Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-03-27

voice.
Surely you understand. 1 am
offering you my love; l also promise
to try and make you happy by life of
devotion, if you will promise to be
mine"
Consent to be yours. Are YOU
crazy, Miss Gray? 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, Il love you dearly
and why should that make any differ
ence!'
"The woman marry must be a
womanly woman, with so much self
respect and a 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.
| shall 60 mad if you refuse me. l will
do even worse, 1 will get drunk"
"Miss Gray, the subject is becoming
painful. l hope you will not press it
further. l 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 back!' I shrieked.
''Do not leave me thus"
For answer [ received mocking
smile and a courtly bow, then the door
opened and closed and Joe was gone.
Did feel sorry over the loss of my
lover? Well, rather. Against Mr.
Bellamy my anger knew no bounds.
The more 1 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 I
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, l refused point blank to tell her
the state of affairs.
"How dreadfully cross you are,
Nellie" said Ada, sweetly. "When
Havelock proposed to me I was all
tears and smiles. I told you that Joe
Adair was a bear. Fred, / am sure,
would make a far nicer husband. Did
he accept you, NellP Tell me that
much"
II shan't tell you anything, Ada
Sinclair" replied 1, in a very I'M
gracious manner.
"Well, good-by, then, Nell; we won't
quarrel, will we, dearp" said Ada, still,
smiling sweetly. II am going now,
dear; won't you say good-by?'
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 my
head was still aching and my eyes were
heavy with tears yet unshed.
Nellie, my darling, are you ill!'
cried Fred, at the same time taking me
in his strong arms.
"No, Fred, | am not ILL.," l replied
meekly, "but, | am an awful fool"
"a fool, and why such a name for
my little girl. | don't think so at any
rate" continued Fred. Il think you
are an awful nice little woman. I
have been thinking about you all day
and have arrived at no other conclu-
sion. Oh! l say, Nellie, can't you
guess what 1 came tonight for
Guess what. Fred
Don't you know, Nellie, that [ love
you dearly and that l want you to be
my wife"
81 have been and am such a. fool,
Fred
Never mind that, Nellie. Tell me,
will you be my wife,
Eyes, if you want me very bad. l
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-
perience and rejection of the previous
evening he did not seem to think had
committed such an awful blunder.
1T was a pretty narrow escape,
Nellie, and for fear you will read any
more fool books think we had better
be married soon.
The present century is good enough
for me-" continued Fred, land | don't
believe in anticipating coming events. :"
Ada and Havelock are to support
Fred and l through the ordeal. Ada
confidentially informed Fred that she
had advocated his cause all through,
but that | was very perverse creature
Fred is satished-so am I-Iater-
Ocean.