Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-10-16

feminine quickness and diplomacy.
Come, own up, now-you're in for 1t
as we'll as me %
Farmer Brown stared mutely ut his
daughter Tor q few seconds, then with
! a mingled gasp and gurRle, threw back
his head with loud guffaw.
We're . pair of culprits this time,
Min, that's.a fact !" he exclaimed.
And, sinSs we find ourself in the
same boat, I may as we'll make clean
breast of 1t to you, suppose. l can see
know whatever possessed you TO rig
yourself up in that style never mis- |
! trusted It was any one-Min, you
know Widow Green Pr
"Indeed / do !" answered Minerva, |
hiding grimace for the same widow
, was her pet aversion among all her
Acquaintance.
Well, she and have had 1t In our
minds for some time 10 get married,
and she has little property that would |
come in right handy In running the
farm and, knowing that you would,
of course, make an awful row about 1t, |
we arranged TO do it secretly. We were
to meet at the Old oak, run up here and
be married, and then slip back-and l
had calculated to introduce your new
mother TO you at break fast. thought,
too, that her authority in the family
would put stop to your Tightly mo-
tions but-there We may Is well call
it quits this time, my girl, and get mar
ried all around like sensible folks. j ust.
lpromise your father that you won't say
nothin' about this little blunder, and
you may marry Jack NJ the same time
l marry the wilder, and I'll give you
| ar u dnllnra for Uaddinb dPaaa a II
a bargain, Min you know you always
liked your old father"
| Just walt till have q good laugh!
spluttered Minnie, behind her hand.
kerchief, and the next instant merry
peal rang out. in which the farmer WAS
fain to join although he modified it by
a deprecating hang 1t ALI"
Therel" said Minnie, holding out
her hand las her mirth subsidized. "We'll
he friends, now father! and, so long as
/ am going to marry dear old Jack,
you may have the Widow Green, that
is"-with another grimace-"if you
CAD stand her But, oh, my! won't she
be mad! and, may be"-with another
explosion OF merriment-" may be she
and Jack have gone off on q similar
blind ride! but no." she added q
momsat later, they would have come to
tbtb pbtsOhokCg 6ibO III NAV CdbN
" They probably found out the mis-
i lake before they started!' said the far.
mer, with groan. Dear, dearl ri
have an aw::.l time gsttin' matters
straight, I'm thinking. Tvs 80 contour
ded queer we should both have hit
upon the same place and the SANE
lplan!'
'enS'"'e pe""'e Always think alike,
,.hey say" said Minnie, with another
litter. :" But we've made q beauti'
full snarl of 1t this time, and no mis-
take"
Well" said farmer Brown, grow
ing more composed, we'll have to
wait until the parson comes in, and
. apologize for disturbing him. Its dread
full awkward"
. Why don't you invite him to come
I and Off ciate at the wedding?" suggest.
ed Minnie, sagaciously. He'll get a
double fee, you know, and, 1t Is only
fair, after putting him to such trcuh-
Q le.''
Well done!" said her father, quite
relieved When shall tell him &c
: come, Min?"
r Let mo see," said Minerva
: with the serene consciousness oil
Q complete victory. al can make
up my dress, aud do all the cleaning
q and baking necessary In two weeks
Q Tell him to come Thursday, the 26ih.
!, father"
fl At this moment the minister's steI
o was heard at the door, and he entered
=; book in hand. At the sight Of hin
- Minutes face disappeared precipitately
d behind her handkerchief, while Farme
b Brown, overwh elmed for the seconC
10 time by the embarrassment of the stu.
1t alton, stood nervously fumbling will
his watch guard, unable to utter {
~ word the minister, meanwhile, sug-
~ gestivey turning the leaves of his bool
1T and glancing from Ole to the other O
r. his visitors in wild perplexiiy.
ss TITS all right" stammered tn
to farmer, at length. ~ want you L
I'd marry my darter an me-leastways
ut the widder an Jack-that Is, mean
Il, Oh, hang it all you tell him, Min !"
Choking q final giggle behind he
I'd handkerchief, Minerva came GRACEFUL
~ to the rescue, and in o few words ex
lg planned az much as was necessary G
u, the state of affairs to the minister, VIII
~ promised to be on hand.
ke "Now reckon we'd better ge
n back" said her father, nervousl
p clutching her arm. We can'tdo any
thing more till to- morrow, and, oh me
n won't the wilder be mad l mistrui
ID. if she'll have me, after ALL"
nd Small loss" com mented the pro-
Dr., pective step-daughter, soto voce. The
IL donning her travelling attire, she too
her fathers arm, and the runawa
he couple started for home.
IN There wasn't any bugging on Il
tn way back. Farmer Brown sat plunge
OF in deep and apparently Ftrtnrbed M I'd
t a tation, while Minnie had hard work
n keep from yielding to renewed expl
sed sions of merriment.
10 As they passed the old tree on the
way home both looked keenly at it, b
u.s. no form of any description was visibl
and with q portentous sigh Farm
va Brown strobe on, while Minnie b;
almo.t to run to keep up with him.
u At an early hour the next mornll
Farmer Brown sailed forth to pay
On visit OF inquiry and explanation to h
ed n1. "a Iack to nav 20
led u.'ia . a,h;r, Nv alaa ,o ,aaya Urn
ere $50. -. ~, sba das;rad to 400 III,
Half an hour after he departed
ner his mission ringing voice sounded
III side the open window at which she "
an sitting, and in another IN )ment ia
ooS was in the room, holding both h
IA hands.
ard az know it ALL" he said, as smili
81 and blush ing she was about to spea
!" That Ia, l know some things, o.
n m could easily guess the rest. Let ]
md relate my experience fret. l start
a last night for our rend ezvous. just
ing little late. and was hurrying aloI