The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-07-15
HE FLfRTED..

I W $500 ''>0 ~ y O>s"3 AOA4O" 1ltcO
on fathers farm, down there in Con.
necticut. You've seen the place. The
church was near the tavern, and be.
hind the church was the parsonage:
and there lived Dominic Wheeler and
bis daughter Dolly. On Saturdays,
after had my supper, used to dress
myself, and tell my mother that
meant to call on Dominic Wheeier's
folks. Mother generally answered
that couldn't do better; that the Dom.
| lnle's conversation was Sure to be i'm
| proving, and that Dolly was not
''hity-tity, like some gals she could
mention
Father would add: "and a pretty lit
tie critter, too. And armed with pa.
rental approval. I would go to the par.
soRage.
1t was good time to 20, for the ser.
mon had to be flushed, as a general
thing, on that evening, and Dolly and
l had delightful long talks in those sol.
i:acy moments, and one evening l pro.
posed to Dolly. and she accepted me.
The dominic gave US his blessing. fathe,
and mother said they could not have
chosen daughtcr-in-law to suit then,
better, and all they asked was that We
should wait little while.
MY daughter is not seventeen years
old yet,' said the dominic. .'You
must not be in hurry to take her from,
me-
"Wait two years, and you will be
three and-twenty, and Ill give you the
river farm and build you a house,
said father:
Our course of true love seemed to be
running very smooth, indeed, and ]
would have staked my life and soul, q
pretty heavy stake, on my constancy.
But, somehow, think Satan thought
we were too happy, and laid a trap for
me.
Doctor Robins widow, a MANAGING
woman with big house. was in the
hablt OF taking SIMMER boardcrs, and
every year a lot of city strangers wan
| dered about the place from June to
September.
! When Dolly and had been engaged
about a year and half, the widow
had 80 boarders in her house, and Ike
and Edwin, and all the male help slept
in the barn.
There was one young lady there, a
Miss Sally Grey, 80 pretty that every
one who saw her was talking about it..
Anu | was introduced to her. Some
women have way of making a man
act against his better judgment. She
was one of them. l did not mean to
tlirt with her, but l did. 1 did not
mean to meet herin shady lanes, and
in quiet wood paths, but we met. She
knew I suppose Ike Robins had told
her) about my engagement, and she
leased me about being afraid of my
sweetheart.
| 'Such a good, prim little thing"
she would say. lis she is so dreadf1llv
shocked at me? Does she think am
tlirt? Does she pray for me in meet
ing?'
felt angry, but yet l was piqued
into proving myself free to do as |
liked. At Il little evening party. 10
which we were asked. danced five
dances with her, and when, at last,
my conscience smOte me, l went to
look for Dolly, found she had gone
| home.
'She said her pa wanted her, said
Mrs. Robins; but l tell you plainly,
James Gardener, l don't believe it ::
and for my part, | don't see what peo-
pie can find TO admire in that impu-
dent New York girl. If my lilly be-
haved like her, Id shut her up on
bread and water until she reformed.
hurried away, but the parsonage
was shut up when l got there, and l
spent an hour walking up and down
before the house, staring at the dark
windows.
The time seemed very long until the
next evening, and went over to the
parsonage very early =; but Dolly was
not there.
"She's gone to spend the evening
somewhere said the domino, kindly.
Il suppose she forgot to leave word for
you to come for her. She isn't very
we'll, either; cold, l suppose. know
1 generally caught cold at a party
when l was young and attended such
entertainments. l hope she'll be care
full. Her poor mother died of consdmp-
tion.''
My heart gave great leap.
thought of Dolly i'll, dying, even
dead. and went out into the kitchen
to ask the servant if Dolly left any
message for me.
''She said she wouldn't be home to-
night,' answered Nora; lat least, this
evening, mean, and she did not
leave word where she was gone"
Nora understood, saw. l felt
terribly injured, and l made up my
mind to revenge myself by spending
the evening with Sally Grey.
She was at home the servant girl
said, and found her waiting in The
parlor for me. We had it to ourselves
Mrs. Robins never came in, or any of
the other boarders; indeed. it was now
growing late in the season, and they
were almost all gone away. If never
knew how to firt before, Sally Grev
taught me how that night, and when l
| took leave of her l was imprudent
enough to tell her should like to kiss
her.
do it. if you desire.' said she.
And then! Yes, l kissed her; and as
l did it the door opened, and we start
ed apart, and there stood Dolly. She
had seen it all.
II left my bonnet here,' she said.
"Mr: Isaac is going home with me,
and c" ne to get it. Sorry to disturb
you.''
She was very cool and contemptuous.
She tied her bonnet on at the glass:
threw her little mantle over her shoul-
ders; and went out. Next dav she