Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-01-07

stirred up the papers in tho tin box,
and took up big handful and show
cred them into the box again." ut is
TO be known from the others by there
being the picter of handle on the out
side of it, signifying a winding up.
Take il I'm your right hand, Peter, and
read it out keerful." Peter thereon
read out the letter, with the contents OF
which the rea1er has already been
made acquainted, Miss Croggins casting
shrewish glances at her late lover,
while the immature young scholar
labored through it, the youthful giant
from the lanyard growing and paving
his chin; all OF which hostile demon
STATIONS were regarded by Master
Virgins with the equanimity of one who
knows that he has perfect answer
wherewith TO meet his accusers when
his time comes. "In that there letter, "
resumed old Mr.. Croggins, when Peter
had concluded, ''he breaks off keeping
company with my gal short and crisp
in manner o. speaking rs any of us
could break the tail of q parsnip, IL
being understood, previous. by all who
knowed 'em, that for n year and half
they had been Cumming on the idea OF
being one day spliced in honest and
straightfor'a way, like their fathers
and mothers was before 'em. You'll
hear what he's got to say about that
letter when it is his turn to speak. I've
been give to understand, though I'm
bowed il can believe it, that he's been
putting il about, and that he means TO
cheek il out here at the same time, that
he never did make what may be called
i n.xI ~ saA - 4,
and that what she has mistook for keep
ing company was nothing but chatting
and playfulness. But We'll see all about
that presently. Fish out the letter
marked with number three, Peter All,
that's the article; now then, let me ask
all OF you here present, if you ever
hcerd OF verses being made in playful
nessP If they can be, and Ted Virgins
feels playful at the present time, | call
on him TO prove his words by giving us
couple verses out of hand" Thus
challenged, young Virgins shook his
head. "What! you couldn't do it,.
Course you couldn't You could do it
then, though. Read 'cm out, Peter"
Edward Virgins bluShed to the verge
of his close cropped hair, and Mis- !;
Croggins joined in the gigglc, in
which the company indulged Us the
scholar complied. "Of all the flowers
wot grown in Common Garden, least
ways, wot's carried here by rail or by
the caryer, The putiest of the lot, I'll
lay farden, Amt half such bloom
ing treat rs my Sarah" "The flowers
is sweet, SOS roses; SOS the y nix, Aud
minninet il amt the wust of smells.
But if anybody harsks mo wot l think,
I'll back my sal against all other
gals" "Why," continued Mr.. Crog-
gins, rs Peter refoldcd the let
ter, "thcre's u couple of hours hard
work in two verses like them" de-
PENDANT pridefully, though still looking
sheepish: "Get out / chucked the
lot off my mind one morning atween
Common Garden and Farringdon.")
Course you did," readily retorted the
father. "When said the verses was
two-hours' job meant for anybody
wot wasn't primed up for EN-. You
being primed up for 'cm accounts for
your rafting 'em off so quick" "Quicll
or Slow" put in defendants mother,
who was an attentive listener to the
proceedings, "thcre ain t nothing like u
promise in the werscs.' fright you
are, num-" returned Mr.. Croggins po-
litcly; "you don't expect to get cow
cumbcrs q day after the flower comes,
and you don't expect promises of mar
riage atwixt chap and gal who
haven't knowed each other more than
three weeks. That was the time, as
am told, that your son had knowed my
daughter when he wrote the poetry
what has just been read out. Anyhow
ii shows that he had pint in his eve
he was working up TO. He come along
afterwards, pretty sharp though for u
| young teller whose mind was okipied
with nothing but chatting aud playful
ness. Fish up that next letter, Peter
the one that's writ on sugar-paper
Two months he'd knowed her at that
time, and he can't sleep for thinking of
her, and that, mindjer," added Mr.
Croggins, imprcssiyely, latter being
up at ha' past four to go to market, and
being out with his barrer twelve
hours. It's poetry again, but there's
only one verse OF it, so it wont take
long" And Peter read: dear
Sarah, you may guess the state of my
feelings when tell you that l throwed
off the follering lines while was get
ting my breakfast this mornin', which
will account for the paper, which please
escuse. l never had worse night $
rest than 1 enjoyed last night Alum
bling and a-tossing from the time when
l put out the light. And when | rose
without wink a-thinkipg how it was,
A summet in my bosom whispered;
Sally is the cause. Yours truly, Ted
dy." "Now what do you call thatP"
Mr.. Croggins demanded, appealing to
the company generally. al call it gal
and boy stuff and nonsense" replied
old Mrs. Virgins, impatiently. Skip
over all that rubbish, and come to the
downright promise. That's what we
want to hear. don't believe he ever
made it. He's too fond of his old
mother ever to have make such fool OF
himself" Hearing this Miss Croggins
herself, with a spiteful pursuing of her
lips, eagerly turned over the contents OF
the biscuit tin, and, finding the letter
she was in search of, handed it to her
father. Recognizing the missive in
question, young Virgins changed color,
and half rose from his seat rs though
about to protest, but he was pulled
back by his confident parent, who audi.
bly, remarked: "Be quiet, Teddy, boy.
It's all bounce. Well stick to each
other like we always have" Now,
Peter" said plaintiffs father, with a
twinkle in his eyes, 'you read this
out distinkerly, and mind your stops"
"Fust of Janiwery-Dear Sarah
There was orful row atween
me and my old woman about you
last night, because 1 took you to the
pantermnc, and left her at home. The
aggravatin' old file said such lot
against you that I'd give her one fol
herself il she had been anybody else.
l amt going to stand il any longer, and
l want to know, plump and plain
whether you're willin' that we shall be
tied up, and when you can make il
convenient for the job TO come of. Say
the word and I'll open up to your old
man, who hain't got nothing scored up
against me 'cept tanning his donkey,