Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1882-03-01
HOW IT WAS DONE.

HOW IT WAS DONE.
Church Torrington was perhaps the
greatest coward in New York.
Don't misunderstood us, gentle read
er-physicalIy speaking our young hero
was as brave as Bayard, as dauatless as
C@ur de Lion. But it was where the
fair sex was concerned that Mr.. Tor
rington became a poltroon. A gentle
glance from pair of blue eyes was
enough to throw him into cold per-
spiration at any time.
As one by one the companions of his
boyhood and early youth vanished out
I of the path Of bacnelorhnod and entered
into the promised land of matrimony,
NChurch Torripgton viewed them with n
mot unenvious mind.
"How the mischief did they muster
Sup courage enough to do it?" was his
&internal reflection.
And Harry Leslie, wag of forty, who
always had knack of finding out every
body else's weak points, said:
"All Of that set are married except
Church Torrington, and he'll be a bach
elor all the days of his life because he
hasn't got the courage to ask any girl to
have him. ] don't know, though, eth
er," he added refectively. "Wait till
leap year comes round again there may
be chance for him then"
Nevertheless, in the face of all these
obstacles, Church Torrington was in
Hove. a.n.
Miss Violet Purple was as pretty and
blooming a little lassie as ever tripped
down the sunny side of Broadway under
a thread-lac parasol on q June after
noon. She WIS very plump and rather
small, with soft blue gray eyes, eye
brows like twin arches of jet, shining
( chestnut hair like white velvet, Just
4 flushed with the softest pink on either
dimpled cheek.
And she had way of carrying her
head piquantly on one side, spoke with
the slightest possible OF lisps, always
wore rose III her hair, and was alto
Sgether precisely the sort of o girl mans
fancy was apt to coniure up when he
&thought of the possibility of wife TO
7cheer the gloom of his solitary home.
a Violet Purple was born to be married
You couldn't think of her as an old
maid any more than you could think OF
Strawberries without cream, or a SATIN
slipper without dainty foot to fit it;
and, whenever she thought of the PROB
ability Of the catastrophe, n face like the
mustacEed physiognomy of Mr.. Church
Torrington outlined itself through the
misty vapors of her day
But Mr.. Church was so dreadfully
bashful-he wouldn't propose-an and poor
little Violet was nearly at her wits end
what to do in this dire perplexity. A
girl of any delicacy can't very well ask a
man to have her, and Violet had done
everything else. She had smiled sweet
ly upon him, given him rose buds out of
her ball bouquets, sent him embroidered
cigar cases, and returned gentle press
ure when he had ventured to squeeze
her hand at parting; and what, we ask
the reader, could girl do more2
And still, in spite of all this, Mr.. Tor
rngton persisted in keeping his love to
himself. In vain Aunt Sarepta took her
up stairs, and left the drawing-room free
10 twilight and the lovers-in vain Vio-
let put on her prettiest dresses and curled
her hair, with special eye to Mr.. Tor
rington's taste.
Old Mr.. Purple--whose name was not
bad description Of the general hue Of
ms face-began to wonder what in the
world young Tcrrington meant by COM
ing here so much and keeping better
men away" !" and hinted very broadly at
the propriety Of yiolet's being more gra-
cious 10 certain banker, friend Of his,
who was supposed to be especially at
facted by the blue gray eyes and tho
Jet arched brows.
And little Violet took to crying at
night on her lace-edged pillows, and
Aunt Sarepta, tall, spare, maiden lady,
who had only recently come mp from
The country TO take charge of her
brothers household, scarcely knew
what to do,
Violet" quoth the aunt, "what ails
ym"
II don't know, aunt"
How long has Mr.. Torrington been
Visiting hereY"
Il don't know; about three years."
Does he care for you, Vioietf'
don't know, aunt" she replied,
olushing and rosy.