The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-02-17
VOW WON NY WIFE.

6ON i NON IL 2 sF1CI'
twas towards the close OF q sultry
day in the latter part Of July that !
sound myself sauntering, rather aim
lessly, out into the suburbs of my native
city.
ihad chosen, as if by instinct. a
shaded avenue for my stroll. and was
enjoying the little breath of air that was
playing idly with the dense sluggish
foliap overhead, when l came uneS-
pecteGly upon little cottage situated =
little way from the road.
The grounds were tastefully laid out,
and there was dainty bit of velvety
lawn in front and at one side OF the
house.
Inyoluntarily I paused to take in the
pretty picture, and as l stood leaning
against the lawn fence, | caught the
sound of female voices. Then dis
covered that they proceeded from a
sn.s,i grove at the side of the cottage.
There were four persons in the chat
sedng group, seated almost out OF sight
from where had first stopped. There
vas an elderly lady, and 8 young girl OF
sobably sixteen, and two young ladies'
Of about eighteen and twenty-five re-
pectively.
The elder of the two was q blonde,
and though possessed OF fair face and
good figure, I dismissed her from ray
scrutiny almost instantly as caught
sight Of the other. This one was e
study upon which my mind rs well as
nv gaze dwelt, to the exclusion OF the
rest Of the group.
She was Of medium height-she was
the only one of the fair quartet standing
perfect figure. rather inclined to slen-
derress, and with a face that would
always command more than casual
glanee-
It was the work of but g few moments
70 take mental picture of this charm
ing girl. and I also added to this crime
the theft of bouquet of the odorouS
honeysuckle-
Casting a glance at the pretty cotiagc.
] saw small piece OF paper lacked 10
8 yerandah pillar, upon which | deci-
pheced, with the aid of Q glass. tie fol-
lowing legend, written in q small te-
male hand:
ITO let; enquire within. .
immediately l wanted to hire that
cottage Not that I needed it, or had
any earthly use for It; but 9 sort Of in
sane desire seized me to get possession
of the nest that held the beautiful bird,
under the ridiculous and illogical rea-
soning, or rather lack OF reason, that
the bird, of course, went with the Gest,
in business way.
had put my hand upon the garden
gate. when suddenly discovered. lying
upon the rerandah, :. large Newfound-
land dog, who raised his massive head
.aaS3 looked 1t me inouiringly, and I
daneied, . little beilicvrertly.
IhSye mortal horror OF dogs-that
is, other peoples dogs-and particularly
loose dogs. SO hesitated, and Us l
ssw no way Of attracting the attention
of the group without shouting to them'
retreated like coward. There was
Gave Canem written all over the house
for me, and even for q closer view OF
the fair creature in the garden, WcU;c
not take the risk Of the dog.
No; / would stroll out that way again
the next day, and would get Jenny,
nv married sister, to come with me.
ITO look at cottage" said Jenny IN
sstonishment when / asked her com
pany for this purpose. ''N hat IN tae
world do Jon mesn?'
1Oh, its such lovely little nest, |
thought I'd secure it in case should
get married, or anything of that kind.
Don't you think it would be more II
the line Of variety to secure the w:fe
6rst?" she asked, knowing that l ha0
none in view as yet.
s3t is q sort of Toodles idea" | ad-
mitted; "but I'd like you to see Il
So we went; we saw, and was con-
ouered. We enquired within. Jenny
was captivsted with the cottage and
grounds, and There was only one Sol!:
tary object in the whole premises that
saw sufficiently well to be able to de-
scribe it intelligently afterwards.
..Did YOU notice, Ned, how admirably
the rooms connected, and how space
was economical everywhere?
II didn't notice particularly" | said
rather abruptly, thinking only Of the
rooms rs connected with the superb
central fgure-Mary Anderson, as we
learned her name was-and Of the
economy of space only in the light OF
the immense space that there was al
present between us-Mary and me,
mean.
..And what beautiful tint of brown
the cottage was painted"' she added.
..Beautiful, beautiful!' ! said, looking
d-eamin ngly out Of the window, and
thinking Of the exquisitely lustrous
brown eyes.
.Nedr' said Jenny suddenly, starting
vne o,,s of q dream in which was pic
tnriae, myself and Mary as the occupants
Of the cottage, without knowing actually
wbether the house was painted brown oI
green, or painted at all, for tha: matter
sNed do YOU know I don't believe YOU
have the taiahsst notion OF hiring the
house: nor DO I believe you kno"
whether the cottage contains two rooms
or ten. or whether there E'as 1ront OF
hack door OF windows to It.
I net her concentrated gaze OF inesed'
ulisy and her provoking smile with Q
.aook which was meant for an injured