The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-12-04
A QUAINT PROPOSAL.

Liz llIdC DuSu DeuectUl Ullc SOuUh
window of Willow Brook Farms
wainscotted parlor nodded gracefully
as tiny zephyr swept gayly by, watt
ing far and near its incense of new
mown hay. In it's wake futtered a
purple and golden butterfly, to poise
a moment upon the windows ledge,
then to soar boldly forward until it lit
upon a curious old vase beside an
organ, whose yellowed keys cleaned
softly in the half-darkened room. The
butterfly and the vase mirrored them
selves in the polished oak floor, and
if the range had been right they could
have repeated the picture in the shining
surface of each article offurniture.
A younggirl was the sole occupant of
theroom, with the exception, ofcourse,
of the butterfly, who had winged his
way to small oval mirror and was
busily making his toilet, as his com.
panion, humming a merry tune, busted
carefully a squatty teapot, whose fat
little spout and comic tout ensemble
at once inspired a longing for tea
brewed in such novel quarters. At
that moment a voice calling ''Marthy!
Marthy!" echoed through the house,
followed by "Run-quick; old Tins in
the cornfeld, and my hands are all
over dough!''
Hastily replacing the ancient heir
loom on a spindle-legged table, the
young girl darted from theroom, while
the butterfly, startled at its toilet,
spread it's wings and foated swiftly
out into the sunshine again. Snatch
ing snowy sun-bonnet from its peg
in the hall, Martha flew down the gar
den path across to an adjacent
meadow. In her hurry she failed to
notice a gentleman slowly advancing
in her direction, until two masculine
hands stayed her progress.
With an exclamation of surprise,
Martha raised her pretty blue eyes
and met a pair ofdecidedly good look
ing brown ones, gazing with evident
appreciation at the dimpled, blushing
face, from off which the sun-bonnet
had slipped, disclosing a crop of red
dish golden rings lying close to the
finely shaped head.
81 beg your pardon" murmured
Martha, the bushes and dimples wax
ng deeper, "but 1 didn't see you, 1
was in such a hurry"
"Don't mention it. Wouldn't have
missed the-the pleasure for anything.
II like to be run into," averred the
gentleman with considerable empha-
sis.
Such rippling laugh as bubbled
over the lips of Martha at this speech!
which she hastily apologized for with:
81 didn't mean to, really; but what
you said sounded so odd"
tfYou couldn't do it again, could
you? I assure you never appreciat-
ed being a-odd until to-day. L"
"Oh, the cow!" exclaimed Martha.
suddenly recollecting her errand. "I
forgot all about him." and away she
sped, the gentleman hurrying after,
repeating:
"Cow! Himl Let me help you. I
really am very clever with COWS. In
fact would like to make them a
study
However. when the field was reached
no COW was to be seen, and remarking
that doubtless some of the hands had
ousted old Tim, Martha turned her
steps toward the house, thinking the
gentleman would proceed on his way.
To her astonishment, however, he
kept along by her side, observing:
care you acquainted with Willow
Brook FARM"
'tWhy, yes; its my home. I was
born there" answered Martha, sur
prisedly.
Happy farm! mean-a-it must
be a lovely place. You see, the fact is
that is, have a note for Mrs. Dun
can of Willow Brook Farm"
'HMy mother!" eiaculated Martha,
opening wide her blue eyes. Whereup-
on the gentleman scanned with newly
awakened interest square envelope
he had extracted from his breast pock-
ct, as he added.
"I am an -Ishould say nv moth
er is an old friend of Mrs. Duncan's,"
making a rough calculation of the
length OF time it might take, all things
favorable, to place him on equally as
good footing with the daughter, while |
Martha's thought ran very much in
this wise.
would be nice looking if he wasn't |
80 sallow. Wonder if mother will ask |
him to make us visit. never heard |
her speak of an old friend that had a |
son.
By this time they were proceedingup
The path that led to the farms pretty
rose garlanded porch, and having ush-
=red the gentleman into the parlor we
nave already been introduced to, with
; demure little courtesy and the words
Il will send mother" Martha left him.
In few moments a comely, rosy
checked woman came hurrying into
he parlor with:
Good afternoon, sir, Marthy tells
ne you have a letter for me from an
I'D friend"
eyes, from my mother" and the
entleman held toward her the letter.
Having read it through, interrupted
With exclamations such as "Bless mel"
Who d have thought it?" Mrs. Dun