The Princeton union., 1890-11-20
kiss her, instead Of declaring himself


her devoted servant in plain words.
! Let us sit down on this fallen tree
and | will begin my story at che be-
gining. You men Of the law are inn
Entlent OF unnecessary preamble"
Louise went on, with a bright smile
Tor moment dispelling the melan-
choly clouding her face. ''Last Feb
ruary, now nearly four months ago,
! Was travelling alone from here to
Clover Hill on an errend for my aunt.
My companions in the compartment
were a very .pretty old lady, an or
dlnary-looking gentleman OF As, and
a younger man not at all ordinary
looking. He had large black eyes,
with O wild look in them, and his
dress and manners were quite differ
ent from those Of the people was
accustomed to seeing. He sat oppo-
site me, and, soon after the train
started, began staring at me in
most annoying way"
"The impertinent rascal! How T
wish | had been there to punch his
head!' exclaimed Owen with warmth.
"He perhaps did nothing to merit
quite such severe punishment, but he
was certainly then, and has been
since, indirectly the cause of a great
deal OF misery to me. He amused
himself for some time with casting
what L supposed were admiring
glances at me, pressing his hands to
his his heart, and signing profoundly.
Then suddenly, to my utter amaze
ment, he threw himself on his knees
before me, declared in very bad En-
glish that he loved me to- distrac-
ton, and, most startling of all, tore
off his very handsome watch and
chain aud flung them into my lap"
"The man was mad, of course"
eyes, we learned of this for fact
afterward. | looked at our travel
ing companion-the middle-aged
man already mentioned-in helpless
fright. He started up, and, with
what then thought admirable pre-
sence of mind, exclaimed, angrily.
How dare you insult my wife, sir?"
"This strong language had the
desired effect, and the man ceemed
to shrink into himself, and became
quiet as a lamb. Isuppose believing
me to be the wife of somebody else
shattered his hopes.'
Here again the rare, sweet smile
lent a new charm to Louise's face.
"Try as I might" she continued,
81 could not prevail upon him to
take back his watch, land at the next
station the gentleman who called me
his wife gave my admirer, with his
watch, into the hands ola policeman
as mad. That was the last l ever
saw Of him, but we heard later that
ne was a Pole and incurably insane.
The old lady in the coupe with US
looked. inquiringly at my rescuer,
who laughed and murmured some
thing did not understand. THANK
ed him as [ descended at my destina-
tion, never dreaming that he was to
cross my path again.
''Some weeks ago, one afternoon,
my uncle called me from mending
Tommy's stockings, and told me a
friend wished to see me in the draw
! ing-room. I, who had no friends,
was much surprised. Nor did this
surprise lessen when I was presented
to the man who had silenced the era
zy Pole that day in the train. His
name was Mitchell, and he turned
out to be an old friend of my uncle
Rich as Crgsus and a bachelor nv
uncle said to me, with a knowing
wink, when our visitor had depart,
ed.
Il took a great dislike to Mr.
Mitchell; in manner and appearance
he was most repugnant to me. But
I thought very little about him one
way or another-why should I in,
terest myself in a man older than
father?-until, a week later, Uncle
Thomas informed me that Mr. Mitch
ell wished to marry me-
''Preposterous!'' exclaimed Owen.
II don't often laugh in the pres
ence of Uncle Thomas, but when he
told me this I laughed heartily
This made my uncle very angry.
Why should 1 make game of the offer
Vi ou lHcIlI VI NIOlll L I'LL lIu UC kJl Ouu d.
I, who would be in the work
house if it we're not for the charity OF
my relations
| "The brute!'
eff I was SO silly as not to know
on which side my bread was butter
edit was often difficult to tell-he
would turn me out of doors, and
that would perhaps bring me to my
senses. But why need tell you the
particulars Of this and many anoth-
er most painful scene? I was silent
and undecided for a while, and at
last found courage to tell Mr.. Mitch
ell that / could not marry him.
"He listened with a disagreeable
smile, and replied: MY young lady
will not find refusal so easy as she
thinks.'" ....
Owing to rusty conduct on the
part of your amiable UNCLE" inter
polated Owen. -..
81 believed this was his meaning,
until the next day. Then my aunt
informed me calmly that l was al
ready married to Mr.. Mitchell.'' -
us that good lady subject to such
fits of mental aberration?''
"I stared at her in amazement,
when she proceeded to explain to me