The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-05-08
tiers he had promised-for he was a
-

man OF his word.
To Miss Sturtevant he wrote this:
MY DEAR MISS BLANCHE-I wish to apologize
to you for some remarks made to you last
night, and to say that have changed my mind
concerning the matter l spoke Of 1t was real
ly of no consequence, and 1 beg you will not
give it any thought. 1t was only an idle ques-
ton which merely amounted to nothing and in
the fact cause which existed for my request no
longer exists. Please treat the whole affair as
joke, and oblige. Yours, L. WESTON
There" he said, as he pushed the
sheet to one side, 81 fancy that disposes
of Miss Sturtevant very easily. She
will think it was some foolish joke
! will never fancy intended to ask her
to marry me-for she thinks me con-
frmed bachelor. She is lively, good
natured girl, and will soon forget the
whole affair. Now, for Miss Yelling
ton" Nt
On another sheet of the fine cream
note paper he always used, he wrote to
Miss Wellington thus:
M }EAR MISS BLANCuE-Had time permit.
| ted last night should have urged you to ac-
| cept my hand and heart. But the crowd was so
great and tie opportunity for private converse
| tion so limited, that it was impossible. You
|
favorable answer: If so, please appoint a time
| for me to call and tell you all would say, more
fully than I can commit it to paper. Yours,
L. WESTON
''There," as he folded both letters and
placed them in their envelopes, Il feel
pretty sure of her reply, and now for a
smoke.
This was in the morning, and in the
! auanipcr Ero1 Rant I,.ornaJ ~,
his custom.
For few moments the two men
smoked in silence.
Then there was knock on the door,
which Mr.. Weston answered.
| When he came back into the room he
held in his hand two letters
''If you will excuse me, Fred, | will
read these he said
ooh, certainly-go ahead. From the
fair charmers, SUPPOSE"
Laurence Weston opened the letters
at random.
The first read like this:
| DEAR MIR WESToN-Although your proposal
was q great surprise to me, for l always
| thought you were not d marrying man can
| say that am inclined to regard it-and you
favorably. If you will call tomorrow al ten
! l shall be glad to receive you. Yours,
BLANCHE STURTEvANT
Blank dismay was pictured on his
features as he opened the other and
read:
| Mr., WESTON: Dear Sir-It is entirely inma-
| terial to me whether your language of last
night was joke or not, and no apologies are
| necessary Allow me to advise you, though
that in well-regulated society such jokes are
considered insults to woman. Yours.
BLANCHE WELLINGTON.
whats the matter, Laurie? You
look as though you had shock, said
Bent.
$50 l have. Here, read these" and
he pushed the letters toward his friend.
Bent read them.
Then he burst into hearty laughter
what are you laughing at?'' asked
Weston.
"Ha, ha! Because, really, old fell
low, l can't help it. It's too good
well, if it isn't rich. Did you mean to
do it?'
MEAN to do what?"
Can you ask me?' said Bent, trag-
ically, waving the two sheets of scented
| AOGt- paper III VIC dir.
"What have / done? For Heavens
sake tell me if you can, Fred
rs it possible that you don't know?
You are not very shrewd, Laurie, or
else you are in love, and love, you
know, is 'provcrbially blind"
$50 on" said Laurence. impatiently.
"Why, man alive, you put your let.
| fnrC in ba ,trala,Nas.
can see."
A sudden ray of intelligence darted
over Weston face.
81 believe l did he said, ruefully,
land see what a scrape l have drawn
my devoted head into"
Gould you make it up with Miss
Wellington?"
81 feel sure could. But Miss Stur-
tevant has practically accepted me, and
see how | must insult her
"And yet" unused Fred, you ought
to explain to Miss Wellington"
81 know it." distractedIy, but if
do, must also explain to Miss Sturte-
want"
Now, honestly. Laurie, do you care
anything for either one?'
Laurence Weston met his friends
gaze without flinching.
, mo, honestly, Fred, l like and ad-
mire one as much as the other"
"Why not give them both up?"
And get into the mire deeper than
am? Besides, | am determined to mar
ry one of them"
''Well," said Bent, rising to go. 81
am sorry for you, Laurie. This is
what your assurance and sound COM
mon sense has brought you to. For
my part, l prefer romance. Good-by,
old fellow
''Good-by, came mournfully from the
| depths of the easy chair.
At the door Bent halted.
Il say, Laurie, might help you out.
might marry one of them"
IF you only would; but which one?"
Aye, that's it" echoed Bent, as he
closed the door and went down the
hall; and the evening breezes waited
his words back, chats the rub-which
one?"-Agnes L. Pratt,in Boston Globe.
Superficial Judgment of Men.
In our judgment of men we are to be-
| Of eriy-infr