The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-11-08
MY PROPOSAL.


No, there was no doubt about it; I had
drunk q great deal more than was
good for me, as my aching head and
parched mouth on1y too painfully proved.
1t was not the lobster salad scorned the
deception; it was the champagne. / had
always maintained that picnics were a
mistake, and now l was certain of it.
Do not misunderstood me when l say
picnics are a mistake. Your real, rural,
half-impromptu picnic with a few intimate
friends in some pleasant spot away from
the busy humdrum of everyday life is
pleasant enough; but what 1 inyelgh
against is hat set feast of luxuries, con-
veyed in a perfectly appointed luncheon
basket to some hackneyed feasting place
by .'pampered menials," n in which the
only variety from everyday luncheon con-
sists, is that it is eaten in an uncomfortable
position, instead of the orthodox comfort
able one. And this had been the case yes
terday. Besides, the company had not
been to my taste. Imagine a single man,
or indeed any man picnicking with three
engaged couples. Could the most con-
tented of mortals have been happy
such circumstances?
True, there had been a few odd, middle
aged outsiders, but what of that? All,
what indeed? and as my memory began to
collect its scattered particles, l had more
cause than ever to curse that picnic.
We had been up the river, a party of
twelve; yes, that was it; and finding that
no Establishments on my part could dis
tract the course of true love OF any one OF
the three engaged misses from their faith
full SWANS, I had cen been obliged to fall
back upon one of the todd" members of
the party. Urged on my wild career by
desperation and frequent glasses of cham
payne, l had made violent love to amaiden
lady dwell, of a certain age. She had
been too agreeable, that was her only fault:
What might I not nave committed myself
to in my efforts to drown ennui? Who
knows? perhaps / had proposed to her.
Well, she had been very charming, why
not? Great heavens! she was forty If she
was a day, and perhaps, bah! she was
s'made up" At least, / remember she ap-
pearedto possess a certain amount of good
looks, but how was / to nov that those
dark lashes were not the result of anti
mony; those languishing glances, bella
donna; that complexion arsenic; those del
-icate white hands, bismuthNa now, too,
/ remember that I had promised to call
upon her. She lived at K~ensington. Happy
thought! perhaps l had mislaid her ad-
dress. / jumped off my chair with more alac-
rity han 1 had thought possible, and rum
mayed in my pockets for the card she had
given me. She said, with q b~ewitching
smile, that she was quite sure I should for
get the address unless 1 bad that card.
No u luck; there it was, only too pal
pable to the naked eye. l sat down again
to the pretense of breakfast I had been
making during these reveries. An unwel-
come knock atthed door, followed by a more
unwelcome intruder, put an abrupt end to
them.
"HulIo, Charlie. old man % exclaimed my
hated visitor, show are you? Loo Seedy;
been up all night, or what?"
20, go to the deuce," 1 answered, testify.
"Thanks, you always were a hospitable
kind of fellow, but l hardly expected so
warm a reception as this"
q should addthat the spokesman was my
cousin which NAV acc0npt- nQrhanS. f0r
the lack of ceremony between u.s.
"Well, 1 tell you what it is, Ralph, l am
awfully down on my luck, and don't want
any of your chaff this morning."
so, if it's a matter of a fiver or so, why
didn't you say SO before? You know you
may always count on me to oblige you at a
pinch"
eBosh, my dear fellow, it's not that.
am a little off color, that's all. DON'T you
"Whew-w, I think I do see nowl A
woman in the case, Of curse. What an
awful duffer 1 must lave been not to have
seen it at irsti"
(How l hate the familiarity of relation.
right to pry into and expose all ones per.
sonal affairs. Believe me, relations are a
great mistake. I felt at this moment that !
would gladly have attended the execution
of one n all of mine. There was the
governor-dear old manl-he always took
- 80 AAAA LII bLAlO l. ohOulO
live to make a fool of myself one day, and
there is generally a half truth in what tina
old man observes, but the suspicion that
disagreeable home truths are true, does moi
make them any the more palatable to the
recipient of them, does it?)
"Look here, Ralph" l said, 81 am not In
the humor for humbug this morning, so lei
us drop the subject of my appearance anC
its cause altogether. Have you seen the
cow"
"Yes, saw him just as he was going out
fer his morning constitutional. He leeket
fit enough"
1 WINGED at this overt dig at my tender
spot.
swell, you go down stairs anf
smoke while I finish breakfast and ther
we'll see how to pass an hour or two,n
MY tormentor was gone at last, thanl
goodness; but what was the torment of hi.
presence to that of my own mind?
There was no getting out of it. 1 mus
call upon my elderly charmer and tina
without delay. The longer matters were
put off the worse they would appear.
went down stairs and found RaIpt
smoking. Pah! I could not have smoked
this morning to have saved my life.
II suppose you have nothing to do III
till luncheon time, Ralph? Will you come
for a drive? 1 have a morning call t.
pay"
Thought 50; but why wouldn't yo,
"Time enough for you to know whe1
you've seen her" answered surlily. evil
you come? 1 shall lave to leave you out
side?n
right, old man; anything to further
the interests of a friend.
We drove to Kensington. The brillian
sun seemed to mock my gloomy thoughts
and my spirits fell to zero as weapproachet
the house.
WAS Miss Damian at home?n
Eyes, Miss Damian was at home,n
M " last nnhnla of ocoona x,o- olazz
entered the house and had not been seate,
nv minutes when the door opened and
perfect vision of loneliness greeted nv as
tonished gaze.
Picture to yourself the most beautiful
creature your eye ever rested on, or Won
IMAGINATION c~onJured up in the form of
woman and apply the resultto the presen
case. ~
Her eyes, her complexion, her figure
6uti VIII not attempt to describe them
for fear they should clash with your ind
yidual ideal of beauty, and so DESTROY tn
illusion. 'a
She could not have been more than n,re
teen or twenty. Was this my "elderi'
some mistake. y
The vision came forward with a serapbi
smile of ~ill-disguised amusement at m,
evident astonishment. ~
Miss Damian?" / stammered.
II am Miss Damian, Miss Ethel Damiar
in my aunt's house, and nv aunt Jaiira
me to express her regret at being unabi
to see you this morning. She Caught
slight cold on the river yesterday, but sh
hopes you will call again vely soon"
Ihatv voice! What can 1 liken it to i,
order to convey an idea of its meIIifuon
sound! All the old SMILES of nightingale,
and running water pale before such Der
lection. Pei
II am deli mean 1 am distressed he
warm day."
you appear to find it so; 1 had though
What meant to say was" Il was he
coming more confused and STUMBLING
deeper into difficulties at every stem
fwhat I meant to say was that ] ought T.