The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-04-10

Am wrong in wishing that it should
be an experience worth remembering
that it should not be commonplace?
Do you suppose | didn't know as soon
as you entered the room this evening
that you intended to make a jumping
jack of YOURSELF"
l rose to my feet.
"That's enough. Miss Marvin said
|. 'The mere fact that You can treat
the subject so lightly shows that you
do not care a snap OF your finger for
me and never will
So saying | strobe from the room,
snatched my hat and overcoat savagely
from the rack in the hall, and rushed
out of the house,
My feelings as | stalked away from
the Marvin house that night were de-
cidedly mixed.
"She had no right to treat me in that
way was my first reflection. 1t was
humiliating. 1t was unkind.
but them" l continued to myself,
turning the question the other side up,
"no doubt | was very awkward and
stlIted about my proposal, and as for
Laura, she is just bubbling over with
fun. How her eyes danced in spite OF
herself as she rolled them solgmnly up
at me and said: 4 can not live an hour
longer without YOU
"Still,' | went on, chow absurd for
her to talk about being tired of pro-
posals. She spoke of them as calmly
as though they were so many invita-
tons to tea. I'll wager she never had
one before in her life. No; | take that
back. I'm SURF VIII Harden proposed
to her, and Hank Burton-and Leste.
Herbert, too, if his elongated face
meant any thing when l met him com
ing out of the house last Saturday
evening. Suppose she gave them all
the
| stopped stock-still in the middle
of the sidewalk at the thought.
"Suppose she gave them all the same
answer she gave me. She was ready,
she said, to fall into the arms of the
first mar that invented some novel
method of proposing"
Distressing thought What if one Of
my precursors should even now be
springing his invention upon her. The
mental picture of Mss Marvin falling
into the arms Of either Will Harden or
Hank Burton vas circulating, while
the thought Of Lester Herbert, who
lisped and Wore bangs, was fairly mad
denlng. | vas seized with an insane
longing to return and waylay any one
of the trio who might be proving
around with his original method con.
cealed about his person.
Although it was a very ridiculous
thing to do, immediately turned about
and slowly walked back.
There was light in Laura's room
which glared at me Indignantly for Il
moment and then shrank to a tiny
speck of flame, as though it had re-
treated behind a door and were watch
ing me suspiciously through the key
hole. As stood Cd the sidewalk look
ing across at the house a thick-sct man
with Il SLOUGH hat pulled oyer his eyes
materialized from the shadow of a
tree not far away and approached me.
80, it's you, is it?" said he, in a low
tone.
Yes, II think so,' l replied,
somewhat doubtfully.
The thick-set man gave a low whistle,
and two other men slouched out of the
shadow and came up.
"All right; it's Preston.' said the one
who had addressed me.
knew then they had mistaken me
for a servant Of Judge Marvin, who
had been discharged the week before
on account Of some petty theft. Tn
questionably some precious piece of
villainy was on foot. A sudden am
bition to ''foil the villains rose within
me, followed by another to take to my
heels. As the fence was behind me and
the three men in front, | gave ambition
number one all the encouragement
possible.
You're sure it's Preston?n said one
of the men.
"Of course it's Preston" l replied,
in an injured tone. Suppose don't
know my own name?n
1--WE thought from your second let
ter that you were going TO weaken
said the thick-sct man.
30, that letter was a blind" | re-
piled, not knowing what else to say.
"Well, see that you don't weaken
said the first speaker, ''unless you
want the roof of your head blown off.
This was reassuring. | hastily re-
solved not to weaken, and said as
much.
The thick-set man then leading the
way, we crossed the street, climbed the
fence at n corner of the lot, and lay
down in the grape-arbor. | was given
n 1,,,nS t1a,1y ,..n,Jr ,LsI