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

gins behavior ut this juncture tend to
restore his self-possession. Whether
under the altered aspect of affairs sho
regarded him as an abandoned orphan
1t was only commonly human to pity;
or whether she was overcome with re-
morse for having been mainly instru-
mental in causing this painful rupture,
| can not say; but while she slightly
glanced at him in his perpleXity the
memorable hardness in which her face
was set gradually thawed, and tear
was seen to triclxle between the fingers
of the hand with which she presently
covered her eyes. Old Croggins, how
ever, remained unmoved. Growlingly
rebuking his daughter for her dis
play of weakness, he cheerfully proceed
cd with the case. whether that letter
was writ in chat or in playlulness,
or a mixshur of both, or whether
it was rally what it purtendel TO
be, young Virgins knows best. Any
how, she as knows HIM best seemed to
have her own ideas about it, and you
all are witnesses that they were rayther
strong 'uns. Very well, then, on we
goes. fust of ianivary that letter is, and
though can't show you what the an
swer to it was, here's another. See
what it is to have the gift of eddication,
and to be always u writing! Only n
few weeks afterwards. in which what
no says Peter shall read out to you.
ketch hold, Peter, and don't laugh over
it like you did last time, or you'll get
clip aside of the ear. It's your own Sis
ter you're reading about, bear i'm mind"
And with a solemn visage, Peter COM
menced: Dear Rarsberry-You know
them clancy tee-things what you took
fancy to at the shop in HoXton? Well,
they're bought and paid for, my chick
a-biddy, and you've only got to send for
'em, and they're yourn, our'n, mean,
of course. wish as how it was winter
time stead of spring. Stead of grow
ing shorter the days get longer, and
that makes ikseem to stretch out the
days and weeks that stand atwixt--'
But at this point young Virgins rose
to his feet. "rhat's enough OF it, guy
ner, he remarked, with desperate calm.
ness. "Shove 'em all back in that
blessed old box, and put the kiver on.
| won't stand ont about the promise. |
didn't think Id put it so strong, but
there's black and white TO, it, and it
can't be go, Owe. very WE'LL says
you, then what have you got to say as
to writin' that winding-up letter break
ing it all Off? To which l answer:
What's Sarah got to say about that
soldierP' Had Miss Croggins been
of the male gender, and deserter
from the army, and ut that moment a
military escort had stepped into the
room to effect her arrest she could not
have exhibited more sudden consterna-
ton. Every one in court was more or
less amazed, and old Croggins, looking
from one to the other, could only ejacu-
late: "Soldier! What soldier?" ''The
one she meets on the sly" said Edward
Virgins, sternly; "the one what she
was seen with ut Battersea three weeks
ago last Sunday, when she told me she
was going to the orspital to see her
aunt; the one what see her with, with
my own eyes, kissing at ten o'clock at
night, at Broad Street Railway Station.
There she is; let her deny it if she's
got the face TO do it And down sat
young Virgins, with his arms tightly
folded over his heaving chest.
But Miss Croggins did not faint;
neither did she fall on her
knees and implore her fathers for
giveness; she laughed outright, and
there was not the least tinge of hys-
terics i'll her merry tones. "You ieal-
Gus donkeyr' she exclaimed, "why of
course kissed him, and I'll kiss him
again hundred times if 1 like. l
didn't mean it to come out just yet,
cause though the money is paid the
papers amt made out yet, and he won't
have his liberty till next Friday, when
he means to come home unexpected,
and surprise you, father. 1t is our Bill
he means, whose been away these five
years. He's got sick OF scoring, and
I've be|l saving the money to buy him
off--and he's coming back TO be the
steady chap he used TO be. And now,
Teddy Virgins, you know all about it,
and you can 60 home to your mother"
But instead of taking her advice the
sturdy young barrowman did something
that was much more likely to tend to
his ultimate happiness. Relieving his
pent-up emotions with loud "Hur-
rah ~ he flung up his hat, ard vaulting
over the table that stood between them,
went straight for Miss Croggins,
aud, whether she would or no, gave her
n hug and kiss. She resisted some
what, when he kissed her again, when,
in open court, she kissed him in return.
And so the case came to II happy con-
clusion without either me or Mr..
Mumps being called on.-Lond0n Tee
graph.