The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1890-04-17

osnnion between then which produced
the most perfect unanimity Of feeling.
Franklin William paced his room q
distractedly that he was suspected Of
having become poet by his anxious
landlady, and she troubled for the fate
of his board bill, which was assuming
gigantic proportions, should this prove
! true.
Lorenzo" said Franklin William.
solemnly one evening, tour last resource
Is gone. 1t was annoying to hear him
include MIR. Hops in the matter. GAS
you advised, / sent an offer OF marriage
yesterday to Mary Eaton, that highly
cultivated young female with the big
nose. It was dire necessity and thought
Mary would be willing to marry any.
body" -
| Sand the answer?
''Her father returned it unopened
with note to the effect that Mary
had gone as missionary to the Sand
witch Islands or the Cannibal Islands, /
forget which.
That's bad" reflected Mr.. Hops.
Every things bad" groaned the I'm.
lucky one. ''How am different from
other men? Haven't right to marry
i'll want to? There's only one Of two
things left for me to do now"
"What's tbat?"
EITHER suicide, or marry the land
lady. And haven't any choice"
"But the landlady's married already
and you know it," gasped Mr.. Hops,
! who began to fear for his friend g reason.
II might make away with her hus-
band, you know, said Franklin William,
with CHASTITY grin. @~. . - -.
''But you know other girls .s... .
''Not we'll enough to propose to them,
and it's too late now to get better &C.
quainted." 5.'.' v -
Mr.. Hops rubbed his chin medita-
lively and then said, with determina-
| ton: "There is one chance left, you
| must go to Miss Brooks again."
II won't do it, I'll give up the money
first"
Not a bit of it. feel sure you'll win
this time"
''You feel sure every time"
"Yes, but this is different. Besides,
you love her."
"You said that made no difference"
II may have been wrong" admitted
Mr.. Hops; ''but do make last effort.
You have barely a week left until your
birthday"
Mr.. Franklin William Leo argued the
question off and on for two days and
seriously contemplated blowing his un-
lucky brains out. But Mr.. Hops was
pertinaciOus, and on the evening of the
third day the victim rang the front door
bell at the home of Miss Anastasia
Brooks.
BY the time he had pacifled Miss
Brooks Scotch terrier. upon whom he
inadvertently trod upon entering the
parlor, the young lady herself came in,
dressed in distra:tingly becoming
manner. Miss Brooks was graceful and
very much at ease. Mr.. Lee was nei-
ther. While she tried to carry on the
conversation alone, he turned and
twisted himself in embarrassment until
he managed to strike his elbow against
an elegant crystal vase on the stand
near him, and the delicate trife fell
shivered to fragments on the carpet.
Just my luck, Miss Brooks burst
out Franklin William, standing aghast
and gazing upon the havoc he had
wrought. ''I'm dreadfully awkward.
Now you think it bad enough to have a
fellow like me laundering around for an
hour or so, and, of course, can't ask you
to take me for the whole year and all
your ife.'
Miss Brooks smiled and blushed very
prettily, indeed. 20, you haven't asked
any thing of that kind yet, Mr.. Lee,"
she said, archly.
swell, l am going to-" exclaimed
Franklin, greatly emboldened. II want
you to marry me. l must be married
before my birthday to get that fortune,
and haven't a week left, you know! O,
l assure you, it's desperate case," con-
cluded the wretched youth, the perspira-
ton streaming down his visage.
Miss Brooks rose Indignantly. 81 am
not in the habit of marrying young men
in order to secure their fortunes for.
them," she said, coldly.
20, I didn't mean-O. don't be Of
fended," he began in alright, continu-
ing dejectedly, II knew how it would
be, of course. might have married
scores of girls-that is, not all OF them
at one time, of course, but-but one at
time-no, no-but how can marry any
one when you are the only girl can
ever love? I'm going-I've offended
you terribly, and of course you despise
me. don't care for the fortune; I'll
never think of it again, and I'm going
now" He stumbled out into the hall.
Its just my luck, Miss Brooks, I'll go
away somewhere and never bother you
again."
He could never tell exactly how it
happened, but suddenly Miss Brooks
was very near him, indeed, and his arms
were around her. And just at that mo-
ment Franklin William did not consider
himself the most unlucky fellow alive,
after all.-Herbert Hall Winslow,. in
brakes Magazine.
PRETTY HOMEMADE RUGS.
How Ingenious Ladies' Can Produce Some
ls Very Pleasing Results.