Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-06-22
MAJOR GLINToN'S MISTAKE.

courageous fellows in the world, accord
ng to the men who knew him; but when
the ladies of his acquaintance heard this
opinion, they laughed it to scorn, for they
considered him the most timid creature
they had ever seen. He was very fond
of ladies' society, they said, or he would
not spend all his evenings at parties or
making calls; yet no one lady, old or
young, single or married, had ever
known him to express his regard in any
way that was not extremely decorous
and formal. Flirt? They would as
soon think Of tombstone or telegraph
pole attempting to flirt. Most OF the
Majors male acquaintance carried scars
on their hearts, as results either of at
tacks more honorable than judicious, or
ofsudden surprise by fair skirmishers;
but no one could imagine the Major to
have suffered anv such mishap, for he
not only made no reconnoisances, but
always retired precipitately within HIM
self at the first flash of pair Of eyes lev
eled directly at him.
The truth was that the brave Major
en-, Lut he was painfully bashful beside.
The only desire of his life was to marry,
which he was financially able to do, but
the important preliminary step of pro-
posing was one he had never dared to
take. Until he had reached adult years
he had met scarcely a woman but his
two orphaned sisters, to whom he had
tried to be father, and upon whose rare
parity and sweetness had based his idea
OF womanhood. Both married and went
far from their old home, so they could
not help him to gain wife by disabus-
ing him of his impression that all wonl~
en- were too good for him. To Clinton
nearly every woman appeared saint.
He worshiped one after another, al
though only one at time, and his tastes
were so correct that he was obliged to
change his divinity about once in three
months to avoid worshiping an
Other mans wife. Whenever an old
scar healed and delicious throbbing of
the heart told of a new dart that had
found its way to his heart, he vowed
solemny to propose at once, and vary
the dreadful monotony or having anoth-
er man step in before him. And each
time he delayed, just for day of week
or because he feared too much, or hoped
too wildly, and every time he waited a
little too long-every time but one.
For when the Major met Alice Wall
erson he felt, that to lose her, too.
would be more than his life could en-
dure. She was pretty, as all woman
seemed to the Major. She was good |,
and she was sweet, the Major was sure,
else why were all other women so re-
markably fond of her? Best of all, she
seemed the most modest and bashful
maiden in the whole circle of his ac-
quaintance, and through these qualities
would be able to offer him sympathy
with feelings that all other people re-
garded with provoking smiles.
But how should he propose? Being
woman, her bashful nature must be
far more sensitive than his own, so even
if he were to nerve himself to the or
deal, how could be be enough of brute
to inflict greater trepidation upon her,
if he loyed her? Even were she favor
ably disposed toward him, he was sure
that listening to proposal would put
much more dreadful would it be, then,
for her to listen to him should she nov
be favorably disposed.
+ He knew that she always looked at
him pleasantly; he ielt that she had
been even grateful to thim one evening,
when both, at a party, and both. through
timidity, retired to the same half-hid
den corner of the drawing roo II, each
innocent of the approach of the other,
and each over-anNlous, on meeting, to
show that the affair was q mere acci-
dent. This was the only basis of Glin-
toms hope, ard yet-he had been dis
appointed so many times he could nos
bear to think of failure now.
He made several calls, with the inten-
ton of proposing, but every time his
courage failed him; besides, Mrs. Wal
lerson or Alice's sister Nell were always
in the parlor. Of course he could not
say before two what be dreaded to say
even with a single hearer. Worse still,
Miss Nell who was brilliant brunette
of the irrepressible species, could not
avoid teasing him slyly at every posi-
BILE opportunity, and he Away lost his
tongue under her onslaughts.
Then he tried to propose in writing,
and for week OF evenings he wrote
steadily, with no more satisfactory result
than note to Mrs. Walierson, in which
he intended to enclose his proposal
Chance finally came in play to his aid.
Miss Nell, as ore of a trio Of girls, who
had devised surprise party for a re-
Gently married friend, wrote to the Maj
or about the project, and begged that he
would call and give her some assistance
among their mutual acquaintance
among gentleman. AS the Major read
her note brilliant thought occurred to
him. While talking business Miss Nell
would certainly not endeayor to tease
him; his bashfulness never troubled
him while talking with ladies on any
subject requiring common sense, cpn-
ion and executive ability; he should
therefore, be able to feel t ease with
Nell, and while in that unusual condi.
ton he would make confident of her
and ask her advice and assistance. He
would try to talk to her as if she were
man; he felt equal to almost any de-
gree of rashness when he thought of
how many times before he had re-
solved and failed.
So the Major went to the Wallerson
home on the evening appointed by mis-
chievous Miss Nell, with stouter heart
than he had felt outside Of business
hours, since the war ended He ar
ranged with the youn0 lady to bring all
his male friends into the surprise party
and she rather confused by her new
view of the majors character, was most
ELUSIVE in thanks, and being only TWEEN.
ty-three years Of age and no older than
her years signifed, was completely as
founded by the Majors GOODNESS. She
could not help betraving her curiosity;
she looked at the Major nauiringly,
he dropped into reveries, and she said