Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-07-28
MIR. PIpER,s PROPOSAL.

will renew my youth to have her for
wife. must first speak to her aunt
and get her consent, Uncommon fine
woman is Miss Marcia More suited to
my age, dare say, than her pretty
niece; but Mollie love, and Mollie l
will marry, if she will have me.
Strange that l should be such fool
over girl at my age! Here l have
lived single for fifty years, and have
looked forward to spending the rest OF
nv life in the same peaceful manner;
but as soon as saw Mollie forgot all
about that. declare j fell in love with
her on the spot! I'm an old fool, but,
as / said before, I'll marry her if she
will have me-"
This 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 so blind that he could not
dimly perceive the folly of his inten-
tions. He had lived 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 to the winds his
visions of peaceful future of single
blessedness, and created within him q
desire to possess her for wife.
Mollie Danvers was the orphan niece
of Miss Marcia Parmlee, who lived in a
charming cottage on one of the
pleasantest streets of the pretty village
of Cherrytield. Upon the death of her
widowed sister, fourteen years before
my story opens, she took her doubly-
orphaned daughter, then 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 great
source of pleasure into her lonely life,
and she often found herself wondering
what she should do without the mis-
chievous child, who was at once the
pride and torment of her existence.
Thus life flowed on, calmly and un-
eventually, for ten years, till Mollie was
fourteen, and Miss Marcia decided that
she must go away to school, and receive
the advantages of better education
than the village academy afforded; and
she was forthwith sent to Mme Blank s
select seminary for young ladies, stu-
ated in a distant city, to go through a
four years course. During the last
year of her absence at the school the
population of Cherryfeld was increased
by the arrival of MIR. Theodore Piper,
who purchased 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 ones to share his
lot.
He lived very quiet life, avoiding
society, as he was very bashful, and il
was some time before he overcame his
aversion TO females sufficiently to be
neighborly with Miss Marcia; but find
ing, after 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 as of the rest OF
the Cherryfield spinsters, he gradually
became quite sociable, and often used tc
send her fine fruits and vegetables
from his own garden. Miss Marcia
thought him "a right nice man," anC
was often beguiled out of her primness
as they talked in neighborly fashion
over the garden fence that separated
their respective domains, telling hin
of Mollie, and how proud she was O
her.
Thus things went on until the las
year of Mollie's stay at school drew t.
close. One morning in June, Mr. Pi
per crossed his garden and presented
himself at Miss Parmlee's side doc
with basket of very fine Strawberries
1t was opened by that usually seren
spinster herseS, to all appearances in
state of great excitement, while from tn
glimpse he obtained of the interior of tn,
cottage he concluded that revolution
of some sort was going on. After re
ceiving the berries and thanking him TO
them, she said:
My niece is coming home on Sat
urday. j have not seen her since he
last vacation, year ago. She has fin
ished school now, and is coming hom
for good. The house is all upset, bu
do.come in, won't youP''
Hastily declining her invitation, MI
Piper wended his way toward his DOM
cile in no pleasant mood at the prospec
of en- addition to his neighbor's smal
family. rr
90, !dear!'' he groaned. "To-day
Thursday, and she's coming on Sa
urday. Only one more day of peac
and quietness. OF course she's flight
young thing, who will upset the whol
neighborhood with her tantrums. jus
as had got settled and was living qu
etly, to be tormented so-it is reall
too bad" t.r l...
Thus with great apprehension an
many misgivings on his part, and muc
scrubbiDg, dusting and airing by Nil
Marcia, Friday and Saturday passe,
and just as the cool summer dusk wa
falling, Mollie came.
When she came into the pretty parlo
her aunt stood still and looked at he
Such o change as the last year ha
made! Such a very pretty Mollie, blu
eyed and dimple-cheeked, with mischi
in every flash of the bright eyes, an
ineyery curve Of the pretty mouth.
cWen, ,auntie, what do you think
mePs . Have | not grown. and am / N
very charming young ladyp" sa
Mollie, with a merry laugh, as she toss,
her hat in one direction. gloves al
parasol in another, and without waitil
for reply to her question. proceed
toinforIn her aunt that she was desp
rately hungry.
This awoke Miss Marcia hospitalit
and bustling around, she soon had Nj
lie seated at the Widespread table,
whose contents she did ample justi,
while her aunt, with unusual volubilit
proceeded to enlighten her in regard
Cherryfield affairs, not forgetting
mention Mr.. Piper, and say "such
nice man, dear! only very bashful
know you will like him.
After the repast was finished Mol
babe her aunt goodnight and retire
TO close her blue eyes in siumber a
dream Of handsome Jack Morris,
whom she was engaged.