Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-09-01

she WOulO uOG SpOu IL Wy saying WV
much.
"Buy your clothes and don't con-
tradict auntie," said Minnie, by the
deaf and dumb alphabet; their aunt
was not looking her way.
"You should remember it is not the
custom in his country for q young
man to speak of mis- intentions to any
girl until her guardians have been con-
suited and have given their approval
to his proposal; so like a well-bred
Mexican, he has come to me and OBJ
tanned my opinion about his suit,
replied Mrs. Arbuthnot.
Sand OF course you cannot GO back
of your word? ?" suggested Minnie, in
sinuatingly.
"Most certainly not. I shall abide
by what have written to both Mr..
Mariscal and Frank Carroll; if they
are not suited with what [ wrote cam
not help it. will abide by my decis-
ion, and so I have told your uncle
Arbuthnot, so that in case | do not
get home from my trip to Paris before
the very latest date set in my letter,
the wedding must go on without me
or else you, Lilias, will be q pauper."
':Lilias is so impulsive, you know,
Aunt Hettie, that lido wish you would
write that down, so she will not for
get" suggested Minnie, handing sheet
of paper to Mrs. Arbuthnot and then
withdrawing it, adding, "Suppose I
write it and let you sign it, as you say
your eyes trouble you to-day"
"Do SO, my dear, my eyes are very
bod ~ h,,+ f0vs +hoY>o T mould
postpone my journey until later in the
season."
So Minnie wrote-"I intend to ad-
here strictly and literally to the terms
in which I yesterday wrote to Mariscal
and Frank Carroll; if they are not
suited with what wrote, I can't help
it. I will abide by that decision"
And to this Mrs. Arbuthnot appended
her name and the date. Somewhat to
Mrs. Arbuthnot's surprise, none OF the
family saw anything of Mr.. Mariscal
all that day; and she had to start
that night for New York, whence she
was to sail for Paris, without seeing
him again.
Early next morning there came to
the house, not NJ. Mariscal but Frank
Carroll, who, to Lilias' intense amaze
ment, greeted her as If he were her &C
copied lover. AS soon as she could do
so-that is, as soon as she could make
up her mind to do so-she withdrew
from his enfolding arms and exclaimed:
"Why, Frank How courageous
you are to venture here in such an as
sured manner after what Aunt Hettie
wrote to you'll"
Courageous ~ he T. repeated. ST
don't understand you; it is because /
received her card that ] am here now.
| must own that I was little sur
prised when / read it, though"
"What could she have said to your"
asked Lilias In amazement still.
''Here it is-read it for yourself; l
only got it this morning, having been
away on business, or I'd have been
here last evening"" he answered, hand
ing q postal card to Lilias.
Mrs. Arbuthno was one OF those
people who used q postal card for any
or all purposes; she had q perfect
mania for them and could not be per-
suaded not to write the most coli
Dental things upon them; so Lilias
was not at all surprised that she had
written the communications to the
two young men on these cards, though
most people prefer to send such mis-
sives in a. sealed envelope. She read:
$50 sorry that | cannot see you to-
night. [ write in haste and confusion
to say that I am more than willing
that you should marry Lilias, and |
trust that she will appreciate the
compliment you have paid her-from
her past treatment OF you [ am sure
she will. At. any rate, it is my desire
that she marry you and no one else,
on pain OF my anger"
To this was appended her name and
the date of the preceding day.
Lilias was mystified, Frank jubilant,
Mr.. Arbuthnot mildly puzzled but &C.
quiescent, and Minnie smiling, but
silent. When Mr.. Arbuthnot told
Frank that his wife had said some
thing about having Lilias married
within g. month, even though she went
away, and when Lilias and Min
ME agreed with him, he was only too
glad to aid in carrying out her ex-
pressed wishes; so the wedding dresses
were made up in q hurry, and in exact
~ a month after the date of her card
to Frank, Mrs. Arbuthnot's older
ward was married to her true love.
An hour or so after the wedding,
Minnie said, carelessly, to Lilias:
''Did you ever hear any more of Mr..
Mariscal's desire to marry your"
"Bless me, no! had entirely forgot
ten the man! Why, sure enough, didn't
auntie say she had accepted his offer
and-what are you laughing at, Min
ME ?" said Eilias.
''Do you remember the night went
down to the library to get your watch
and you wanted to know why was
gone so long? I said had paused to
read the deaths and marriages in the
paper; well, that was true, but there
lay on the library table two postal
cards, in auntie's own writing, ad-
dressed to your two lovers. picked
them up and read them-now don't
frown, postals are not private! I
found that she had evidently made g.
mistake in addressing them, for the
one bearing Mr.. Mariscal's name was
q very blunt request for him to keep
away from you; the other Frank has