Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-04-01

and horror and indignation filed our
souls when we realized the diretui iact
that Budell was in love, and doing ms
best to be married.
Had we been women we might pro-
baby have seen the symptoms OF the
advancing malady; but we were ootuse
and short. sighted men. Now, as
look back over these months, L recall
incidents that might have been warn
ip0s. The gradual decrease OF Budelps
bilarity at the club, and the gradual
| increase of his excursions into society,
could hardly indeed have been portents,
for Budeif always did go more into so
ciety than the ret Of us, The first al.
fusion he made to me about the lady
who was afterward to play Beatrice 70
his Banedfck was at 3 concert-or ratn-
er in the cloak room, after concert.
That's what call a pretty girl" he
whispered to me: "there, that dark
eyed girl over there in the warm,
fieecy, brown shawl-none of your finn
sy white opera clocks" The girl was
pretty, in fresh and piquant sort OF
wsy: and even a sworn bachelor might
have been excused for being pleased at
receiving such q frank smile as she
greeted Budell with. Again, not many
DAYS after, he remarked to me, apropoS
des bottles "Met rather an interesting
girl last night; quite agrees with HE on
| the subject of names" may be ac-
eused for neglecting this hint; Budell,
think, would have found moliusc
1interestingn il it had not only agreed
with him that there was nothing more
Objectionable than to have ones name
murdered. He was nervously anxious
that his name should be pronounced
with the accent on the second syllable,
and / afterwards found that he had
been introduced for the second time!
to this Interesting girl as Doodle"
',just as though it rhymed to noodle
as be Indignantly expressed it. But the
most important hint was given the
night before Mrs. Burton's ball, at
which we had all been present. we
were lounging in BudelPs rooms, and
Snithers was giving us - highly color
ed and graphic illustration OF frivollty
that passes for conversation between
Young men and maidens. "That's all
nonsense" broke in Budell; it's your
own fault, at any rate. Why, last night
had quite serious and interesting
conversation about woman's education
with a maiden even quoted Scrip
ture to her."
"Bet you hat you misquoted,n said
the irreverent Smithers, who thought
every one was as ignorant as himself.
mo; Pm not joking; it's fact, and
| got an idea or two, let me tell you"
Had he only told us that he ventured
into the conservatory in order TO carry
on his conversation without Interrupt
ton, / am convinced that / at least
should have surmised that the acqals.
ton of an idea or two was not the only
result. However, was not long in my
state ofignorance. One day, a month
| or 80 after, Budell hunted me up to con-
fide to me that the bachelors club
was all bosh; he was head over ears in
love, and did 1 think he ought to tell
l the other men? Then there followed
shower of apologetics, in which soft
brown eyes" and goodness knows what
other personal attractions were promi-
nent. When recovered breath, as
smed him that 1 thought it quite in.
cumbent upon him to inform the club.
l was rigid and cold with him, for |
felt indignant; it was almost an insult
! to select me as bis confidant, as though
my celibate principles were less fixed
than Marby's or Smithers'.
| His announcement that evening was
received in solemn silence by the
Square Club; even Smithers had at
| first nothing to say. At last Marby
asked, 'Is 1t permitted to inquire the
lady's name, and when the marriage is
| to take placer" Budell looked uneom-
Portable. "Well, the fact is" he said,
AZ thought ought to tell the club at
once; but / really haven't-that is, l
don't quite known how to set about
asking the lady"
Budell looked so comically distressed
as he made his confession that the club
hailed it with shout of laughter. The
notion of the bold and confident Budell
finding himself muzzled by the tender
passion was too suggestive for our
visibility. Budell was seriously an
moved. 81 don't think" he said, THAT
my courtesy to the club has been met
with courtesy" He glared at me as If
l specially had been guilty OF revealing
his confidence. We apologised humbly,
and at last pacified HIM. He really
| was puzzled az to how to accomplish
his proposal. Marty suggested the old
fashioned plan of Pumping down on
| Ills Inc swain III q
but Budell paled visibly. 1t was such
a cold-blooded way, he objected; yet it
appeared he had almost adopted it on
two occasions. The first time little
brute of brother had importunely ap-
peared-"I never knew nice girl that
| hadn't a little brute of a BROTHER" eX-
claimed Budell, hastily generalizing;
and ON the second occasion he had even
got the length of informing the object
OF his affections Ito adopt a phrase that
used 20 madden BudelD that he had
something to tell her, when her mother
entered, and he had hastily to devise
some idiotic fact about a iower-show.
1t was quite evident that his nerve was
not equal to third attempt sug-
gested that he should write; but it
seemed that the young lady, in talking
about a.certain novel, had laughed the
hero to scorn for resorting to so cowardly
plan of writing his proposal.
| "Can't you save her life in some
thrilling manner, and then cast your
self at her feet?" asked the romantic
Marby.
"Or can't you get overtaken in a
shower, and then you could neatly ask
her to share your lot as we'll as your
umbrella" suggested Smithers.
Budell smiled family. otis all very
well for you fellows to make fun of it
when you haven't to do it yourselves;
but all the same it's the ticklsh thing to
do well. 1 wish to do it in neat and
direct manner, without any humbug."
ats my opinion" said Smithers,
"that you'll end by popping the ques-
tom in some altogether extraordinary
and absurd manner"
"Very well, sir" said Budell, with