Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1885-09-12

of the steps and got out OF the gate he
Lscarcely knew how.
/ And now here was a predicament !!
| How was he tomarry such IA virago?
he reasoned, hopping his head with
huge red handkerchief And yet, how
was he to get out of marrying her, if
she choose to accept him?
| He had serious doubts whether be-
ing called "bald-headed scare-crow"
would exonerate man in the eyes of
the law and public opinion, in refusing
to fulfill his offer of marriage.
| And yet, marry her he couldn't
he wouldn't. Thus he assured himself
over and over again.
| Miss Angerona, meanwhile, proceed
ed to write her letter, accepting Major
Hartletop's proposal. Having written
it, she laid it on corner of the table to
dry, and with compressed lips and
look of determination in her cold gray
eyes, she drew another letter from her
pocket, and opening it, read:
"MY DEAR AVIS IL have called
twice to see you, but your aunt refused
me admittance to the house. am
therefore compelled to write what /
had meant to tell you personally. You
must know already that love you,
Avis, and | want you for my wife.
Will you marry me? Please answer as
soon as soon as possible, as shall be
in great suspense until / hear from you.
Yours forever.
RICHMOND ALDER"
Alum muttered Miss Angerona,
with a smile of grim satisfaction. cts
well | didn't give, her the letter. /
shan't allow her to marry very soon.
She's too much help to me- | couldn't
get nobody to take her place an do. all
she does fur love, nor. money. And
now fur your answerr,sMr Richmond,
Alder" =
/ And taking up her pen, she wrote,
Slowly and carefully:
81 have received your letter, and
my answer is No. i Gan never marry
you. ,ssssAe DILwoRTH.
"That'll settle him. she decided.
can faint no forgery, either, seem
| "a stands for Angerona as well as
| Avis"
And inclosing the two letters in en-
velopes, she directed them, slipped
them in her pocket and carried them
to the post office herself
Now | know they are safe" she
commented, with sigh of relief, as
she retraced her steps toward home.
4 x
Major Hartletop had passed a
wretched night. According to his own
statement, he had not slept wink.
When Jack Soper, the hired hand
brought in the mornings mail, as usual
he felt nervous Jingle down to his
| finger-ends.
With a quaking hand he opened
Miss Angerona's letter. and much to
his relief, read:
81 have received your letter, and
my answer is No. | can never marry
| you. A. DILwoRTH."
To say the Major was delighted
would hardly express his feelings. He
almost felt as if he could forgive Miss
Angerona for calling him "hald-
headed scare-crow," in consideration
of her having refused him.
Tucking the letter in his pocket, he
went whistling about the house, like
school-boy.
After dinner, he saddled his riding
mare and rode down to the village. to
see trader about buying some of his
fat cattle for beef
Tying his nag" under shady tree,
| he proceeded toward the village store,
and met MisssAngerona face to face.
She simpered smiled and tried to
blush. The Major bowed coldly and
passed on.
Astonished and chagrined, Miss An
corona detained him, and demanded
the cause of such behavior.
"What behavior p asked the Major,
| coldly.
ITO pass me without speaking, when
when we are engaged to be married.
Engaged 2 cried the Major. 'Why
| you have refused met
81 didn't; accepted you'll" con.
tradicted the lady,. fatty.
II have your refusal in black and
white; here it is !" he retcrted.
4 And taking a crumpled note from
his pocket, he read it out to her.
"I-I-it's mistake!" gasped Miss
at ncx,or INFANT n pr
"But you wrote it, and that's enough
for me. Good-morning, ma'am y
| And the Major trotted on to see
about selling his beeves, while Miss
Angerona stood angrily berating her
self for her own blunder.
81 must have sent the wrong letter,
and now that Alder will get the other.
What fool | was y
And she FASTENED her steps home
ward to prevent further mischief from
the unlucky mistake
But she was too late. The house
was shut up no signs of life about, no
Avis to be seem On the dining-table
lay note, which said:
"DEAR AUNT-Since you have &C
cepted Mr.. Alder's proposal for me,
you cannot blame me for marrying
him. We are going to the ministers
now, and will be happy to see you at
} our home whenever you choose to come
AS ever, your neice, AVIS.
Miss Angerona's feelings were not
greatly improved when, few weeks
I later. she read the marriage notice OF
Major Anthony Hartletop and Mrs
J Candace Flukes.
+ And so Miss Angerona Dilworth
/. had lost both her lover and her niece