McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-09-18

girls had not been together more than
a quarter of an hour, when sounds OF
violent weeping proceeded from the
kitchen. Fastening in to see what was
the matter, found Jeanne and Mary
mingling their tears over some letters
which lay out ON the table. Jeanne
greeted me respectfully, and on my in.
quiring the cause of her grief, handed
me letter saying:
"Will ye be pleased to read that
mem?"
/ 1t was an effusion of Peter Mackey's
dated nine months back. 1t began,
''My dearest Jeanie," spoke of the
writer's unalterable affection, reminded
Jeanne of her promise to become his
wife as soon as he should be able to
provide suitable home for her, and
was signed, ''Your Pate"
must confess that my first feeling
on reading this was one of satisfaction
at my own discernment. $50 you
were engaged after ALL" / remarked;
''but why was nothing said about it,
and why was it broken offp'
"Oh," said Jeanne, looking at me in
dignantly, ''Patie just asked me to be
his wife the vera day before | sailed, so
there wasna muckle time to lat it be
known. And as for It's being broken
off, it's Patie We must speir at ABBOTT
that, for never heard tell OF till this
day. Eth! but men are deceivers! But
that's no the warst OF, mem! Mary,
give the lady Mrs. Birket's letter.
Mrs. Birket, it appeared, was Peters
landlady in Aberdeen, and had written
that morning to Mary Duthie's mother,
whom she had known when they We're
girls together, to ask some particulars
of Peters family and antecedents, as
her neice and adopted daughter, Mary
Hine, was soon to be married to him.
''Heard We ever the like o. that!' ex-
claimed Jeanne; ''the man must be clean
daftr'
| quite agreed with her, for had
never known man before who was
engaged to three women at once.
Doubtless, Peter considered his first
two affairs as mere tiirtations; still his
former sweethearts had in their pos
session letter and q pledge which
would be evidence against him in Il
court of law. But any proceeding of
this kind was so foreign to the natures
and prejudices of the injured girls that
did no more than hint it.
The following morning, Mary asked
my permission to 90 for day or two
to Aberdeen with Jeanne Saunderson,
as they had thought of a plan for
bringing their reluctant lover to his
senses.
"Gin we dinna' max Peter think
shame to himself, my no Jeanne Saun-
derson, were the parting words of that
damsel
Meanwhile Peter was happy in the
society of his QatesD bethrothed, who
was very charming girl; and it may
be little to my hero's excuse to remark
that few men could have seen her bonny
face and listened to her sweet voice
evening after evening without falling
love with her. The susceptible Peter
certainly could not, but throwing all
old memories to the wind, proposed and
was accepted.
Such being the state of affairs, Peters
feelings may be imagined when, on en-
tering Mrs. Birket's parlor one evening,
after his days work was over, he saw
seated by Mary Hine-Mary Duthie
and Jeanie Saunderson.
Peters first impulse was to withdraw
hastily, but Mrs. Birket made flight i'm
possible by closing the door, and stand
ing between it and the conscious
stricken youth. ''Just TAX seat, Mr..
Mackey," said she, and the culprit
sank into an empty chair, placed at
little distance from the other three Ia
dies. The ladies continued their knit
ting without glancing at him; minutes
passed, and the silence became intoler-
able. Peter could hear the beating of
his heart; twice he opened his lips to
speak, but no sound issued from them;
an icy tremor ran through his frame,
and checked his utterance.
| give what follows, verbatim, as re-
ported to me by Mary Duthie:
'sWeel," said Jeanne Saunderson at
last, ''sanna we be sattlin' DOR bizness
eenoo?"
'.Aye, lassies," said Mary Hine, "but
that'l be hard matter, or I'm muckle
mista en-"
'sYe see,'' said Jeanie, taking the
lulIldtlNe, ILLS L ctcI hdChcy UelOugS
in a manner till's "a, isn't ma sae?''
'sAye, but we Gamma a haze him."
'Just that. Moo, fat think We las
sizes? Sauna we appeal till the law
courts?''
':Mithna we jist set a RIGHT amo'
oorsels?" said Mary Hine, 'Foo gin
we wus till cast lots for him? We've
the warrant of scripter for that, We
kim"
"Vera "gweed," replied the others,
and when Mrs. Birket had volunteered
herself as one witness, the little serv-
ant girl, Baubie, was called then to be
another. Peters humiliation was GER
tainly to be complete.
The lot fell on Mary Duthie.
"Peter Mackey," said she, 81 haze
anither string till my bow, so I'll cen
leave We till Mary Hine Or Jeanne;
they're may be wuntin' ye mair nor
mo RI1t monv thanks f va for var