Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-02-06
ALL A MISTAKE.


ALL A MISTAKE.
How the Black-Eyed Woman
Stole a March on Miss Maroon.
II dare say all my relatives will
think it very silly of me-" said Miss
Maroon. ''But / really think am
quite old and experienced enough to
manage these affairs for myself And
I've heard of a great many happy
marriages that have been arranged just
In this way. To be sure, it is running a
risk; but, after all, life is a lottery, and
one has to take things as they come in
this world
Miss Malvina Maroon generally
known as "Mally" by her friends and
acquaintances) was sitting in very
Etiff-backed chair in the best room of
the little country tavern at Infield-on-
the-Hudson. The stage had been in for
an hour, at least, and Miss Maroon was
tired waiting. She had chirped to the
thrush in his cage, counted all the little
red balls on the Jerusalem cherry tree
In the window, and looked at the pict-
ure Of the Signing of the Declaration
of Independence" until she knew every
wig and buckled shoe by heart, and still
nobody had come to meet her. She
was beginning to feel little uneasy at
this unexpected delay. The landlord
had peeped at her, under pretense of
coming to fill up the big stone pitcher
with fresh cabbage roses; the landlady
had courtesied at the door, and asked
her If she should cook little piece of
steak or dish of brook trout for her
dinner
IL don't expect to be here to dinner"
said Miss Maroon, with dignity.
s'Oh!" said the landlady.
"My friends will doubtless be here to
meet me in very few minutes" ex-
planned Miss Maroon, glancing at the
clock.
"Ah" said the landlady.
But this was where Miss Maroon had
intrenched somewhat on the strict truth
She had no friends at Infeld-on- the
Hudson. She had come Hereunder
our breath be tspoken-with the desper-
ate resolve to answer matrimonial ad-
vertisement She had seen tin the paper.
She had read it twice over, and rather
liked the way in which it was worded.
She had asked herself: "Why not?" and
echo had returned no unfavorable re-
Spouse. And she had, so to speak, taken
her fate into her own hands, and come
boldly to d-on-the-Hudson.
But now, as the moments sped by, she
was beginning to wax secretly uneasy.
Suppose there should be any mistake?
Suppose the advertiser should be
''suited" already? Suppose any number
of awkward circumstances to have in
terposed themselves in the way of her
welfare? But just as she was beginning
TO make herself thoroughly uncomforta-
BILE there came tap, tap at the door,
and in walked a stout, short man with a
red necktie and countenance to match.
Lady from New York;" said this
parsonage, without the least embarrass.
ment.
Miss Maroon rose with dignity. "Yes,
sir" said she.
He was not exactly aristocratic look.
ing. There was no mistake about that.
He wore no gloves, and his hands were
etumpy and freckled-his hair stuck ur
like the bristles of the fretful porcupine,
and his face, although good-natured
bore in it no trace of ancient blood Oh
lofty lineagel But Miss Maroon be
Thought herself of the old proverb about
the deceitfulness of appearances, anc
plucked up spirit.
"You saw the advertisement, / sup
pose" said the stout man.
81 did, sir" said Miss Maroon
think you'll suit?" questioned tn
stout man.
s'Sir?n said Miss Maroon.
because he's little PECULIAR" ex
planned the man; sand it amt ever
body meets his views, you see"
''Oh," said Miss Maroon, lighS break
ing in upon her darkness, "then you ar
not the party himself?"
.0h, no" said the stout mann "NC
I'm the business mani l settle ever
ing for him"
should prefer negotiating wit
cipals," said Miss Maroon, dratvin
elf up.
TITS the usual way we does it, re
marked her interlocutor, picking
broom-splint from the floor and begin
ming to chew it.
The usual way?" repeated Miss Ma
room, more puzzled than ever. May
ask how often the-the gentleman ha
been married before?n
s'Never been married in his life,
said the stout man. circumstance
was against Ii. you see.7
ss0hr' said Miss Maroon.
"He amt hard to manage" said
kout man. Them as he takes fsx1
N do most any thing with him,
Maroon cast down her eya