The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-10-18


 IS more h,ted to grace our board than Mrs. Bunter?"
 So be it, then,n assented the senior partner.
 Mir. Msggleby fecopied the letter, signed II with the firms usual signature. and carried it to inc nearest letter box. When he returned, he found his friend waiting to go to bed, and trying to keep himself awake by studying the marriage service.
 On the following forenoon Mir Pddster, with the scrupuicus punctuality that is characteristic af city men. called at M at- i ador V,lia, Chelsea, and vas at once shown into the presence of Mrs. Bunter, ~ho was waiting 10 receive hifa. am quite a, loss to understand why you have done me ,he honor of coming to see me to day said the widow. :" F,om your letter, l judge that you have soRe oosiness proposal to make 10 me. Un- fortunately, Mir. pddsser, l am not pre- pared 10 spt cnlate in sugar. l am Do' we'll off But perhaps 1 am under mis- apprehension. The letter contains an expression which do not understand"
 'It IS true replied the senior partner that ~e h.ve some hope oi persusdine 2 you to speculate ltile Tn sugar, and there Is no reason why your want oi capital should prevent your joining Us.
 'l quite taii to grasp your meaning, said Mrs. Bunier.
 We'll, am not very good at expiana- ,ions,' said Mir Pudster: '' but l siii ea- plain the situation as well as can. You see. Mrs. Bunter, Mir. Maggleby, my partner, and myself are b bachelors and live together We ind II dull. We long for the c'vi'iz'ng ID iuences of woman's society We are, in ,fact, tired of single b!essedness The firm $ at present worth 4 clear five thousand fear. IL will sup port third partner, we think and so we propose, Mrs. Bunter, that you should Ioin il, and come and take care of us in friendly way"
 Mrs Bunter looked rather uneomforta- ble, and was silent for few moments r. You are very good" she said at last :; but although am not well of, had not thought of going out as house keeper. The late Mir. Bunter Jeff me enough for my little needs"
 "l hope so indeed, madam. But we don't ask you to come to us as house keeper simply. Marriage is what we offer you. Mir. Bunter. In the name of Pudster & Maggleby have the honor of pro p ,sing for your hand"
 "Mercy!" exclaimed Mrs. Bunter in some agitation Surely you would not have me marry the firmy
 " put it in that way" said Mir. Pud ster, because Maggieby and are prac- tically one and the same But will be accurate. The proposi ion is, Mrs. Bun- ter, that you should become the wife of -ahem. .-the senior partner, and that MT. Gideon Maggleby should live with us in his old sociable way. Excuse my blunt way of expressing myself, Mrs Bunter"
 "rhen you. Mir Pudster, arc the senior partner!" said Mrs. Bunter, with a very agreeable smile. "l am very much fat tered, l assure you, but your proposal re- quires consideration"
 No doubt" assented Mir. Pudster "The firm is willing to wait for your re- ply. In matters of business we are never m hurry. When may VIC look for your inswer?"
 "Well, you shall have a note by to- morrow mornings post" replied Mrs. Bunter. |" may say,' she added, that 1 have heard great deal uf your firm. MT. Pudster and that am conscious that it does me great honor by thus offer ing me partnership in it."
 "Indeed, madam, the honor is ours ' said Mir. Pudster, lowing as he re- tired.
 No sooner had he departed than the widow burst into long and merry it of laughter. Her first impulse was to write and refuse the ridiculous offer but as the day wore on she thought better of the affair, and in the evening after di ,ner she sat down quite seriously and wrote a letter as follows:
 MarADoR ViLLAqCHELsEA,
 August i6os. To ifssSys. Phisfer 5' NsSglcsr. xf .MaeizS
 Lans. Cs.r.
 GENTLEMAN; I have decided to accept the very tiAttcrIng offer which was laid before me to day your behalf by your Mir Pud- ster. If he will call, shall have much pleasure in arranging preli,n,naries with him. remain, gentleman. very faithfully yours. MARIA bCN.tR. "I must fall in with their humor, l suppose she reflected. And really. Mr. Podster IS very nice man, and almost handsome; and I'm sure that l shall do no harm by marrying him. Be- sides, Il is quite true that they must wan, some one to look after them. If they go on living by themselves they will gro~ crusty and bearish.' And Mrs. Bunter sent her maid out to post the letter.
 Three weeks later, the widow became Mrs. rudster NIT. Maggleby, of course, officiating as best man at the wedding, and being the first to salute the bride in the vestry after the ceremony. Thenceior- ward, for whole year, the three mem- bers of the firm lived together in com plete harmony and the pleasant history of their existence was only interrupted by Mir. Pudster's enforced departure foi Demerara in September, 1866. Mir. Mag sleby, it is true, offered to go instead of him but Ar. padster would not hear of it; and Mir. Maggleby was obliged to confess ihu business was business, sni l