Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-01-09
AN UNSUCCESSFUL SUIT.

DdIculS DcluR luc ucuICsJ uclSupolo
their farms joined they had grown III
together from childhood, had made
each other penny presents, and mutually
agreed to return them il they ever go
mad for good.
Thus Mary came in possession of NJ
iron thimble, a tin needle-box and ;
brass ring for various needlework per
formed on Johnny's sleeves or the
knees of his trousers, which saved hin
many taste of the parental rod.
To the credit of their childhood j
must be said that Mary never had tc
return those gifts, there being few dis
agreements between them, and thcs,
were quickly reconciled.
In their youth they had trampet
hand-in-hand to Sunday-school, as they
now did to church. But no longer e
Mary's edification; being too much an
noyed at her companions appearance
to give due attention to the sermon.
The annoyance was in Johns inclina
ton to dandyism. With the first ap
pearance of down on his upper lip h,
had bought himself moustache wax
and high hat crowned his perfumed
locks long before he was twenty.
Mary, a practical, energetic girl, wa,
rather disguised than fascinated by
superficial elegance. Her person wa,
always decked with that simplicity
which became her manner-quiet, direct
and decided.
To have man beside her whom
everybody regarded.as her lover dressed
in the height of fashion with no income
but the product of his farm labor spoilt
Mary's Sunday temper to such an ex
tent that she resolved to let John know
her mind before another Sunday could
be spoilt.
Now John, blissfully ignorant of hel
feelings, was just then stroking his
moustachc and persuading himself of the
necessity of buying another suit for the
occasion that should make Mary his
wife.
After church John told Mary that he
was going to town the next day to buy
something for her, and new suit for
himself, in which he would appear some
evening with very important question.
He looked i'm vain for the rosy tint on
Mary's face. She only said, with a
faint sneer: "Do put some sense in the
next SUIT you get, JOnn.
'Then you don't think there is much
sense in the suit when I'm in it, eh?'
laughed John, with faint suspicion
that her indifference was owing to his
not appearing sooner in some later
style.
He resolved that the next one should
surpass anything he ever wore.
Crafty girls vanity, and she's
yours" he thought, without the slight
est suspicion that he was gratifying his
own and thereby fast losing his hold on
the handsomest and most sensible girl
there was in the neighborhood of sixty
miles.
John, too, was considered no small
catch. Many a girls heart was set
fluttering when she heard his strong
baritone voice lowered to confidential
whisper. For John was not only a
dandy but ilirt. All his heart ever
dwelt on with constancy was Mary and
fashionable suits.
Every year he went to town for n new
rig, from top to toe, of the latest cut.
He felt himself foot taller when the
salesman once told him that his face
and figure would do credit to the
Broadway style.
OF course John wouldn't show his
ignorance of city life by ascertaining
The particulars of that style. He felt
satisfied that purchases made from the
same salesman every year would secure
him the much-lauded style.
The new suit bought, John was Civ
ing it its first airing by visit to Mary.
He had made up his mind to propose
formally and be formally accepted.
The engagement ring was in his pocket,
and the weddng-suit should be the one
he had on. He didn't believe in long
engagements, and thought he might
allow himself to appear once in his
most impressive elegance on an oc-
casion that was rs impressive rs the
wedding.
So rugged in the latest-long pointed
pumps, pantaloons tight enough TO
make sitting and bending his knees a
feat dangerous to the seams, Jacket Just
long enough to cover the ends of his
suspenders, and hat rs wide and big as
everything else was narrow and little
he walked through the lane that led to
her fathers house with the air of one
who knows himself in the possession of
all the charms to conquer.
When John entered the front door
Mary was leaning out of the back
window reaching for q cluster of roses,
one of which, he assured himself, was
intended to adorn his new jacket.
He thought the opportunity .SS ,c,,rT
As g lost-2s1 Informal kiss would ex
press hall of his formal speech, whic
somehow he couldn't remember.
The kiss was fairly implanted OF
Mary's lips, and so was a singing blow
and the print Of shapely fingers, Of
Johns cheek.
GLOW dare you! IA tramp! "a
man in small clothes! a-good gracious
it's John Redpathr'
The confused and indignant exclama
tons which burst from Mary's lip
ended in peal of laughter. HMary'
conduct was not sufficiently dampen
ing, Mary's grimaces, as she retreate
to the farthest corner of the room, were
For the first time in his life John di
not know what 10 do with his hand
and feet.
When Mary's enjoyment of tn
ridiculous had exhausted itself i'm ring
ing laughter, she excused herself, wit
shy look of concern at the red side @
his face, for her rude reception of him
and venturcd to ask what his idea wa
for dressing in his younger brother
clothcsp
miss Hepworth, said John, wit
the sharpness of rising anger, "do yo
really think that /, John Redpatl
would come here in the character G
my brotherp"
"Not exactly in his character, yo
know. But, really" (vicwing hir
again with an ill-conccaled smile
"Ically, everything is too small but th
hat, and that's too big"
look here, Mary, no more nor
sense. haven't this suit on for moth
ing. mean business; viii you listcnP
Mary looked cxpcciant aud ready I
hurl another shaft Of ridiculc.