, calmly-"I
go up toward Deems Lake."
Baffled again. But Mr.. Mark Moreau
allowed no cloud TO dim the bland
brightness of his visage.
"Ah!" said he. "Then [ will bid you
good-by, hoping that [ may have the
pleasure of meeting you again.
The pretty schoolma'am smiled, color
ed and cOurtesied once again, and then
shut the school-hOuse door.
Mr.. Moreau walked composedly down
the hill.
"She is a little Jewell" said he to
himself; "and she knows her value. I'll
find out who she is, and what she is.
Upon my word, [ haven't seen such a
face in year. I should like to point her
as Hebe, peeping out from a bower of
roses; or Persephone, with both arms
full of flowers. I've always fancied the
idea of wife who should differ from the
rank and file of smiling, simpering,
fashionable women. She's little dis
posed to keep me at arm s-leneth, but l
don't like her the less for that!''
Once under the shelter of the little
inn-a long, struggling, stout building,
which might have been a fortress, or
might have been grist- mill-he casual
ly alluded to his days adventure, as he
sat over his broiled ham and eggs, weak
coffee, and freshly-fried crullers
ooh, by-the-way, SQUIRE" said he to
his landlord Cup In the Adirondacks all
landlords are 'squires, and so is every
body else), CT came across your district
school-house to-day"
odd We, though ?" said the tavern
keeper. oval, now, amt that kind O.
GURUS? Why, it's kep'-the deestrick
school-by my niece, Ketury Spikes !'
Ketnry Spikes ?" repeated Mr..
Moreau, rather taken back.
Somehow he had associated some very
different nomenclature with the fair one
with the golden locks. "Keturah " did
not seem to suit her at all.
eyes, Ketury Spikes, said mine host.
I" Named arter an aunt as was expected
to leave her money, but didn't. Pretty
smart gal, though, Ketury. Don't need
no legacy to boost her along"
Sc [ should think not" remarked Mr.. |
Moreau.
"Got history, Ketury has, went on
the landlord, whose name was LemueI
Stiles.
"Indeed !''
"Dissapp' inted," said Mr.. Stiles.
" Engaged to be married. Young man
give leg bail and enlisted, and went to
Florida to fight the Iniuns. And Ketu-
ry she made VOW"
6 Never to marry ?" asked Moreau,
quickly.
"No, to marry the first identickle |
chap as axed her." retorted Mr.. Stiles,
with q grin. ''Our gals up here in the |
Adirondacks is plucky, they is. But
somehow Ketury never got the chance. |
Fellers is scarce in these parts, We see.
You amt marryin' man, be We, stran- |
ger?" with sudden speculative CLEAN in
his dull eyes.
Moz.oor7 cyooI1oI
81 might be-" said he. ''If you
would kindly give me letter of intro
duction to Miss Spikes, believe l will
try my luck with her. For, to speak |
the truth, [ was exceedingly pleased
with what little / saw of her this morn
ing"
s'Sartin / willl'' said Mr.. Lemuel
Stiles. "And I'll tell you what, stran-
ger, there amt many gals like my niece,
Ketury."
As Mark Moreau sat before the big
fire of logs, which the chilliness of the |
September evening rendered not uncom-
Portable, he smiled to himself with
Mephistophelian satisfaction.
sat all events" he thought, 6 this |
will open the way to pleasant little fir
tation. Aud if worst comes to worst, I |
can but follow the example of the Flori- |
da volunteer"
All that evening Mr.. Stiles, who, ac-
cording to his own frank admission, was
+" no scholard," wrestled with sheet of |
paper musty ink-bottle, and stump
OF pen, and at 10 o'clock produced the |
following document, not without GER
tain grave triumph:
"Neece Kitoorah, this is to interduce mr.. |
mark marc, who Wants Wife and you want
Husband and there's pare of you. From
your afectionete Uncle to Command.
L. STILES"
s. guess that there1l do the bust
ness, said Mr.. Stiles, with pardonable
pride, as he smeared out blot from the
loop of the L with his coat-cuff.
Mark Moreau glanced over it rather
obviously.
&c If she wasn't such a little beauty
he thought, this would seem rather a
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