Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-01-08

er than she Is.
'Oh, no; mamma is just as young
and beautiful as ever" said The
Baby" enthusiastically, and ] re-
member her for II years. No. /
think we notice the advances of age
upon ourselves more than we do on
others. / know that | think of it
every day look in the glass and rec
ognize that am getting old"
They all laughed at this, and Maud
had to laugh little herself, but she
turned it off with.
We'll, this isn't what we were talk
ing about girls. Jennie you just ask
ed auntie how it was that she never
got married. Let's hear about that. "
''Well, girls, said Aunt Jane slow
| w, THAT seems an unanswera BILE
question, but I'll reply to it even if l
don't answer 1t. Perhaps il was upon
the same principle that some men
never get rich no matter how much
they try, 1t is SO ordained that they
shall always be poor, while others
reach wealth, and honors, not only
without effort, but with positively
everything against them.'
"Well, I don't think | made any
very great efforts to get my Tom,
SAID Jennie thoughtfully, "amd. real
", when ] come to think of it, don't
think he ever asked nae right out. [
believe it was understood between us
perfectly before aaything was said on
the subject, and when we did talk
about it ! took it as a matter of
course"
81 believe that is the way in a ma
i0rity of cases, said Aunt Jane, laugh
ing, and this mythical idea of pop
ping the question is something that
very rarely occurs, AS Jennie says,
it is all understood without it. Now,
for myself, I've been the same as en-
gagged three or four times. and yet
never received but one formal offer in
my life"
ION tell us all about it, auntie, F."
said the three Misses rbbs, hitching
their chairs up 8 little closer to Aunt
Jane
"Well, its hardly anything to tell,
girls, but if you desire TO hear it, [
must tell il. But TO explain what I
say about being engaged without re-
ceiving a formal offer, I will cite
case or two within my own experience.
My first was when / was IL, and, as ] |
then thought, as much woman as |
am now Twas spending the summer |
on the seashore with my Aunt Mar
garbt, and Aunt Margaret having |
made a successful marriage, financial |
iy speaking, herself, was intent on |
having her nieces do the same, for
she had no children, and so every !
summer She took me to fashionable |
places, and every winter to all the
balls and parties.
This particular summer she chose /
the seashore, and there | met Harvey |
Gray, who though seven years my |
senior, and who had been travelling |
for three years in Europe, was really |
as innocent as a child. We fell in |
love, as it is called, at first SIGHT, and |
were infatuated with each other. OF
course, out of this grew the usual
sweet communings, moonlight walks,
boating, gultaring, singing, and all
-he inevitable things appertaining to
lovers, ever since the world began.
Aunt Margaret recognized the mat
.er, and ii suited her-too we'll, as /
lfterward thought. Gray was rich,
highly connected, handsome and of
neproachable character, therefore
very desirable match. | say ii all
suited Aunt Margaret toe well, and
I'll explain that by saying that while
men are always ready to take advan
AXE of being left by the parents and
guardians Of the little girl they are in
owe with alone and uninterrupted in
heir wooing, vet there is such a thing
As OVERRIDING this, SO as to rather turn
nm against it, He would really be
better pleased with a little opposition.
think Aunt Margaret slightly over
lid ii.
However, the summer passed, and {
We We're happy, and ! felt as much {
Engaged to Harvey as though the &C {
ual words had beea spoken, and I {
nm as sure as we can be of any hing j
"A this life that Harvey felt the same /
way In fact we talked freely of /
What we were to do in the future, and Z
here was nothing wanting but the set {
ing of the day, when Aunt Margaret 4
topped in, which | have always /
bought was unfortunate, to say the :
east of it, for am a decided advocate {
# early marriages Well, we were {
o start for the city early the next {
morning, and for what occurred the /
PREVIOUS evening / am Indebted to /
AUNT Margaret's own recital. was ,
etalned in my room packing, but
vas 10 meet Harvey oa the piazza at {
o'clock. He was to go with us TO /
he city the next day, and | left him {
fter dinner promenading with my /
unit When | returned at 9 O'Clock, q
e was not there, and Aunt Margaret a
lade his apologies by saying that he /
ras indiSposed and had retired. The t
ext day when he did not appear to d
o with us to the city, Aunt Margaret /
'as forced to an explanation. She
ad asked Harvey what his intentions t
'ere, ard he had revolted $
Il thought my heart was broken, t
ut Aunt Margaret said she had done d
.ght, and that the man who after o
lree months of unlimited courtship n