Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-04-24


ed by the three young ladies, and the
mother stood at the door of the front
chamber.
"None at all" I replied thought
lessly,
-Four pairs Of astonished eyes Of va
rious hues were focused upon me in
SANITY.
The grey eyes of the elder woman
seemed to pierce my subterfuge, but
l turned to the liquid brown eyes for
relief to find them in a puzzled eX-
preston only.
"Then you are contemplating mar
riage" questioned Mrs. Anderson.
eyes" | said boldly, still staring
at pretty Mary, who turned away
her eyes. 81 think the place will suit
me very WELL"
"And could you decide the matter
soon ?" asked Mrs. Anderson. at is
getting to be quite annoying to have
so many people running in to look it
over"
at must be indeed" | replied.
"She included me, Of course, in the
annoyance" l mentally added. II
will take the place." said l suddenly,
with the foolhardy reservation vivid
ly in my mind--"if Mary will remain
and be it's mistress"
The latter had turned away from
the little group but not before had
seen the miserable tears start into the
dear eyes.
What should I do? "God knows
I don't want her to leave it," /
thought. | would take that wise sis
ter into full confidence, and she would
undoubtedly pilot me through the
trouble.
Before leaving | had managed to
add another crime to my SINS by
stealing from the centre table da-
guereotype of Mary, just as she ap-
peared to me in the garden, dress,
hair, and all.
"Soyou are deep in the mire, Ned,
and you want me to help you out
eh?" said Jenny with a mock-serious
face. "For shame! to come to wo-
man too. You who profess such Il
contempt for their assistance"
"Pm only a babe in this sort of bus
iness," | confessed humbly.
"And, as a babe, of course, you need
womag's tender care. You shall
have it, Ned"
Jenny was as good as her word.
She made quick and close acquain-
tances with the Andersons, and
through the reading Of certain cabal-
istic signs that would have been I'M
ineligible as Sanscrit to me, had dis
covered that there was ga possibility
of success for me-" she thought.
was surprised and delighted one
afternoon to find Mary at my sisters
house when | went there, and de-
termined to know my fate before she
left.
"What a beautiful picture you
would makew / blunderingly re-
marked. She blushed like a rose but
said nothing. My sister smiled APP
provingly and soon after left thereon
on some pretense. | went over to
where Mary was sitting, and said:
"YOu will no doubt despise a thiei
and a man who goes through the
world under false pretenses. But such
is the man before you"
She looked surprised and shocked
at this; but ! drew from my pocket q
faded but still fragrant bunch of hon
eysuckle and held it close to the one
she had pinned upon her bosom.
GA very small theft, and readily
forgiven" she said, smiling.
"They are mates" l said; "that il
the flowers wish the owners were.
The deep color began to run riot il
her cheeks now.
"And here" l said, "is the poo
substitute fer the original that have
also stolen and keptclose tony heart
as a souvenir Of you, Mary" produc
ing the picture | had taken from her
l did not want any house when zen
quired within at your home. 1t wa
only you that / wanted; and / havt
gone and made fool of myself.
have got a house on my hands but
have no wife to occupy it with me y
"But you told mamma that you
contemplated marriage" she sugges
ted shyly.
at was a long leap in the dark.
had only you in view, Mary; anC
now if you would only consent to ge
me out of this scrape it would be al
a