Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-03-05
MY OFFER.


An offer of mar iage is a delicate
thing to indite; but when / had written
mine TO NJ IS Marian Lee, L felt that it
was, take it all in all, a very tolerable
lcomposit!on.
1t was a warm day, and had no
particular fancy for the long walk to
the post-office, and just then / heard
my sister Augusta call to the nursery
maid, whom she always addressed as
'Bobbins,' though, of course, she had
some baptismal name of her own.
Take these invit .tions to the post
Office, Bobbins,' she said. If you
hurry you'll catch the last mail
1 was not anxious that my sister
! should see the address on the letter and
comment on it; so l waited until she
returned 10 the house, and then slipped
out of the library and called Jack.
Jack, said L, run after Bobbins and
give her this lie ter
Jack snatched 1t and obeyed me. /
saw him hand the letter to BobbIns.
saw her turn and look at me-
Even at that distance the sly look in
her blue eyes struck me, and l saw her
put it Carefully IN her pocket and walk
on.
My heart began to beat iuriously. l
had done the deed. L had cast the die.
All L could do was to wait 1 d
wait. A day passed-two-three
still no reply. Under ordinary cir
cumstances L should have called; but,
with that letter pending, of course that
was impossible.
endeaYored TO possess my soul with
patience. Being So occupied with my
OWN thoughts, IL was some tine before
/ noticed that Bobbins was behaving
heI self in a very peculiar way.
At last, one evening, as L sat upon
the porch in the twilight smoking a
cigar, and wondering when | should
get a reply to my letter, Bobbins flut-
Iered out in a miraculously fiuted cap
and apron, and sidled into the corner
behind me.
It's Master Jacks hat as he left
nout 'ere,' she expla ned. But ihoug "a
| she found the hat, size still remained in
The corner.
1 moved my chair that she might
pass more easily; but this was evidently
not what she wanted, for i'll a mo-
inent a small pink claw rested on my
shoulder, and the voice of its owner
said, %, Mister Reginald, 'ow 'appy l
ham, to be surel'
'I'm very glad TO hear it, Bobbins, ;
sail l.
And don't you think, SIR said she,
that when young person 'as not the
pen of a steady wriler, ! answers b.
VOID of mouth is far more satisfactory
10 them ds is in love, and waiting for
them ANXIOUS like?'
l knew that Bobbins had a sweet
IA 81
sugar warehouse, and was spoken of by
the other servants with admiration on
account of his size, but L had not eX-
pected to receive her confidence in the
matter. Was it possI BILE that she dis
cerned IN me that fellow-feeling which
makes us all akin? At all events, /
could answer her as one who knows.
Yes, Bobbins, said j; never entrust
to the poStman what you can do with
your own tongue
And If you think so, sir, said Bob
bins, the difficulty of a want of hearty
heducation IS hovercome, and l kin
reply werbatum, as l heard my master
lay the other day, and my reply is this:
IIIf you loves me as L loves you, no
knife can cut our 'arts in two
DO h sensible and poetical, b Jbbins, ,
said l.
On, what a love you arel' said Bob
bins, patting me on the cheek.
BobbinS was an absurd little crea-
ture; but she was a girl and / was a
young man. 1t seemed to me at tha'
moment the proper thing u kiss Bob
bins. and L did il. At that moment
the voice of my b-loved nephew Jack
sounded behind me.
Where is my hat?' 1t sQuealed
And Bobbins fed, with much show
of trepidation; while l busted my lips,
contact with Bobb'ns' cheek having
proven to them that she was not behind
her betters in the use of violet powder.
That evening Jack distinguished
himself by making statement that
Uncle Reggy had a mash on Bobblns, ,
for which vulgarity, am glad to say,
he was promptly sent TO bed, expla aiming
between his sobs, however, that She
saw him kiss her.
Ny sister was very grave with me
that evening; but Bobbins was 80 curl
ously prim and so positively plain, and
my opinion of her appeared SO thor
Uughiy establ shed, that L was not long
under suspicion, and having escaped
this time, 1 was determined not to
How Bobbins 10 place me In false
position again. And this was why
Ahen saw her the next day 'niggling
up tie garden path in a more than usu-
ally affected fashion, l hid behind the
carrlage-house.
She had just parted from her athletic
sweetheart, and was coming towaid d
lie gate in what seeme1 to be a rather
Unpleasant state of mind. However,
hat was nothing to me; and 1 came
rom my retirement in an unconcerned
flshion, whistling, and expected that
Bobbins' young man would be sensible
,nough to steer himself out of the way.
However, he did not. He came straight
n, his fist doubled, his brow bent, his
over jaw protruding, and our toes met.
nd my eyes on level with his scarf
ina small golden hogshead. Then
stood still; and as it was my IEten-
lion that he should t IN TO the right,
the law directs ami not /, stood
Lii also.
What do you mean by this here?'
aid he, in low and awful tones. Come,
owl want to know
What has happened to you, my good
lanY' L asked in as sarcastic and exas-
Grating a maLner as l could assume.
DO you know who / ham?' aske he
i have understood that your reason