Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-11-11
P. L. TIDD'S PROPOSAL.
With tho Aid of a Friend "tho
Decd Was Done"

"This," said Mr.. p. Livingston Tidd,
ns he rose from restless bed and
perchod, by way of change, upon the
rugged top of his trunk, this IS the
cvcntful day. I'll do Il to-day or GO
down to the river and fall of pier.
The fact is, you know" he continued,
sliding down from the trunk and ad,
dressing his mirror argumentatiyely,
I'm beginning TO look like Bowory
freak, with all this worry and layin'
awake nights, and 1t might as woll be
Gcitlcd. To-day do il"
1t was said boldly, but there was a
shccpish look on the haggar1 faco OF
L. Livingston Tidd hs he recalled the
many previous occasions on which ho
had begun the day with a similar res
olution and failed utterly 10 carry il
out He turned from the mirror. fell
upon his knees on the floor, and res
cucd the photograph Of n placid-look-
ing young womai' from the dust He
looked at IL tragicully for q moment
and then turned his eyes upward and
said, mOrosely:
'Oh, woman, woman, whether-no,
whither-art thou lcadin'mep"
After this outburst he restored the
photograph TO its infautile easel and
prepared himself for breakfast.
Mr.. Tide lived In boarding-house
whero there were four or five other
clerks and salesmcn. a retired grocer.
two 'lady stenographers" they
styled themselyes-a family of chill
drcn, and a miscellaneous assortment
OF glum and hcart-sirk relatives Of the
Iandlady. The relatives devoted most
of their time TO accumulating loads Of
glocm Of various degrees Of intensity
during tho day and spending tho
evening in abusing the landlady on
whose bounty they lived.
(which. when looks um ovcrm the
landlady said, conldcntially, one night
20 Mr.. Tidd al dinner, with a wave OF
her hand toward the down-cast depend
cnts 'it aint TO be wondered at that /
gifts an oScasernul jog onto me"
jag, interrupted MI. Tidd, who
was a stickler for correctness in speech
81 mean jag" said the landlady.
I lushing deeply at her ignorance of
UDciety nomenclature. "Oh, dear.
thcy'yc all got the dOldrums. blue dew
tls, and dumps, an 1t amt surprisin'
that turns at times TO GIN"
''lt amt, indeed" said Mr.. Tidd.
politely. Aud as the landlady had
made a confdant of him what more
natural than that he should conlide in
hcrP Then. as she promptly revealed
every thing TO the disconsolato rela-
lives and they told the others. it was
pretty well understood in Mrs. Me-
PhcrsOn's bonrding-hOuso that =. Liv-
ingston Tidd, OF the lace department OF
the great dry-goods house Of Billing
ton, Cash a. Co, was IN love, and
slowly nerving himself up 10 propose.
A single glance at the unhappy sales
man as he stalked TO the breakfast
table on this occasion convinced
thcm all that ho had not declared him
self the night before, aud the landlady
compassionately added another piece
Of sugar TO his ccifce, and skillmlly
directed the plate Of hOt wheat cakes
toward him. This balkod tho five
hungry and alert statesmen on the other
side Of the table, and wave Of startled
resentment swept over them. The
Youngest even went SO far as 10 romark
~ HvNioc MhloptI 10 MS ntiHuDOr
that "iidds heart might be IN a bad
way, but when wheat cakes was iloatin'
around his stummick seemed 10 cit
there with both feet, so TO speak"
But there is no gainsaying the truth
fhnt all the world loves lover, aud be-
f0ro breakfast was over the meager
appetite Of the unhappy Tidd had en-
d9arcd him 70 the most rabld wheat
cake eater OF them all. There was
set look about tho mouth and CLASSY
expression Of the eye when the sales
man sirOdo out that did not pass un-
noticed.
(Which II certain party don't up
end do Il to-day Mrs Mcphorson re-
thoughliully, rs she leaned
nor ,il'oW on The liable and tapped her
ncth elegantly with spoon. .lm
org much mistaken; bni, with cut
lag clnnco around, III the word of
certain sguny persons what suffers nm
'Ommon hard from low sperit- Is rola-
rs. I'm mistaken very often.
Meanwhile Mr. 7. Livingston Tidd |
ees on his why 10 'lhe siorp" Of
ihich DC always spoke with sneh rev. |
lenl|ai respect Tho lnsinoss Of Tho |