Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-06-25

sir! Confound your impudence. sir! d"
YOU mean to try to humbug me: Do you
mean to attempt to deceive me: Don't
trife with mel know ALL"
"Tell US, then"
"You-you are villain, sir"
"You are-an ungrateful villain. have
warmed a serpent in my BOSOM"
Meaning me, sir:"
ayes, you. o, l shall not spare you!
You have basely gained the affections of
my Neutrality-suspicious. girl"
30, papaw
"Go away. have been blind, but BOW
see."
II suppose" scornfully. shat Mr.. Hay
man assisted your eyesight:"
"He did-and quite properly, too"
"Mr. Hayman is an interested party, !
believe. He has ASPIRATIONS"
.Never you mind, sir, what he has. lam
talking about you now. You are engaged,
/ suppose?"
"Not quite"
'.Indeed! 1 wonder at that! But the
affair has gone far enough, at any rate, and
tell you plainly, sir, that it must stop
81 won't listen to a word"
"But you must, you unreasonable old
| man. Let me sum mp the situation. You
have young and lovely daughter with
whom worthy young man Is deeply In
| love-"
worthy young manw cried Walter,
iereeiy. do you hear that gnS ;l H.
man." said Mr.. Bartlum, with bland look
at the speaker, "who is in every way ex-
emplary. You refuse this worthy young
man your daughters hand, and why! Be-
| cause he is worthy! Evidently. Well,
here am l, a most unworthy young man.
and you entertain an equally strong objec-
| ton to me. How inconsistent! II this
worthy young man is eligible. am out of
| the question; but if he is out of the ques
| ton, why not take me? You surely do not
| intend TO make nun of Isabel"
| Mr.. TheOphilus Brown was evidently
| staggered by this remarkable piece of rea-
soning, and looked alternately at the wor-
thy and unworthy rivals, and finally at
the fair Isabel.
80, papa" pleaded the bone of conten-
ton, "choose for me, please. You do not
know how distracted am"
| ''She loves them both" murmured her
| father, helplessly.
RESPECTED SIR" said James, placidfy
''the decision rests with you. You are the
judge and jury, and the evidence is all in"
! walter" cried Mr.. Brown, with great
vehemence-"a thousand times Walterw
| The worthy young man and his betrothed
| were locked IN ferVenC embrace, whlle
Mr.. Brown smiled beneficently upon them.
"May Cousins blessing rest upon you ~
said James.
| Mr.. Brown looked at him savagely, then
keenly, and then, as he met his calm and
unfinching gaze. said, sharply: "You
take it coolly, SIR"
By way of answer the handsome vaga-
bond closed his left eye very slowly and
looked at Mr.. Brown in silence. An I'M
| mistakable wink.
In an instant the old gentleman saw
through the trick, but before he could open
his mouth the arch -schemer laid his hand
on his arm, and pointing with his thumb
to the absorbed young lovers in the corner,
said. in low tone:
| "Permit graceless vagabond, sir, to
treasure in his mind the thought that he
has brought two loving souls together, and
taught fine old gentleman to know his
own mind. You will never regret it, sir,
and just reflect what might have been had
your girl really thrown away her affections.
Do you see the pOint!"
Mr. Brown, after a moment hesitation
| grasped the others hand fervidly, and
acknowledged that he diI.-Harper's
| IFcekiy.