The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-11-27
SUCH A SURPRISE.

az wish you wouldn't look so tragic,
Mr.. Touchwood' said the young lady
to her companion, while her eyes
twnkled roguishly, 81 hope you haven't
enticed me to this deserted spot to mur.
der me-.
"Meta," he repeated hoarsely, will
you hear me 20
% If you do that again ] shall scream, F"
she said, rising from the shady river
bank where they had been resting after
long walk
Mr.. Touchwood sank on one knee and
clasped her hand in his. but before he
could speak she said quickly, with u
laugh:
IF you have little piece to speak
why don't you kneel in dry place in
stead of puddle"
Don't trihe with me, Meta. You
must hear me out"
''Well, what is to prevent you l am
all ears, as the saying goes.
''Meta, will you be mine p
''What question TO ask. Certainly
not"
you love another"
"Thats point on which YOU can
hardly claim the right TO ask questions, +"
to say, granting that love at all-mind,
don't admit it--but granting, for argu'
ment's sake, that | am in love. l don't
mind confessng that it is
"With whomY' demanded Brent,
fercely.
Another" answered Meta, quietly.
"False creaturev' he exclaimed, turn
ing and hurrying away, leaving Meta to
find her way home alone.
II know who il is'' he growled to
himself-'it's that puppy, Leslie Herne,
confound him! I've long more than half
suspected it,"
Meta gave q little silvery laugh, which
an eavesdropping moclIing-bird tried to
catch up, but his throat wasn't mellow
enough. Then, gathering up some wild
flowers she had picked she bent her
steps toward the farm house at which
she was summer boarder. On the
score of Brent Touchwood she had q
quiet conscience. for though he had been
quite assiduous in his attentions lately,
she had received them simply with
civility, and had no thought, when he
took her for walk that day, that it was
to end in a proposal.
Meta had gone but a little distance
when her path was crossed by young
man, who raised his hat politely and bade
her good evening. Hating mystery, LEI
us say at once ii was the same Leslie
Herne on whom we left Brent Touch
wood venting maledictions just now, and
who, as well as Meta and Mr.. Touch
wood, was summer boarding in the neigh
borhood.
Seeing her alone, Mr.. Herne volun
teered to act as Metals escort, to which
agreeable task let us leave him. f.snN
Brent Touchwood packed up and lief
that night. An unexpected business col
was his excuse; but it must have been
very distant one, for the next European
steamer took him as passenger, and hi
next appearance In our story is at a re
tired little watering place in the north o
France.
The morning after his arrival he wen
to try the waters-not that he cared q fiji
for them or their Wanted virtues bu
their bitterness, he thought, mig prov
in harmony with his feelings.
On one of the seats in the pump-roon
sat lady glancing over morning pape
which at first concealed her face; bu
soon movement revealed glimpse o
it at which Touchwood started suddenly
1t was the cruel Metals face
He turned about quickly, not caring T.
be recognized, and, in so doing, iostled
gentleman in the act of drinking ant
spilled some of the water on his frillet
bosom.
Brent was about to beg pardon, bu
cut himself short on discovering that tn
iostled man was Leslie Herne.
For some seconds the two glared upo
each other scowlingly.
perhaps it's your pleasure to take OF
fense," said Brent, freezingly.
"a gentleman would apologize" re
turned the other.
Il should to gentleman retorte
Brent.
MAY presume, at least, to determin
the satisfaction due to one?" inquire
Leslie Herne, purple with suppressed pas
sion.
"You can have whatever satisfaction
you desire"
Time, place and terms2"
can hour from now, the wood at tn
border of the town, small swords and Il
witnesses.
agreed"
Both were prompt to time, butsbefoi
they could proceed lady and gentlema
came arouud the turn of path which
in selecting the ground, the hostile pal
ties had failed to notice,
Hello, Brent-hellol Lesliep' halle
the gentleman - "who would bay
thought of finding you here? But sta
let me introduce my wife--you bot
know her, / believe"
Brent Touchwood and Leslie Herr
both started with surprise. The lad
was their mutual old flame, Meta, VIII,
by the bye, had refused Leslie on the
walk home from the woods that evenin
quite as decidedly as she had Brel
just before, and Leslie, too, had take
sudden leave the same night, convince
that Brent lockwood was his favore
riVal-and here now was Tom BuXtol
another summer boarder, whom Meth,
had ever suspected, presenting Meta I
his bridel
It's needless to say the duel WASH
fought,
"When I saw her in the pump-rool
this morning." said Brent, as he an
Leslie walked back to the hotel togethe
land turned to find myself face to fa'
with you naturally concluded you Ia
married her and were on your weddir
tour"
'Just what thought respecting you,
answered Leslie 'and neither of us ha'
ing gotten Meta for wife, each,
course, thought the next best thiI
would be to make widow of her, y
Destroying Ants.
Professor Cook of the Michigan Agricultul
College, says; 81 tried bisulphide of carbC