The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-06-01

any manner related To me. There was.
however. another Charles Brown. who
left here year ago. whom knew very
well. for he was also in the hardware
business, and he has, rs he told me, au
uncle by the name of Ralph Ogden. in
Rochester. We were talking one day in
regard TO our respective families. when
he incidentally mentioned that fact. and
spoke. ~ | remember. in very high
terms of that uncle. The young lady
is, Of course, the daughter OF that gen
tleman. She is now. as yOu say. down
in the city with your sister,
"les; they went out together an hour
ago. To do a little shopping, and will
soon return
well, we must correct the mistake
~ gently rs possible, and make thu
young lady's visit none the less pleasant
10 her. | will go to the store now. and
while am gone you will. OF course. ex-
plain the mistake To Your visitor Mean
time. Twill set Frank all right in regard
to the matter. and prepare him TO be u
little less demonsirativr.
The mistake was first explained To
Miss Williams by her sister, and then
both ladies united in making the revcla-
ton 10 their guests. and all were soon
laughing heartily NJ what seemed 10
them very ENJOYABLE joke.
As for Frank. his feelings were mixed
and peculiar; and our heroine also ex-
perienced u sensation that seemed like a
gentle confusion. when she thought of
the earnest and aifectionate kiss she had
already received from the young gen
tleman. to whom she was in no way re-
lated.
"Well, Cousin Agatha, how have you
enjoyed yourself since ! saw you last?"
was the greeting Frank gave their
guest the first time they met after the
mistake was discovered.
Agatha flushed little, but not very
crimson, and managed to 90 through
her part Of the programme in way
that made all parties feel as if they had
found a happy and cOngenial friend.
worth knowing and loving. even though
she was not their cousin.
Whether the cousinly kiss with which
Frank Brown and Agatha Ogden greet
ed each other, when first meeting, was
repeated at parting, has never been
themselves. But the acquaintance he
gun in that random way did not end
with that visit.
On thinking over the whole matter, on
her way home. Agatha came TO the con-
clusion that it would be best not to tell
any one, except father and mother, the
story of her colisinly adventure: nor did
she tell quite the whole story. even to
them.
"A letter for you, Agatha. and from
Chicago" was Mr.. Ogdcn's remark,
while distributing the mail matter the
postman had brought IL. one morning,
few days after his daughter had re-
turned. From your cousin. perhaps
Have we cry cousin in Chicago?'
asked an older sister.
I'VE had. some time ago. was the
evasive answer which Agatha. with a sly
but imploring look, prompted her faith
er to give.
WHO is your letter from. Aga asked
her sister. II saw the address, gem
tleman's writing"
s'Please don't bother me now" re-
piled Agatha, placing the letter in her
pocket without reading.
Just the way said the sister, ''that
young ladies treat the first letter they
receive from their beaux.
AFTER they have received rs many as
you have retOrted Agatha, with just q
very little spite in her tone. IL suppose
they give the first reading to any one
who is willing TO perform II service of
that sort"
"A love letter. as sure as live" ex-
claimed the sister.
1t is scarcely necessary to say that
the letter was from Frank Brown. who
managed the correspondence so clever
ly that, at the end Of two months. he
was welcome guest AT the residence of
Mr.. Ralph Ogden, and the accepted
lover of his daughter Agatha.
A few young friends, that sistcramong
them, were miscellaneous enough to say,
on the day of the wedding, that Agatha
-..Ag," as they persisted in calling her
most of the time-knew very well, when
she called on Mr. Brown, that those
people were in no way related to her.
but just went on u love-making adven-
ture.
A SANDER. of course, and they knew
ii. No young lady ever made II more
honest blun,ler. OF lmckier one; forille
young man. whose first Introduction was
that earnest and affectiOnate kiss, prov
ed X, he 4 worthy and faithful husband
Agatha could no. have found one who
would have suited her better il she had
looked the whole continent over.
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