The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-02-21
WON BY A PLOT.
Why Minnie Married the Man
Chosen by Her Father.

SIT is so perfectly unreasonable o:
you, papa" pouted Minnie McAlster
only and petted daughter of Lawyer
McAlster, and pretty and willful as q
pet kitten; $50 perfectly unreasonable
and it is so impudent of that fellow tc
write and ask you for my hand before
have set eyes on him."
But you have set your eyes on him
many a time" interrupted her father.
"Oh, yes" with toss of the dainty
head, ''when he was in his first jacket,
and 1 in pinafores. 1 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 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 viii not see him, nor speak
to him, nor glance at him if he comes
here. If yon write and tell him to
come, 1 will run away to lockwood,
anyhow, and take vocal lessons. l
know l have musical genius, if it were
properly cultivated; and there is a
splendid professor at lockwood who
has large class in training. 1 want to
join it, and l shall go 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), shall go with
out your consent"
"My dear" said Lawyer McAlster,
coolly, viewing his irate daughter with
twinkling eyes, "let me correct one er-
ror you have fallen into. Walter Gra-
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 a sweet girl"
"Then l wish you would call in an
artist and have my picture taken on the
spot to send him.
But would rather not, for remem-
ber desire you to see and at least treat
this young man as the poet says we
treat Vice, the monster-first endure,
then pity, then embrace"
"Oh, 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
latch, and you would make a regular
dry law affair of it, without any love or
wooing in it."
"You are in error again" interrupted
her father. 81 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. l
don't ask you to promise your hand to
him till he has done this-but you re-
fuse even to see him."
SA'' Wv tS4bloC W SCC llllu, anu
there is an end of it. l am not going
to be won in this matter of-fact way.
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 Redwood he
said.
'Ah, no--he is old and gray. shall
meet my fate in some unlooked-for
manner when 1 least expect to, 1 sup
pose. But will you let me go to Rock
wood?"
81 will think about it. l would rather
you should take lessons here, and if
can get good instructor to come here
/ suppose you will be just as well
pleased, will you not?'
''Yes-if you keep Walter Graham
away"
AT the end of week Mr.. McAlster
informed Minnie that he had secured
her an instructor for her voice.
81 wrote to 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 well for it, and YOU will
progress much faster than you would
at lockwood. want you to study hard
and apply yourself strictly to your
music. / shall poster you no more
about Walter Graham, for have writ
ten to him how you feel upon the sub
iect, and now that Prof. Bangemwen is
coming you need worry no more about |
that fellows annoying you"
PROF. Bangemwell" repeated Min
ME. What name! / know he is old, |
and tall, and thin, and wears green |
'pectacles, and will be as cross as a |
bear, but l don't care so long as can |
AXE lessons in singing, if he is an
ogre."
Prof. Bangemwell looked any thing
put an ogre as he stood in the parlor an
lour after his arrival, and was present
ID to Miss Minnie, his pupil, who had
ust come in from a walk. He was tall, |
IS she had said, but not old, being GER
,ainly not over twenty-five, and not
hin, for he had the splendid figure of
In Adonis, and his dark, magnetic eyes
we're not covered by green goggles, and