New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1890-04-23
Dear Joe, !" I exclaimed, at the same

Dear Joe, Z I exclaimed, at the same
time sinking upon my knees before him
in truly masculine style, 81 am SO
glad that you are willing. love you
devotedly. Ny life would barren
waste without you. Will you, my dar-
ling, consent to make me happy and
name the day when / can call you my
own dear husband?
81 have long known I continued,
ssthat you regarded me as something
more than a friend, and although may
have taken you by surprise / hope you
will not be afraid to give your answer
now
What do you mean, Miss Gray?''
said Joe, in a surprised and dignitied
voice.
Surely you understand. I am
offering you my love; I also promise
to try and make you happy by a life of
devotion, if you will promise to be
mine.''
Consent to be yours. Are you
crazy, Miss Grayp Do you think that
I would consent to marry a woman
who so far forgets herself as to usurp
the privileges Of gentleman and a
lover"
joe I pleaded, Z love you dearly
and why should that make any differ
ence!''
s'The woman I marry must be a
womanly woman, with so much self
respect and consciousness of her own
worth and dignity that will ever deter
her from making any foolish breaks or
mistakes"
'.Consider how much I love you, Joe.
I shall go mad if you refuse me. will
do even worse, will get drunk
miss Gray, the subject is becoming
painful. / hope you will not press It
further. I decline your proposal with
thanks. If you threaten to get drunk
before marriage you might do worse
after the knot was tied. Allow me to
bid you good evening""
Joe, Joe, come backr' I shrieked.
.'Do not leave me thus
For answer / received a hooking
smile and a courtly bow. then the door
opened and closed and Joe was gone.
Did I feel sorry over the loss of my
lover? Well, rather. Against Mr..
Bellamy my anger knew no bounds.
The more I thought over the matter
|: the higher rose my wrath. Woman
like, l took refuge in tears, and cried
until my head ached SO badly that ]
could not sleep or rest throughout the
entire night.
When Ada came over in the morning
to hear report of my success as a
wooer, I refused point blank to tell her
i the state of affairs.
elbow dreadfully cross you are,
Nellie" said Ada, sweetly. "When
Havelock proposed to me I was all
|'tears and smiles. I told you that Joe
lAdair.was a bear. Fred, I am sure,
would make far nicer husband. Did
he accept you, Nell? Tell me that
much"
II shan't tell you anything Ada
Sinclair" replied I, in very I'm.
gracious manner.
SWELL, good-by, then, Nell; we Won't
quarrel, will we, dear?" said Ada, still
smiling sweetly. II am going now,
dear; won't you say GOODBYE"
! was too miserable and angry to be
even polite to my friend, so without
taking further notice Of my perturbed
state, she departed, singing softly as
| she went down the stairs an old Scotch
! song.
When Fred Macarthur called nv
head was still aching and my eyes were
heavy with tears vet unshed.
Nellie, my darling, are you ill.,
cried Fred, at the same time taking me
IN his strong arms.
mo, Fred, am not ILL.," I replied
,meekly, Hbut, l am an awful FOOL
A fool, and why such a name for
my little girl Izdon't think so at any
rate, y continued Fred II think you
are an awful nice little woman. ]
have been thinking about you all day
and have arrived at no other conclu-
sion. Oh! I say, Nellie, can't you
guess what came tonight for"
Guess what, Fred.''
Don't you know, Nellie, that I love
you dearly and that want you to be
my wife,
Il have been and ann such fool,
Fred
..Never mind that, Nellie. Tell me,
will you be my wife,
Eyes, if you want me very bad. ]
must tell you, however, how near YOU
came to losing me and what silly
goose you will have for wife,
After told Fred my miserable ex-
perienee and rejection of the previous
evening be did not seem to think I had
committed such an awful blunder.
1T was pretty narrow escape,
Nellie, and for fear you will read any
more fool books I think we had better