Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-04-18

all shilly-shally as YOu do?
She worried and badgered HIM
until he actually wrote his pro
posal, which she undertook to de-
liver. 1t was as unlike the court
| ing of which he had dreamed as
moon.rays to gaslight, but he did
ask to have his loye returned, and
begged Bertha to his wife. Only
instead of "Bertha," being once
started with pen IN his hand, be
wrote "darIing" and dearest" and
"my own sweet love-
Once possessed of this document
Mrs. Ferguson became poetic, re-
solving that it should not be de.
lIvered in a commonplace cnvel.
ope, but, as suited such natures as
that of her nephew, in a basket of
flowers, buried in roses and smOth-
cred in perfume.
The basket was marvel of
beauty W ben Mary, Miss English s
maid, bro ought it to her room.
"Mrs. Ferguson left 1t, miss, had
not time to call. She did not get
out of her carriage"
Now, Bertha had her dreams,
too, where of the hero possessed
Charles Barker's velvety brown
eyes, his waving brown hair and
vandyke beard, his classic features
and low, musical voice. Helress
as she was, courted, fattered and
petted, she had a pure girllsh
heart, full of romance and tender
ness, and she had given it in its
first sweetness to Charles Barker.
Loving him, she, too, had visions
of a day when he would whisper
his hearts secret into her ear, and
in soft, tender accents WOO her to
be his own.
She looked carelessly at the
flowers; then attracted by their
beauty, admired and petted them.
"Mary," she said, "put on your
hat and take this to old Mrs
Worth with my love. l had in
tended to cut her some flowers to-
day, bat this Is prettier than l
could arrange"
Mary obeyed, and Bertha took
up the thread of her musings.
"Deary me ~ old Mrs. Worth
said, "Miss Bertha is very kind
Thank her for me, Mary"
Then she, too, fell to admiring
the flowers, until she Suddenly re-
membered that 1t was her sons
birthday. What could she give
him that would delight him more
than these pretty floral treasures
She put her card and line, "WlU1
mothers love and birthday greet
ing" on the top of the fragrant
heap, and sent the basket to Mr.
John Worth's bachelor apartments
1t was late in the afternoon when
that gentleman found his present,
without the card, which had slip
ped of. The landlady, however
informed him that they were lef
by "his mas girl !" so he wrote
note of thanks, and sent the basket
now losing it's first freshness, It
the lady of his love, intending K
call IN the evening to inform he
who was the donor.
The basket, duly delivered #
Mss Jennie Ralston, WAS for tn
first time thoroughly examined.
II Tea was over, and Bertha En-
gllsh was in her pretty drawing
, room, alone, singing sweet melC
dies by twilight, hoping a littl
? that Oh arlesBarker might cal
when there was a rush, 1uttel
q and she was caught it an embraC
r that dealt destruction to all h(
8 pretty ruffles and laces.
81 am so happy must tell SON
b one," Jennie Kalston painted, pul
g ing Bertha to a sofa and cuddlin
# close to her, like a baby. "Ju
think, dear, he loves me The love
ssl me ! And he asked me to be b
}. wife,"
10 "WhO I" asked Bertha, light
et "Remetnber, you have 80 man
Ie lovers, 'he' doesn't help me ol
Is Bit"
d "Chsrles Barker" Jennie viii
II pered, with sidelong glance
N see if the shot told.
d But, sweet as she was, Bert
q. was proud, too. Only surprise W
At TO be read IN her voice.
d. "Charles Barker ! | did not knC
70 he was one of your adOrers,"
t. "Oh, yes, tor quite a long tin
IN He proposed to-day, and | accept
N him. Shall show you his letter
b. sob, no, mol How can you sh'
10 that to anybody I"
70 "Oh, 1 am not one of the sen
@. tive kind. / do love him, aud
mean to try to make man OF hii