Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-05-17
Meddling.
BY ALICE eUNTER.

first met her? lH .
Oh, yes, it was under the arches OF
the bridge, boating by moonlight.
A globe of reddish-pearllowly on
the east-the shadows of the great
bridge resting softly on the mirror
like surface Of the river the sound oi
flute played softly afar of, and all
of a sudden the keel OF my boat COM
ing sharply in contact with somebody
else's oars.
Halo. you!' cried a clear voice,
Where are you going tor Why don't
you look where you are steering2'
Charley Dresdenl' exclaimed I, lit.
tie needing the torrents of obloquy he
was beginning to heap upon me.
Mottiemorep he responded, joyous.
ly. why, who on earth would have
thought of finding You dreaming on
the river2 Here. Come into my
boat. Hitch on your old craft behind
And let me introduce you to Miss So.
ply Adriance.'
looked as sharply at Miss Sophy
as the moonlight and my own modes
ty would let me, for | knew that she
was the especial admiration of my
friend Charley Dresden.
had heard her blue eyes and
peach blossoms cheeks raved about
until even my much enduring pa.
tience had failed.
had listened to rhapsodies about
her sweet voice and pretty ways.
| had been called upon to criticize
original poems composed in her honor
until the subject had long since pail
ed upon me-and here l had stumbled
as it were, upon her just as Charley
was on the threshold of declara-
ton.
She was pretty. slight, and round
and rosy, with hina-blue eyes, q
dimple in either cheek. and colder
brown hair worn in long, loose curls
with none of the fashionable abomi
nations of crimps, frizzes and arti
fetal braids about her.
There was something flower like
and delicate in her prettiness--some
thing unconsciously imploring in hel
way of lifting her eyes up to your
face
Hardened old bachelor that 1 was
l felt as if I could have fallen in love
with her on the spot, if hadn't know
so well that Charley had the first in
nings.
We rowed home together-or, a
least as far home as the river would
take us. ..--.
Sophy sang little ballads.
Charley roared out tenor barcaroles
even essayed song which I hac
learned nobody knows how long ago
and we parted the best of friends.
A week afterwards Dresden and
met face to face IN the street.
Halo, Mottiemore,' said Charley
his honest visage lighting up. 'Wha
do you think of her2'
i think she is a pearl, jewel,
princess among women, I answered
with perfect sincerity.
Congratulate me, then, cried Char
ley, beaming all over, for l am en-
gagged to her. Only last night. Lool
here, opening mysterious silver cas-
which he took from his inner YES
pocket. what do you think of tina
for an engagement ring?
"A fine diomond,' said I, putting
my head critically on one side, 'an'
fancifully set
Were to be married in October
said Charley, lowering his voice to tn
most confidential tones. 1T nigh
have been sooner if hadn't under
taken that business in America TO
our firm. But l shall be sure to b
back by October, and the money
shall make will be acceptable toward
fitting up and furnishing our hey
home
So we parted with a reciprocatin
squeeze of the hand, and Charley
bright face haunted me all day with
sort of reminiscence of what Nigh
have happened also to me, if I hadn
been five and forty with bald spc
on the back of my head.
| spent an evening with her after
wards at the house where she and he
mother-a nice, bright-eyed little wo
man, the full blown rose to CORES
pond with Sophy's budding lowell
ness--dwelt
It was a pleasant evening, and
would have been still pleasanter
Charley and Miss Adriance had nc
both agreed by mutual consent to pu
ne and the ezpectant mother-in Ia,
on the same platform Of old fogyisn
and expected us to talk politics, re
ligion, and the last new opera by tn
shaded gaslight, while they did tn
Romeo and Juliet business out on th
balcony.
] dare say they enjoyed it; but i
was rather embarrassing, you see, t
mamma Adriance and me.
ITS SO kind of you to come,' sal
Sophy, with Q gentle pressure of th
hand when | went away. i am s
glad to welcome Charley's friends.
AnJ n fa1t tbat oo,,Id oLe.lI