Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1885-09-12
A QUAINT PROPOSAL.

~ " " AAhA' wv l. " ~ - =
The lilac bush beneath the sout
window of Willow Brook Farm
wainscoted parlor nodded graceful
ly as tiny zephyr swept gayly b.
waiting far and near its 1ncensese
new mown hay. In its wake flu
tered a purple and golden butter
| fly, to poise a moment upon tn
windows ledge, then to'soar bold.
forward until it lit upon curiou
old vase beside ali organ, who's
yellowed keys cleaned softly in tn
half darkened room. The butterfly
and the vase mirrored themselves
in the polished oak door, and i
the range had been right the,
could have repeated the picture il
the shining surface OF each article
Of furniture.
A young girl was the sole occu
pant Of the room, with the excep
ton, of course, of the butterfly
who had winged his-way to a small
oval mirror and was busily making
his toilet, as his companion, hum
ming q merry tune, busted careful
~ q squatty teapot, whose fat little
spout and comic tout ensemble al
once inspired a longing for tea
brewed in such novel quarters. At
that moment a voice, calling "Mar
thy! Marthy!n echoed through The
house, followed by: "Run-quick,
old Tins in the corn field, and my
hands are all over dough!"
Hastily replacing the ancient
heirloom ON spindle legged table,
the young girl darted from the room
while the butterfly, started at its
toilet, spread its brilliant wings
and foated- swiftly out into the sun
shine again. Snatching a snowy
sun bonnet from its peg in the hall,
Martha few down the garden path
across to an adjacent meadow. In
her hurry she failed to notice a
gentleman slowly advancing in her
direction, until two masculine
hands stayed her progress.
With all exclamation Of surprise,
Martha raised her pretty blue eyes
and met a pair of decidedly good
looking brown ones, gazing with
evident appreciation atthe dimpled
off which he !. e:
! crop of.reddish goldenrIfgs lying
close to the finely shaped little
head.
~ beg your pardon" murmured
Martha, the bushes and dimples
deeper, shut l didn't see
YOU. I was in such a hurry"
"Don't mention it. Wouldn't
have missed the-the pleasure for
Like to be run into,"
averred the gentleman with con-
siderable emphasis.
Such ripping laugh as dubbed
over the lips of Martha at this
speech, which she hastily apollo
gized for with:
81 didn't mean to, really; but
what YOU said sounded SO odd.'
"You couldn't do it again, could
youY l assure you I never appre'
ciated being add until to-day
"Oh, the cowln exclaimed Mar,
tina. suddenly recollecting her er.
rand. 81 forgot all about him."
and away she sped, the gentleman
hurryiug after, repeating:
"Cow! Him! Let me help you
I-Ireally am very clever with COWS
In fact I would like to make them
study"
However, when the field was
reached no COW was to be seen,and
remarking that doubtless some o.
the hands had ousted old Tim
Martha turned her steps toward
the house, thinking the gentleman
would proceed on his way. TO bel
establishment, however, he kept
along by her side, observing:
care you acquainted at Willow
Brook farm?"
"why, yes; it's my home. l was
born there" answered Martha, sur
prisedly.
"Happy farm! I mean-a-i
must be a lovely place. You see
the fact is-that is, I have a not.
for Mrs. Duncan, of Willow Brood
Farm"
aMy mother!" calculated Mafth
opening wide her blue eyes. Where
upon the gentlemen scanned wit
newly awakened interest a squar
envelope he had extracted from hi
breast pocket, as he added:
aI am an old should say m
mother is all old friend of Mrs.
Duncan's," making a rough caict
lation of the length of time it nigh
take, all things favorable, to plac
him on equally as good a footin
with the daughter, while Martha
thoughts ran very much in til
wise.
"Would be nice looking if i
wasn't so sallow. Wonder if mott
er will ask him to make US a Wis
! / never heard her speak of an q
friend that had a Son." 4
BY this time they were proceed
ing up the path that led to I
farms pretty rose garlanded pora
and having uslered the gent
man into the parlor we have
ready been introduced to, will
demure little courtesy and the wG