Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-01-01
THE FIRST PROPOSAL.
BY FRANCIS EDWARDS.

stood IN front OF a large cream DflCh
house on Clifton avenue one Tuesday
morning late in June. The air and
sunshine and sky were perfect. A
most tempting morning for drive.
The owner of the turnout, Col.
Baker, was within the mansion So
licifing.. Miss Hazel Traits company
for a drive. The Young lady had
not the slightest objection to going
with him. He was an old friend of
her fathers, an amusing story teller,
and very fond of his horses. He was
called Colonel" not from any con
nection with military life, but it was
a title received in early boyhood days
and it had chung to him as nicknames
and titles of this sort often do.
Presently they came out of the
house, she got into the carriage. Very
lovely she looked in pale, ecru dress
and a nat to match, with flaming
bunch of peoples down on one side.
On the way down the avenue they
met DIR. Whitbeck, driving slowly
and bent over in his seat Eeditative-
lv eying the dashboard, as if pro-
foundry considering some scientific
theory of studying the latest treat
Inent of a case" The moment he
looked up and saw them he graspad
his whip. The horse gave a start
which nearly threw the doctor over
backward, and went furiously up the
street.
Darn that colonel" he muttered
under his breath. "What business
has he to be driving her out so much2'
Then, with grim smile and long
drawn breath. "It's none of my bust
ness, though, none whatever, if she
rides TO the end Of the earth with
him.
This young man had met Hazel the
summer before while visiting a school
friend. lie was proud, poor, reserved
and ambitious-a self-made man--but
uncomfortable ia society. He lacked
The ease and polish that many an un-
worthy, weak man possesses who is
brought up in the habits of refined so
ciety. He felt this lack keenly-ovey-
estimated mis- barbarisms, as he call
ed his unpublished style.
Hazel first saw him, by accident,
binding up the broken leg of dog
one day when she was out for walk
in the country. His goodness to this
little stray creature touched her heart
and his manly form and open face,
beamlng intelligence and kindness as
he arose from his cramped position on
the ground Immediately impressed her
strongly. Sne went up to him like a
child, without embarrassment or hest
tatIon, and spoke Of what he had been
doing.
1t followed in the conversation that
he knew her friends with whom she
was stopping and walked home with
her. They were introduced, though,
rs Hazel said, at was entirely super
lluOus after such an extensive &C
quaintance. Almost every day dur
ing the remainder of the summer they
were companions, riding, walking,
fishing, sailing.
DR. Whitbeck was more Mt bus ease
i" the open air. His scientific know
ledge often came into use and he grew
TO DO a sort of hero-a skilled hero in
her eyes; she thought there was mott
ing he did not know and could not do.
To him this childy woman grew
more charming every Gay. Her in
nOcence and open admiration fer him
was quite too much for his reserve,
which melted completely away in the
sunshine OF her presence. She was
such a lovablo little maiden, with her
merry laugh and ready sympathy. lie
did not realize how he had opened his
heart to her and tho strength of his
passion unul it was too late. When
he did see his danger with strange
faulty he said to himself: "She does
not know 1t. I'll make no resistance
now, but go on and be happy in the
present, as | shall probably never
again know happiness in my life" SO
they had parted without one word of
love being spoken.
The following winter Dr. Whitbcck
had commenced practicing in the
same city where Hazel lived. She met
him occasionally and invited him to
call, but he was always busy, and
strange GOODNESS grew up between
them. lie actually seemed to avoid
her. She thought, with a woman'S
Sersluyeness, that she had been silly
aud foolish and he regarded her as too
trtlIng a piece of humanity to be
worthy of his least attention, so with
equal GOODNESS she studiously avoided
hlm
The summer days slipped away.
Autumn came and early winter, still
she had received no proposals not
orc. Her young gentlemen friends
did not find 1t easy to make advances
with her III spite of her frankneSs and
seeming pleasure in their society.
The ouly person who really enjoyed
her confidence was the colonel, whom
she regarded as sort of father-con-
fessor.
However, the fatal day came at
last. She and the colonel had been
out for one of their numerous drives.
They had been unusually merry, the
colonel behaving much like a young
boy. On bringing her home he came
IN, ostenslbly to get warm Stand
ing with his back TO the fire and his
feet wide apart, he regarded Hazel in
an distracted way as she threw off her
wraps, dropping her cloak on chair.
her hat on a sofa, dragging a scarf
over n stand and leaving a mitten on
the floor.
Suddenly bringing his heels togeth-
err with a click and raising himself up
on his toes and letting himself down
again. he said:
Come here child, want to tell you
something"
Hszel came over where he was
standing, aud, dropping into chair,
looked up with expectation in his
eyes.
The colonel took step, wheeled
: around facing her, and said III de-
preeating way:
II don't know how 10 tell you, |
am not an eloquent man not much
OF man, anyway-but IL love you
have loved you since you were wee
child. Psrhaps-I do seem old to you
but | feel you niger than did at 20.
do so long to devote the remainder of
nay life TO you, my darling. Could
you - do you think you could be my
wifef"
Hazel, at first dumbfounded and
feeling strong inclination to laugh
and cry both. tried in vain to collect
her wits. NHer first otferl And Col.
Baker, with his queer ways and bald
head standing there with that ridicu-
lous culver IN his voice! 1t was too
mach!
No she cried, springing up.
How could yCu ever think L would