The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-02-19


To walk alone with God!
Arthur L. jerks, in Jury.
WON BY A PLOT.
Why Minnie Married the Man
Chosen by Her Father.
ut is so perfectly unreasonable of
you, papa" pouted Minnie McAlster,
only and petted daughter of Lawyer
McAlster, and pretty and willful as
pet kitten; $50 perfectly unreasonable,
and it is so impudent Of that fellow to
write and ask you for my hand before I
have set eyes on him.
'But you have set your eyes on him
many time," interrupted her father.
"Oh, yes" with toss of the dainty
head. 'when he was in his first Jacket,
and in pinafores. l know all about
that: Because we were two pretty
children, and pleasant playmates, our
stupid fathers said: Let us pledge our
children to each other And now, after
twelve years, when l am seventeen and
he twenty-one, the impudent creature
coolly desires me to be true to that non
sensical trash, and writes to ask re-
newal of your consent"
(Which he certainly has,"
but which it will do him no good to
Obtain" continued Minnie; ''for say
positively l will not see him, nor speak
to him, nor glance at him if he comes
here. If you write and tell him to
come, will run away to lockwood,
anyhow, and take vocal lessons.
know have musical genius, if it were
properly cultivated; and there is
splendid professor at lockwood who
has large class in training. 1 want to
join it, and l shall 60 away next week
If you consent; but if you let that hor-
rid, impudent, insolent Walter Graham
come here to look after my fortune (for
that is what he wants), l shall go with
ont your CONSENT
"My DEAR" said Lawyer McAlster,
coolly, viewing his irate daughter with
twinkling eyes, ''let me correct one err
ror you have fallen into. Walter Ora
ham is worth three times what am at
this moment. His fathers whole prop
erty is in his hands, and he is wealthy.
So l hardly think he is looking with
covetous eyes upon your few thousands.
No; he remembers you as most sweet,
child, and, being of somewhat ro-
mantle turn of mind, he thinks it would
be pleasant to follow out the wishes of
his father and yours and renew the
pledge made by them. However, if he
could see you at this moment he would
think you any thing but sweet girl
''Then l wish you would call in an
artist and have my picture taken on the
spot to send him."
but I would rather not, for remem-
Der desire you to see and at least treat
this young man as the poet says we
treat Vice, the monster-frst endure,
then pity, then embrace"
ooh, yes," pouted Minnie, "you law
yers think there is nothing in life but
bargain and sale. You would have me
coolly pledge myself to this fellow be-
cause you think he would be a good
match, and you would make regular
dry law affair of it, without any love or
wooing in it,.
"You are in error again." interrupted
her father. II would make law af-
fair of it by having you permit this
fellow as you call him, to go to court
and allow him to make his plea. I
don't ask you to promise your hand to
him till he has done this-but you re-
fuse even to see him."
Eyes. l do refuse to see him, and
there is an end of it. I am not going
to be won in this matter-of-fact way. l
am going to fall in love without mean
ing to, and be fallen in love with in
some unexpected, romantic way and
have it all like story-book."
Mr.. McAlster smiled.
''You will doubtless fall in love with
that professor over at Rockwood," he
said.
"Ah, no-he is old and gray. shall
meet my fate in some unlooked-for
manner, when least expect to, sup
pose. But will you let me go to Rock
wood?'
Il will think about it. I would rather
you should take lessons here, and if I
can get a good instructor to come here
1 suppose you will be just as we'll
pleased, will you not?''
"Yes-n you keep Walter Graham
away
informed Minnie that he had secured
her an instructor for her voice.
Il wrote to a friend,'' he said, "a
musical gentleman of my acquaintance,
and he has secured an excellent teach
er, who will be here some time next
week. He will make his home with us
and will devote his whole time to you.
will pay him we'll for it, and you will
progress much faster than you would
at lockwood. 1 want you to study hard
and apply yourself strictly to your
music. I shall poster you no more
about Walter Graham, for l have writ
ten to him how you feel upon the sub
ject, and now that Prof. Bangemwel is
coming you need worry no more about
that fellows annoying you"
"Prof. Bangemwell!' repeated Min
ME- 'What name! I know he is old,
and tall, and thin, and wears green
spectacles, and will be as cross as a
bear, but don't care so long as l can
take lessons in singing, if he is an
OGRE"
Prof. Bangemwe1 looked any thing
but an ogre as he stood in the parlor an
hour after his arrival, and was present.
ed to Miss Minnie, his pupil, who had
Just come in from walk. He was tall,
as she had said, but not old, being GER
tainly not over twenty-five, and not
thin, for he had the splendid figure of
an Adonis, and his dark, magnetic eyes
were not covered by green goggles, and
the sweet smile that parted the hand
some lips under the long black mustache
proclaimed him any thing but ''cross."
'Why, Prof. Bangemwen is perfectly
splendid, papa" Minnie cried, after an
hours conversation with the professor,
finding herself alone with her father.
HE is just as handsome as he can be;
and oh! what eyes. And he is SO agree
able! know we shall get on
splendidly."
"Thcrc, there, that will do" said her