The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-11-18


soon as the Office door had closed on the
| ladies.
"That is the rich Miss Megrims, ="
l said. ',She's got more money than
she's got time to spend it in, and so
plays sick"
''Oh. pshawt' he said petulantly, Il
don't mean the old one"
''Ah! that's her niece and supposabIe
heiress. Miss Lillian Brown | replied,
carelesSly. She's rather pretty" q"
Rather pretty he almost shouted.
''By the great ichthvDsaurus, sir, she's
lOvely-simply lovely. i never saw any,
thing more beautiful in my eutire exist
ence."
''Goner' | thought to myself His
brain has given away" and ] took poor
Glenn by the hand and felt his pulse.
''Oh, I'm all right. Doc" he said,
laughing, and then resuming his seat
upon the lounge ami becoming quite
calm. But really she is very hand
some, and | don't know that I've ever
seen any one that has made such an
impression on ME. Can't you introduce
me, doctor?"
"Oh. you're too much mixed up with
megatheriums and prehistoric power to
even talk sensibly to lady, and Miss
Brown is a very sensible and practical
girl"
'Oh! bother the megatheriums and
prehistorics. I'm not thinking of them
just now. l want an Introduction to
Miss Brown" said Glenn, earnestly.
I'll give it to you tomorrow, an
swered, "if you'll promise me to do just
what tell you until then"
Certainly, l will," he exclaimed
eagerly.
very we'll. l am to call on Miss
Megrims tomorrow at p. m. Prom
ise me that you won't open a book,
touch pen. or think of megatheriums OF
prehistorics until then, and that YOU
will go 10 the theatre with me tonight,
and | will take you with me to-mor-
row."
.'Doner' he said, enthusiastically.
Then we'll go and take walk in the
park," and l shook hands with Glenn on
the bargain. and we marched away for
a smoke and talk all about Lillian
Brown.
That night took Glenn to see an ex-
ceedingly funny burlesque. and was
gratitied at his appreciation of it in
hearty bursts of laughter, and the fol-
lowing day he made his appearance at
the office faultlessly dressed, something q
l had not known him to be since he en-
braced science, and looking so much
handsomer and better than the day be-
fore that it hardly seemed possible he
was the same man. Of course, l car
ried out my promise, and of course
Miss Megrims looked surprised at my
bringing Glen. but did not care for
that, for at the same time I saw that
Miss Lillian was gratified.
For the first time within my memory
Miss Megrims seemed to forget her all
ments, and devoted herself to Glenn,
who had corraled Lillian OH the oppo-
site side of the room and appeared to be
making the best use possible of his time,
which, had warned him, could not be
more than fifteen minutes. She eyed him
with a look that amounted almost
to glare, and poured in broadside after
broadside of questions about him that
would have taken the skill of a di-
plomat to answer, though, of course, /
did it as favorably as l could for Glenn,
but came out of the encounter strongly
impressed with the idea that Miss Meg
rims did not want her niece to marry at
all, or have gentlemen friends, and that
she considered her too young-she was
twenty-to think of such thing at all
When Glenn got out into the street he
was in raptures. Lillian WAS an angel;
her beauty was almost beyond the earth,
and her voice music itself. He was in
love, and Lillian had asked him to call
again-which, by the way, l had no
ticed, was more than Miss Megrims did.
Well. time sped on, and | saw plainly
that Glenn had dropped everything but
Lillian. l saw him every day, and
heard all about it. He had called
again, and had been rebuffed by Miss
Megrims He had called several times
more. but Miss Megrims never left the
room. Glenn did not intend to be re-
buffed, but Miss Megrims finally de-
MED him the house or an opportunity of
seeing Lillian. Then l stepped in and
carried formal proposal to Miss Meg
rims, which l backed up with my best
efforts, but received 4 formal refusal.
Miss MegrimS did not intend that her
niece should marry for some years to
come.
My reply to this selfishness was my
becoming letter bearer between the low
ers, and few days afterward they met
in Central Park, although it must have
been hard job for Lillian to have got
ten the chance. From the meeting Clem
rushed into the office, exclaimlng:
"It's all right, Doc. We're engaged.
Lilies gong to try and soften the old
hippogriff, and if she can't We'll get
married anyhow and go abroad"
Clem had carried the war into Africa,
and meant to stay there all the time, he
said. He had forgotten all about me-
gatheriums and prehistorics, and had
no more symptoms and tendencies to
suicide. In fact, he was completely
cured, and, stranger still, Miss Megrims
had become as robust us prize fighter.
and not a word ever came out OF her
mouth about pains or aches, though she
would not give up daily calls, but al
ways filled them up with denunciations
of Glenn and declarations that if Lillian
married him she should never touch a
cent of her money.
Doctor" she said one day. a never
knew a runaway marriage to turn out
we'll In my life"
..Ohl that's a mistake, Miss Meg
rims" | said. II have known many.
Mr.. Alburtis' own parents were a runa
way match. She was great belle, a
Miss Ellice Clark, and"
"Whatr' screamed Miss Megrims,
jumping to her feet His mother my
Ellice. my darling Ellicc! 1t can't be!
Why didn't you say so before, Doctor?
The dearest girl friend ever had in my
life, and I've treated her son SO badly;
It's shameful in you, Doctor. Go and
bring the dear fellow here directly"
i did, and when he came she Script
urally fell upon his neck and wept, and
then they fell to talking about Glenn 5
mother until Glenn cried in concert.
Well. they did not have runaway.
but did up the affair in style, and all
went to Europe together, and the. last
letter have from Clem declares the
hippogrltf to be one of the most charm
ing old maids the world ever pro-
duced.