Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1889-05-23

old fashioned house, whose original
self of red brick was nearly con-
cealed by wings, additions and bay
windows, all covered with trumpet
creepers, wistcria, and brown
stemmed honey-suckles, dwelt a
pretty young widow, sweet voiced,
rosy and passing fair to look upon.
cpl propose to Mrs. Tyson" said
our hero, sand ri do it at once"
Mrs. Tyson was not at home, but
the servant maid who opened the
door was quite certain that if MIR.
Merton would only walk in and
wait 4 few minutes, her mistress
would return.
So Mr.. Merton walked in the
sunny room where the pussy-cat lay
purring on the rug before the fire,
and window stand full of daffodils
and primroses made the air sweet,
and the widows open portfolio, with
sheets Of lavender paper strewn
about, betokened her most recent &C.
cupation.
dan ideav' said Mr.. Merton.
81 never was quick at turning a
sentence, and it is decidedly awk-
ward to go down upon ones knees.
III write the eventful question"
Ny DEAR Mrs. TYSON - Will
you marry me? And will you ac-
cept my assurances of sincere de-
yotion, now and for all? I am not
an eloquent man, but believe I
could make any woman happy who
loved me, and whom I loved. Of
the latter fact I am quite certain, in
regard to you; Of the former, it re-
mains for you to assure me. I shall
meet you at Mrs. Grimshaw's to-
morrow evening. She has told me
you are coming to tea. If you an
swer the first question I ask you
Yes I shall know you love me; if
otherwise, l shall not press my
suit. Yours truly,
JOHN MERRToS.
P. S.-Would not mind entering
into al agreement never to clean
house after we are married. I have
4 horror Of house cleaning"
Mr.. Merton sealed up his letter,
inwardly bewailing himself over
the big blot he had dropped like an
inky tear, on the word, Yours
truly
But its bad luck to write thing
of that kind twice over" he said to
himself, superscribing the letter,
"Mrs. Cora Tyson" and placing it
where her eye would be certain to
light upon it the first thing.
And then he took his departure.
1t was quite dusk when Mrs. Ty-
son came in the hall an hour after
ward, and the servant maid was
lighting the hall gas.
please, ma'am, there's n gentle
man in the sitting-room to see yon,
said the lass, us Mrs. Tyson entered:
{; Who is it ," asked the widow.
But the lassio Of .the-hlue ribbons
did not know, and when Mrs. Tyson |
entered the room nobody was there
but puss and the plants.
ale must have gine away,
ma,am,n said the servant maid.
"Hc'll come again, l dare say, If
he wants to see me very nuch,"
said the widow, and quite uncon-
scious of the hillctdouX awaiting
her glance, she tumhlcd all the pa-
pers together into the portfolio, and
put it on the top shelf of the IL
brary.
"Kitty," she said to the servant,
"comc and help me clear away all
these things. Mrs. Flanagan IS
coming early tomorrow morning to |
clean house, and we must he ready |
for her.
Hapless John Ncrrion! Here
was the shadow of house-cleaning
once again darlly brooding over his
life.
Mrs. Tyson came to Mrs. Grim
shaw's to tea the next evening, look
ing very hcwitching in her shining
black silk dress, hair to match, with
cherry checks and velvet-hrown
eyes. Ncrrion's brow frightened
as he walked up to her. Did she
blush? He thought she did, little
but she put out her hand quite I'M
couccrnclly. What elegant ac-
tresses these women are!
"Don't you think it's a pleasant
evening? ?" said Mr.. Merton, with
fate trembling on the tip of his
tongue.
"No, I DON'T" answered the
widow, lifting her long eyelashes.--j
"I think we shall have rain; and
Pm sorry, for we have just COM
menced house-cleaning !"
Mr.. AIerrion dropped the little
hand suddenly as if his own hand
had been stricken with palsy. Mrs.
Tyson's answer had killed the two
birds Of his hearts hope with one
stone. He had got his quietus, and
he might as we'll go about his bust
ness at once.
They're all alike" pondered our
hero, modify. "They would, any
one of them, immediate a mans heart
upon the point Of q carpet tack, or
submerge his soul in pail Of white
wash, and think they had accom-
plished the whole duty Of woman.
And the worst Of it is that Mrs. Ty-
son never looked as pretty in her
life as she does tonight"
Mr.. Merton went upstairs to
pack his valise for 4 journey to the
South he felt that he could not en-
dure the possibility Of seeing Mrs.
Tyson perhaps daily. Like the de-
lirious pink-cheeked apricot that
hangs on the sunny wall just be-
yond the school boys reach, the
pretty widow became precious in his
eyes in proportion as she became in
accessible.
Cora Tyson cried little when she
heard that Mr.. Merton had gone
House-cleaning is not eleyating to
the spirits, particularly in damp
weather, and Mrs. Tyson had an
s,Jo, II ,,;nl- IN StT3npl