, 1885-12-31
Us no glanced up from his big Com
mentary on the Gospels"

rs nc glanced up from his big Com
mentary on the Gospels"
Il hope | see you we'll" said he.
Mr.. Laidlaw bowed. scraned and
dropped her hand almost as s6on ~ ba
had taken it, and retrpa,ed bacl, into
the parlor, murmurinr something
about letters to write. Tssutc,,rt
Cooper shook hands so cordially tbat
the pretty pink knucklcs snartGd fnII
five minutes afterwards. and then
seated himself as closely to her as tho
rules and regulations of civilized So
eiety would permit. Mr.. Hazcltine
said something polite, and retired into
shadowcd corner, doubtless TO think
up something funny" for the new
series of lectures which he was going
to deliverin the Southwest that autumn
Matte Meredith spoke up. rs soon As
she had established herself on the set
tee, with the cat in her lap.
Mr.. Jefferson" said she, what do
girls do when they want to earn their
own living?"
Mr.. Jefferson twisted and turned in
his seat like an impaled beetle.
Really" said lie. Won have con-
suited q poor oracle. II am not
capable of advising in such an emer-
gency as this. Very sorry, of course.
but"
Perhaps Mr.. Dover could suggest
something" miSchievoHsly asked Mat
tie.
'oh, I assure you, nothing of the
kind, " said Mr.. Dover There's the
factories, you know, aud-and-Laid-
law might have some idea"
.Oh, no. no ideas at ALL" said Mr..
Laidiaw. The mosquitoes torment
me to death here. | guess I'll take my
desk up stairs, if the company VIII eX-
euse me-"
Lieutenant Cooper said nothing; but
later on in the evening he proposed to
walk down to the little spring in the
woods.
The moon is just rising" he said,
land really there is no dew to speak
Of Please come. Miss Meredithr'
So Matte wrapped her white and gold
6nrHouS around her. and walked with
him down the shaded path. where they
had so often walked before.
But, close beside the spring, he
turned abruptly to her, and stopped.
Miss Meredith" said he, 1--WE have
known each other for some time now.
I'm only poor naval officer, but I've
my pay. and there is always the pros
pect of promotion. 1t goes 10 my heart
to hear you talk of earning your own
liying-a delicate girl like You. Let me
earn it for you. Promise to become my
wife. For, indeed" he added in his
honest, straightforward way, I've
loved you ever since met YOU here last
summer. As an heiress l should not
have ventured to ask you to share my
humble lot. But now"
''Oh, Lieutenant Cooper!n she began,
and then paused.
Yes, l know it seems presumptu-
ous," said he. ''But we've a pretty
old homestead in Virginia, where your
father and mother would be heartily
welcome. And l would work my
fingers to the bone to provide every
comfort for you and them, and-Oh,
Matte, is it possible that you can teach
yourself to love me?"
-might-try," slyly murmured
Matte. That is, if"
And then she found herself clasped
in the arms of the man who had loved
her so long and so faithfully.
''But you're very much Mistaken"
she added, after little.
Not in supposing that you love me?"
said the Lieutenant, in some appre-
hension.
''In believing that am such a pau
per-" said Matte. Papa has met with
no losses whatever. l came out here
to learn to do housework, because I've
just joined Domestic Club, one of
whose rules is that every member must
thoroughly understand the details of
her own households; but dear old Mrs.
Oxweed took it for granted that was
penniless, and when 1 saw that all the
rest believed the same thing / couldn't
resist the mischievous impulse to gauge
their true regard for me; and you,
Harry, are the only one who WIS with
ing to lift finger in my behalf"
erich or poor" said the Lieutenant,
stoutly, 81 would go to the end of the
world for you, Mattier'
So he won his wife.
1t was long time before Mrs. Ok
weed would believe that Matte Mere
dith was as much of an heiress as ever,
for she could not possibly credit it that
any girl could learn housework for her
own pleasure.
young ladies are so queer nova
days." said she.-A5'ly Randolph, tn N.
Y. Ledger.