The Press., 1890-07-24
WHAT HE DID.

.Never, said I, twill drop into any mans mouth like ripe pluml If a man wants girl she can refuse him twenty times, and he'll come back again more anxious than ever"
 'Twenty is too often," said Cousin Rose Eliza, who was not an agreeable confidante, she took one up SO; but I had no one else to confide in that summer.
 "Well, several times, at least," said I.
 ''It might do," said Rose Eliza, Eff you didn't mean it. He'd like the fun; but l wouldn't give much for a man that would take No and come back. There is Springy Ricketts,
 ''I know it." said L "Who ever gave that girl such frightful namep'
 'Her ma named her Spring because she was born in March, and her pas name was Ricketts-so that came naturaEand it is Springy for pet name. But, anyhow, she is pretty, and she was young then, and Mr. Jambon, he was very sweet on her, and when he proposed She refused him." said Rose Eliza.
 'No wonderl" said l. "Jambon is no name to offer to Springy."
 "And," said my cousin, ''he went and"-
 Drowned himself," interrupted.
 "No; he proposed to Kate Dutton, and she said 'Yes,'" said Rose Eliza, 'sand all the while Springy was attached to him. She's forlorn spinster now and wears her hair in ringlets, as was the fashion when she was 16. People with sense follow the styles, even if they are disappointed. But Springy hadn't much"
 s'Jambon couldn't have been much in love-" said l.
 "As much as men ever are," said Rose Eliza. "It is out of sight out of mind with them. When Ebenezer Doughwitz proposed to me, I said Mo- in earnest; and when Dea- con Jones wanted second wife, I let him know, short meter, that he couldn't hang up his hat on my hall rack. and needn't waste time calling" Cousin Rose Eliza paused there and purled forty on the afghan she was knitting before she said: If you want Robin Barrymore, say Yes the first time."
 Robin Barrymore was really in my mind all the while, though how Rose Eliza knew it can'tsay.
 had met him in the city, and now that had come to spend the summer with Rose Eliza Tiffin, my mothers cousin, found him at the hotel He had called very often, but so had other young men, two or three stu dents from the hotel, Mr. Lemuel Spinner from the next farm, and the recently installed young minister, Mir. Smith.
 was rather pretty, had a wardrobe of un- usual showiness flor liked color, and knew that gay ribbons looked well in the country, and I could sing, dance and flirt as we'll as most girls
 "Rose Eliza," who was one of the few spinsters who really never had any matri- monial plans or anticipations, and neither envied nor hated girls was very kind to me. She gave me luncheons, teas and garden par ties galore, and was an amiable chaperon on every occasion-jolly and rosy and round.
 A contrast, indeed, to Miss Springy Rick etts, with her head on one side, and the per petual memory of her disappointment" in every fold of her absurd garments, her lank curls and her huttering odds and ends of finery. If Rose Eliza had only been more sympatheticl
 "Robin BarrymoreT' said l.
 Don't hist your eyebrows that way; it isn't candid" said Rose Eliza. q don't think it's Lemuel Spinner; I know it isn't the students. MT. Barrymore is the kind of man girls like, and as l suppose you're bound to have a lord and master, it must be be-"
 Just then the door bell rang ...
 Perhaps that's MT. Barrymore" said Rose Eliza.
 But it was not; it was Lemuel Spinner He had come in Sunday ay-go-to-meetings, and and tall hat of flower pot shape, to ask me to ride. accepted the invitation, and on the way home Lemuel proposed.
 If had headed this sketch with his DOT trait, you would never dream of asking what 1 said. He was the most unprepossessing gentleman who ever grew cabbagesdr hard and uncomfortable in mind as in per- son. He had no music in his soul and no ideas in his brain. gave him a very decid- ed "No," indeed, and had no wish that he should repeat his offer. In fact. my horror was very great when he remarked:
 "Well, Miss Fay, my motter is try, try ag'in, and shin put it into practice"
 Don't let him, Cousin. Rose Eliza," pleaded-'s let himl''
 ''As far as can hinder him I will" said Miss Tiffin. "But perhaps his pertinacity will win you yet You think it is what a man ought to do, you know" ''But when you hate person it is so dis agreeablel" said 1.
 ''And when you like lem you want to keep lem on tenter hooks," said Cousin Rose Eliza. "If liked any one I'd say yes in minute. torment a man that has been honest and right up and down with you" ''Oh, my only idea is that woman ought to keep her pride up," said l.
 And the more thought it over the more I thought was right. A husband should never say to me, 'You were ready enough to have me-" or think it. He should know he had been anxious to win me, and had chance of losing me.
 One of the young students proposed to me shortly after this When told him that he was not old enough, grieve to say he wept and said that his life would be joyless for the future, and was filled with remorse for a space. He got over it shortly, am sure, and I was very glad and did not wish him to repeat the trying scene. Neither when the Rev. Mir. Smith asked me to be the lady of the parsonage, had any wish to torment him. told him very mod estly that it was Ian honor unto which was or grave enough, and that Miss Mercy Pills, minister's wife,
 It relieved me greatly to hear him say: Perhaps you are right. Miss Mercy is an excellent young lady, and her work in the Sabbath school is valuable. Pardon me for agitating you"
 In fact, I was glad in every case to get my suitors pleasantly off my hands, felt no tri- umph in their blighted hopes, and was sorry they had desired what could not bestow. Neither was very much elated by these offers There were not many young ladies in the neighborhood, and they were rather plain and uninteresting. A new face always pleases mans eye.
 had way of being pleasant to every ybody that was misleading, and, moreover, Cousin Rose Eliza declared me her future heiress. She was not yet fifty, and likely to outlive me, for she was strong and healthy and not affected with emotions, but still had ex- pectations.