The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-11-20

object to meet Aunt Laura. 1t is not as if
she knew her already. | could quite I'M
derstand any one Directing to meet that
lady a second time; but Nellie has had no
experience as yet OF her tongue-Where
was /? Oh. Iposted both letters, and this
morning ride over to Harden to hear my
fate She receives me very pleasantly, but
as calmly as if were in the habit OF pro-
posing to her every week. You got my
note? ask Certainly she says. And
you will give me favorable answer?
Certainly, she says. Now, at this point |
had expected some little hesitation; but
she spoke up as freely as if had offered to
peel an orange for her. Then think
Come. it is my turn, nowP and then she
flies at me, till am completely dunn
founded. What on earth am 1 to think of
1t all? You horrid, unconverted man!
she said. Now what did she mean by
that? am not Turk nor an infdel-
Hullo, Reuben, so you have managed to
bring Paragon so far without a mishap?"
The small boy grinned delightedlv. by
the way, how is your brother getting on?
l mean your brother JONAS the one who
was underkeeper under SirThomas Roby's
man?;
Reuben grinned from ear to ear.
"Jonas-He left Sir Thomas year ago,
sir He could not stand Sir Thomas tan
trums, sir; SO he got took on as Postman.
You'd have seen him pass this way, sir,
about this time, but he's late this morn
ing. He thought he'd left all the letters
at the hall as usual so, after he had rested
a bit, he picked up the other letters at
Mrs. Higgins postoffice-her that keeps
the bacon and candy shop strand he
was just about to tramp it back to Miver-
ton, when he ups and he says, 'Blestr
And Mrs, Higgins, she says, Is it the
colic?' And he says, No. says
he. It's, not, the collie; it's Miss
Nellie's letter. says he. Why, 1
left one letter at the hall this morn
ing for her; twas addressed as plain as
could be, aud the postmark Swendon.
And now here's another for Miss Nellie
in the same writing, and with the same
postmark.' And then he was off to the
hall as hard as he could lay legs to the
ground for there's none of US but would
be sorry to ill-conveuience Miss Nellie /;
and Jonas ne were main put out to find
he had not delivered the letter this morn
ing with all the others. Yes, sir, Paragon
he came along quiet enough, and he.
Thank you, sir. Good-day, sir"
So this was the reason of the explosion.
Roger leant against the church-yard
and whistled.
$50 that was how the mistake arose.
Well, she will have got my letter by this
time l wonder what she is doing.
Think almost think that I will ride over
again this evening. All! Just you wait a
bit, pretty Miss Nellie. Won't / have my
innings this EVENING""
Could Roger have been transplanted at
that moment to the hall, he would have
seen a sight to overjoy him. A girl down
on her knees in the utter abandonment of
her grief, with a letter spread open before
| her on big armchair, now reading line.
and now INDUCING in fresh burst OF
| tears.
$50 that was what he meant. Oh, dear
and how could / know it? 1 thought he
meant, did l accept his invitation to din
ner Why did that stupid postman over
look just that one letter? Oh, deari oh,
dear And flew into passion. And he
meant would marry him and did not
| know it. And he will never, never come near
me again. And there is no one as nice as
he is. And / said that 1 would rather
dine on the doorstep than sit down at the
same table with him, whereas l would
black his boots if he asked me to-
| would 1 wish / were dead"
Mr.. Butterfly went as usual into the dining-
room, expecting to find his niece in her
| place at the head of the table. But five
minutes passed, and, contrary to custom,
| she did not appear. Another five minutes
passed. The buffers face assumed an ex-
preston of serious displeasure; time
honored habits of punctuality ought not
| thus to be broken. Then Mr.. Butterfly
began to fidget.
"Send Miss Nellie's maid to see what is
the matter" he said and Samson went of
to report the unusual delay to the kitchen
conclave. Presently the maid returned
with the reply that Miss Nellie said she
had headache, and would Mr.. Butterfly
excuse her from appearing at lunch.
| Nellie with a headachel
Samson stood aghast for a minute, and
then coughed little, respectful, dis
| believing sort of a cough. An old family
treasure" knows good deal, and is not
easily imposed upon.
at is impossibleP' said Mr.. Butterfly.
"Miss Nellie never has headache. She
has far too much common sense to permit
any such folly"
Still, his looks were not as assured as
were his words, and he rumpled his hair
as was his wont in moments OF perpleXity.
| And then he stole away upstairs to Nell
lies door and turned the handle softly.
| The door was locked, and from within
| might be heard sounds of such woe that
poor Uncle Sam grew pale with dismay.
What had happened? Was it possible
that she had accepted Roger, and that she
was now wishing that she had not done so
| He stopped dawn and spoke through the
| key-hole.
Nellie" he said, "what is the matter,
my pet?"
Back came the half-choked answer:
ooh, do 90 away, please"
He could hardly believe his ears. This
beats everything" he muttered; and he
returned to his luncheon in greater per-
plexity than before.
At last Nellie ceased to cry, and rang
the bell for her maid to fetch her cup OF
| tea. She was worn out, and had arrived
at that state of exhaustion when her only
wish was to be left alone. Her head
throbbed, and her eyes were swollen and
half-closed. So the news that her uncle
had persuaded friend, Mr.. Capel, to re-
main the night with them, was not news
! TO delight her. As soon as her maid left
the room, she crept TO the glass to see
what sort of a spectacle she presented.
| And perhaps, though she did not know it,
| it was sign of returning vigor that she
| should be so shamestricken at the object
which met her gaze.
"What would Roger think If he saw me
| looking such fright as this 2" And then
her lip quivered. "He would not care
any longer III I had q red nose for evar