The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-06-20
INV dear Miss L,ydia. Imay he q foo,

but, upon my honor, i have come here
this evening with the determined inten-
ton of asking you whether you will
have me. You know I worship the
very ground you walk on" And to
Lydia's great CONSERVATION, the oldgen-
tleman, ere she could prevent him, gall
lantly knelt at her feet, and took her
hand, with the evident intention of
pressing it to his lips.
DO get up, please, Sir Pertinax,"
said Miss Lirripip, forgetting for q mo-
ment that Horace Ereake was within
hearing, but anxious that the baronet
should not make himself unnecessarily
ridiculous even to her. "You can talk
Just as well ifyou sit down; but really
yon mustn't talk in that way. I don't
want to be married; indeed, l don't.
You know / like you very much, but I
could not possibly marry you"
Sir Pertifax rose with dignity and
looked rather disappointed. 81 had
hopaA, Lydia, that you liked me we'll
enough even for a husband. What you
say, however, may not be final, because
nothing can alter my regard for you,
and perhaps in the future you may
think better of me-"
Il could not think better Of you than
I do" returned Miss Lirripip, feelingly,
"and you do not know how sorry / am
that this has happened. We can never
again be the a II to each other. / am
sorry"
Sir Pertinax began to feel sorry, too;
for, up to that evening, he and Lydia
had always been like uncle and niece,
sand, in an uneasy way, he turned the
conversation into another channel.
But he could not for long carry it on,
and in less than a quarter Of an hour he
said goodbye, like a sensible nan that
he was in spite of his weakness. and de-
parted.
No sooner had he quilted the room
than Horace emerged from his hiding
place. Lydia blushed to remember all
that he had overheard; but he did not
allude to it. Lydia" he continued,
almost as if nothing had happened to
disturb him, II love you truly with all
my heart. Will you, can you, learn to
love me; for your love alone will make
me completely happy"
do not ask me-" replied Lydia, who
was once more seated. You know what
| have just gone through. My head is
in a whirl."
But think how happy you can make
me, Lydia! You would be everything
to me, as indeed you are already, and I
would spend all my days in making you
happy"
1t is unnecessary to cronicle the whole
OF tho further conversation that took
place. Suffice it to say that atlast Miss
Lirripip discovered not only that she
could, but that she actually did love
Horace Freake a little, and on the
strength of that she promised to marry
him.
Horace was in the act of presuming
upon this promise by kissing Lydia for
the first time, and was enjoying one Of
the happiest moments OF his life, when
another of those furious ratattatats
shook the house.
"Another?" said Mr.. Freake, with a
smile. 81 shall so back to my retreat
until we know who has arrived, for now
l must be on the spot to look after you.
And in spite of Lydia's protestations
he once more retired to the back draw
ing room.
Two minutes afterward, the general,
very hot and very angry. stamped up
stairs and burst into the presence Of
his daughter. Everything has gone
wrong!" he exclaimed. "They voted
me out of the chair; they flew in my
face; they decided that the wretched
foreigners don't want cold baths" And
he pounded with his stick, which he
had brought up with him, and looked at
Lydia as if she was the cause of his
discontinue.
"Well, papa" said Miss Lirripip,
soothingly, 'all the better. Now You
won't have to go to any more of their
horrid meetings"
At this iuncture, Horace, who was
troubled with o slight cold, gave forth
astitied and enthusiastically small sneeze.
Lydia" said the general, as he threw
himself YEARLY into an arm chair, "I'm
sure there's a cat in the back drawing
room. Go and turn it out" And Miss
Lirripip, having no alternative, went
cautiously behind the heavy curtains,
and was there received in her lovers
rms
You cannot speak to him tonight,
she whispered. HE would not listen
to You. You see how cross he is. Come
again Tomorrow"
Horace, therefore, took another kiss
and Lydia, having unlocked the little
used door Of the back room, chased him,
with many expressions of animosity,
down the softly carpetcd staircase, and
with a cry OF "Shoo, cat!' finally let
him out of the front door.
When she returned to the drawing
room, General Lirripip gave vent to
some angry expressions of hostility to-
ward the whole feline tribe, and when
lie had thus delivered himself went off
to bed.
How the story ended may easily be
guessed. When Lydia's father was in a
cooler mood Horace found no difficulty
i'll obtaining his consent to the marriage,
which took place three months after
wards; and to the end of their days
neither Sir Pcrtinay Popinjay nor Mr..
Merton Murley had any idea that athird
person was present when they proposed
to Miss Lirllpipin Bruton street, eros
venor square.-Chamhers journal.
One Kind of Failure.
HNnw thn+ tha lror, i, wheat hoe