The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-10-25

lnfantlle peruSal OF The newspapers
which ut the age of 10 she read regu-
larly, and with great fidelity to detail
she CLEANED the information that Idaho
was the home of the Arapahoe Indians,
and at once identified MIR. Gordon with
the noble sons of the forest, and pic
tured him to herself as ferocious per-
son of carrine hue (having seen In
dians alluded to in the public prints as
red men) carry ing constantly with him
a large supply of tomahawks and other
destructive cutlery. while there dangled
at his belt long string of particularly
CORY scalps. When, with increasing
years, came the knowledge that her
fathers friend was not an Indian, Mol
lie stuck heroically to the name, and
persistently alluded to him as ''the
Arapahoe.
1t had always been fancy of Mr..
Henderson's that he should like to see
his daughter married to the son of his
old friend, and he had not failed to
mention the fact to Mollie when that
young lady reached the age at which
the feminine mind is supposed to take
more or less interest in such subjects.
dainfully through her retroatsse nose,
and replied that she hoped papa would
succeed in getting rid of her to some
aborigine, throwing out at the same
time dark hints to the effect that in
case the child of the prairie should
suddenly become deceased, she had no
doubt Mr.. Barnum would part with one
of his wild men from Borneo in order
that all hopes of a suitable alliance for
her might not be frustrated. At the
close of one of these outbursts she
would generally weep copiously, which
action always reduced Mr.. Henderson
to state of servile humility and in
sured Miss Mollie immunity from fur
ther allusion to matrimony for at least
month.
But now the young map who had
fitted in such will-o'-the-wisp fashion
before her mental vision for so many
years was coming to New York. The
trip was to be made, his father had
written Mr. Henderson, for the double
purpose of giving ''the boy" Che was
26) chance to see the sights of great
city and affording the elder gentleman
an opportunity Of revisiting the scenes
of his youth, which, as Mr.. Henderson
parenthetically informed Mollie, while
reading the letter to her, were about
four miles back of New London, Conn,
and not, so far as he was aware, of a
particularly inspiring character.
Now Pansy, darling" said Mr.. Hen
derson, when the letter-reading was
finished, Il don't want you to marry
young Gordon or any one else unless
you do SO entirely of your own accord.
But | do want you to treat him well,
and make his stay as pleasant as pos
sible."
''Of course I'll do that, papa" said
Mollie, dutifully, as she sat upon the
sofa tapping one little foot with the
other and gazing upon the operation
in reflective manner "Of course L
shalt Is felittss ia ta,Ihfi him Ra,dh dhu ureahpl"| esa3
live among the prairie dogs and sleep in
a wigwam."
The day of the Gordons' arrival was
a momentous one for Mollie, and when,
seeing her father enter the house with
two men, one of middle age and the
other young, she descended to the par
lor, it was with a feeling of some trepi-
dation, as she naturally concluded Mr..
Gordon entertained ideas reciprocal to
those of her father on the subject OF a
matrimonial alliance between the two
families, and had communicated them
to his son. The elder Mr.. Gordon was
first presented, and Mollie found him
anything but an Indian in looks or
manner. The son, Johnnie" as his
father persisted in calling him, was a
grave, dignified young fellow, and re-
turned Mollie's rather formal and
somewhat distant greeting in an equal
" ceremonious and remote manner.
Their conversation was not at first par
ticularly interesting or brilliant. In
lieu of more suggestive topic Mollie
ventured a few remarks concern
ing the weather, but, young Mr..
Gordon appearing not to take the
slightest interest in the existent mete-
geological conditions, she was speedily
reduced to state of hopeless imbecili-
ty, so far as conversation was concern
ed. But presently she revived some
what and essayed another attack. Had
Il.
how did it impress him?
Mr.. Gordon's observation of the me-
tropolis, it appeared, had not been OF an
extensive character, and he was not,
therefore, prepared to commit himself
as to its general appearance. He then
ventured the assertion that Miss MOllie
had probably often seen the ocean,
Mollie at once admitted being on
terms of personal intimacy with that
body of water, and went on to describe
with girlish enthusiasm the beauties OF
the Atlantic. telling how its apparently
limitless area always impressed her,
and then dilated on the grandeur of the
scene when the vast billows, driven by
the mighty energy of gale, came
leaping shoreward with resistless force.
their foam-crowned SUBMITS showing
white and haggard against the dull gray
of cloud-ridden sky, while here and
there vessel tossing helplessly in the
caldron of the tempest attracted atten-
ton and pity. She was getting on
famously, when the young man sud-
denly interjected query as to whether
mackerel were not caught in the ocean
Mollie replied that they certainl.
were-at least she had so read il
books. Personally, however, (with |
charming sniff through the tip-tilteG
nose), she knew nothing at all of tn,
matter
II like mackerel," said young Mr.
Gordon, especially when they ar,
served with baked potatoes and toast. ;
And having delivered himself of thi
edifying astronomical sentiment h
gazed abstractedly at the toe of hi
boot and appeared to be enjoying
revery in which unlimited mackere
and countless baked potatoes were con
stantly passing before his enrapturet
vision.
There is some lovely needlework a
the Art Exposition. suddenly exclaim
ed Mollie, she having performed in tn
mental ocean of her thoughts the nauti
cal operation known as '.jibing." whicl
consists in irstantaneously altering
your course Without much regard t.
how it is done.
Young Mr.. Gordon recalled himsel
from the mystic dreamland of mackeve