The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-08-18

Why, no, don't think you arc" sne re- |
piled after conscientious deliberation.
II think you're pretty as a picture," he
said, boldly. IL do, honest"
Mays face grew hot with shame and in
dignation.
At last her bold, unmaidenly actions in
corresponding with stranger was bearing
Its bitter fruit. She seemed to hear her
aunt's thin, sarcastic voice say: "Men
know who they can say those things to-"
"Where is this mans wifoi" May thought.
us she offended because wrote to her hus-
band and said nothing about hcrf" She
grew cold at the thought.
81 don't want you to say any more such
things to me-" she plucked up courage to
| say.
"Why, I amt agoin' to-" he said, in tone
| OF alarm. ~ hain't no such thought. Don't
| be mad with me-" he added, pleadingly.
| "Why, here, I hain't asked you to take of
your things nor hev nothin' to eat. hain't
| got no manners"
He got her some cake and tea, and then
with real delcacy left her alone until the
minister came. The minister's wife accom-
panied him, and she came into the front
room to May, leaving her husband and the
man OF the house in the kitchen.
II was determined to come II It did rain,"
she exclaimed, kissing May effusively.
'Isn't 1t 80 romantic; just like story, your
coming way up here. Well, think you've
done well. suppose you're little nervous;
was"
''Did you ever teach SCHOOL," asked May.
"Why yes. taught one term once" re-
piled the visitor, looking as Il she considered
the remark irrelevant.
''It was too bad about your trunk, wasn't
It'll Never mind, your dress is plenty good
Snh Vnn iF1,N, ,t,.n, Il pati IL,
the men. You don't feel faint, do you'd"
When the minister came in May rose and
stood before him like child at school. Her
heart beat so fast and such mist came be-
fore her eyes that she did not realize that
her host was standing beside her.
| She made terrible effort to grasp all the
rules of grammar. arithmetic, geography,
and spelling at once, and felt to her dismay
| that her brain was in state of complete
chaos.
| The minister cleared his throat-"The
State" he began slowly.
| GEOGRAPHY is the first thing" she
thought, and tried to get an instantaneous
picture in her mind of the entire earth and
all its diversions, but all she could think Of
were the names Of Mount Popocatapetel and
the river Yang-Tse -Kiang.
"The state of matrimony is one ordained
by God for the purpose of-"The minister
| had got so far, when he paused arrested by
the look OF horror and amazement on the
girls face, and her companion thinking tho
| blank was for him to fill out. CALCULATED in
loud firm tones, II do"
"Stop! quick!" cried the girl ''there is
some mistake"
"You can't expect me to say it Just right
the first time" said her host, realizing that
he hadn't responded in quite the right place,
butyou'd orter make some allowances, seein'
l never was married BEFORE"
Married ~ she cried, recoiling from him,
II came up here to teach school, and you
know did. know my aunt would have
said it was dreadful venturesome thing to
do, but no one has any right to marry me, If
did,"
"But, my dear young lady," said the puz.
zled minister, ''Tom-Mr. Hunter, has made
confidant of me from the first aud he sure-
ly understood thatyou were to marry him.
81 advertised for wife, YOU remember"
said the crestfallen Mr.. Hunter, turning to
her, "and you answered it."
81 did not" cried May, Indignantly II
wrote to Mr.. Hilliard, of Huntersville, for
school,"
"There is Mr.. billiard at Huntersville,"
said the minister
'This is Hunters Point,n said the min
ister's wife, who had been trying vainly to
get in word
II must have got off at the wrong station"
gasped May, sinking into u chair. 81 have
made terrible blunder."
SIT does seem to be a dreadful mixed up
mess, but p'raps we can straightcn it out,
said Mr.. Hunter, dolefully. Isn't your name
Maria Smith"
"My name is May Smith," she answered.
| rather shortly.
Snow look here, my dear, cried the minis
ter's wife, "this is rather awkward, l know;
but think can find way out of the laby-
rinth. My name is Mrs Seavor-well begin
at the very beginning-and Mr. Sesvor is an
ordained minister come up here to marry
you, May Smith, to Tom Hunter, one of the
best fellows that ever lived. Now" said
she, clapping her hands enthusiastically,
''why can't we have tho wedding after alll
I'll vouch you'll never get better husband
if you search the wide world over. know
| you don't know him. but I'll guarantee that
you'll never be sorry"
"If you only WILL" said Mr.. Hunter,
pleadingly; "rve taken such shine to YOU"
"My friends" said Mr.. Seavor, II dislike
very much to interfere with the romantic
procedure that Mrs. Seavor has laid out"
~ never could consent to it, never,n in
terrupted May.
"In any case" he continued, 'sit is nv
duty to remind you all that Mr.. Hunter has
agreed to marry some one, and the lady in
question would have cause to think herself
unfairly treated If he married any one else"
Mr.. Hunter groaned as he perceived the
cogcncy Of this reasoning.
"I'll do the square thing by her." he said,
"but was never so disappointed in my life."
Mrs. Seavor staid that night with May,
keeping her awake until nearly morning to
listen to the praises Of Mr.. Hunter.
''If you can't find her." said Mrs. Seavor
in the morning to Mr.. Hunter and May, as
they started to drive over to Huntersville in
search Of her school and his stray betrothed,
'if any thing happened to her-though most
likely there hasn't-things never do happen
the wav we want them to-, except in books
but If they should, just bring May right
back to my house for dinner, and we'll have
Just the prettiest wedding that ever was
in spite Of her''-she added, meaning the
absent Maria Smith.
From which it will be seen that the un-
conquerable Mrs. Seavor, although a min
ister's wife, let her sympathies run away
with her sense OF abstract right and Justice.
The morning was bright and mild, but the
ride was very silent one.
Mr.. Hunter wore an expression Of suffer-
ing and resolution that would have done
credit to amedimval martyr.
Mrs Hilliard met them at the door.
"Wal, yes," she admitted, "there was a lady
there who came on the train the night before,
the new school ma'am, an she guessed she'd
hov IN ,,vottu yood syOvar, tuopt .ho,. -,1t A.