The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-01-17
, silsnc, WIZ somewbat embarrassinr.

"My dear fellow" said the merchant, ga
man who has just given away his daughter Is
usually supposed to have done great favor"
"As You certainly have done," Phil Pc
piled.
'Thank you, for want to ask one in re-
turn. Fathers aren't sole proprietors of their
daughters, you know. Mrs. Tramlay-when
you speak 20 her about the affair, as, of
course, you WILL be as-be aldo be your
most considerable, courteous self, won't you"
~ beg you will trust me for that" said
Phil.
"rm sure | can--or could, if you under
stood mothers as we'll rs some day you may"
II have a mother, you know" suggested
Phil.
sTrue, but she had no daughters, believe.
Mothers and iaughters-well, they're not ex-
| actly like mothers and sons Mrs. Tramlay
respects you highly, know; but she may not
have seemed as friendly to your suit as you
could have liked. Try to forget that, won't
you!-and forgive it if it has made you I'M
comfortable"
~ would forgive bitter enemy tonight,
| If 1 had one," said the excited youth.
THAT'S right; that's right; man has so
few chances to feel that way that he ought
to improve them ALL You'll even be patient,
should 1t be necessarily
"As patient as job" promised Phil
'Thank you'll God bless you'll" said the
merchant, wringing Pills hand and turning
away. Phil again started. The merchant
walked toward the club, stopped after taking
few steps, looked in the direction Phil had
taken, drew his hat down over his eyes, hur-
ried to his house, entered the basement door,
sneaked up the back stairway as If he were a
thief, and quietly entered his own room,
which, to his great relief, was empty.
| Meanwhile, Phil had reached the house and
been admitted. He had not to ask for Lucia,
for he heard through the open door OF the
parlor some piano chords which he knew
were touched only by her fingers. Lucia did
not hear him enter, and as he stopped to look
at her she seemed to be in a revery that was
not cheerful He had never seen her looking
$3.50 plain, he would have said, had she
been any one else. There was no color in her
face, and her cheeks seemed thin and drawn.
An involuntary motion startled her, and she
turned, exclaiming:
"How you frightened mel"
81 wish you might punish me in some way
for it," said Phi, approaching her.
at was so late that did not imagine any
one would call, )" the girl exclaimed.
~ was quite busy in the earlier part of the
evening"" said Phil, land needed to see your
father"
Business is horrid, :" said Lucia ~ should
think men would attend to it by daylight.
! WE'LL believe papa went to the club"
Eyes; found him."
"And, as usual, he sent you home for some
horrid papers of some kindf
mo, not exactly" said Phil. How I'M
comfortable it is to have dream dispelled-
even day dreaml All along the way to the
| L. H.
look; he could see the flush of her cheek
through the half mile Of darkness that he had
traversed, his path had seemed illumined by
the light of her eyes, yet now she was pallid,
and her eyes had none of their customary
luster, and her mental condition--it did not
seem at all appropriate to the conversation
which he had a hundred times imagined and
| upon which he had set his heart that night.
| Well, he would be patient: "Faint heart never
won fair lady,"
| "Aren't you little severe on your father
! for his devotion to businessp' he ventured to
ask "Out in the country we have an old
| saying, Make hay while the sun Shines The
sun never shone brighter than now in the
| iron business"
"Yes, l know" replied Lucia YEARLY "It's
always something for business sake. Yes,
we have that same dreadful saying in New
York"
But it's all for the sake of women that
men are so absorbed in business" argued Phil.
what would your father care for business,
il it weren't for his wife and charming
daughters and younger children? He never
sees iron, imagine, while he is talking about
it, nor even thinks Of the money for its own
sake. Greenbacks and gold and notes and
bonds all transform themselves in his eyes, /
suppose, into dresses and cloaks and bonnets
and opera boxes and trips to Europe and
"You silly fellow!" said Lucia, with the
first smile upon which she had ventured that
evening: II wonder where you get such no
tions If you don't give them up you will
some day find yourself writing poetry-some-
thing about the transmutation of railroad
iron into gold. Think how ridiculous that
would Scent"
"But when iron attempts to gid refined
gold-to paint the lily" said Phil, los i,
Eyes looked him out at the club for the
purpose"
HE was pleased, of courseg'
"Greatly, am happy to say"
Mrs. Tramlay looked thoughtful. Phil was
puzzled by her manner. Did she know or
care so little about business as not to estimate
at its true value the Importance Of the Lake
and Outside orderl She was so calm about
it that Phil himself began to thisls less than
before of his success. He eveA wondered
whether it would be worth while to tell her
of the worldly fortune the operation had
brought to him. Probably she was one Of
the large class of women of whom he had
heard who have no heads for business.
ibid Mr.. Tramlay say anything In replyw
asked the lady, after a moment or two Of
thought.
"Why, yes" said Phil, with some hesita-
ton, for he wondered if, after all, it might
not be better that Tramlay himself should
tell the story Of his clerks promotion. Mrs.
Tramlay eyed him keenly; then che asked:
Ibid he say anything concerning your fut-
ure, and ours also, as related to itp'
YES" said Phil, now satisfied that Tram
lays offer had been premeditated, and not
made in the excitement of the moment;
"and," he continued, with his best smile and
bow, 81 am happy to assure you that was
simply delighted to agree with him."
"My dear sonl" exclaimed Mrs. Tramlay.
Pills establishment reached almost the
stage of petrifaction, but before he could be-
tray it his prospective mother-in-law had de-
,,,accad his baad Gu thot cba MIGHT L;co hin,