Arizona republican., 1891-10-20
THE HIGHEST BIDDER.
He Got Not Only the Broken Slip
 per, But O Wife.

pSIy DuI ti w llOs
 Peggy Hildreth was the belle of the village. No one ever questioned that fact. There were many girls as pretty as Peggy, but none as bright and saucy. Certainly no young girl of eight cen had had more suitors or knew bet ter how to refuse them and still keep them at her feet.
 Now, Peggy had a stepmother and TO father, and like the traditional step mother, this one was hard to live with. Perhaps Peggy was little to blame herself, for she strongly objected being dictated to, even when, as Mrs Hil- dreth would inform her, ''it was only for her own good;" but as it was only the week before she had been heard to say she should be glad when that witch was well married and out of the house." we can hardly blame Peggy for not having unprecedented faith ir Mrs. Hildreth's desire for her good.
 One afternoon, when these two had had few words of anything but an caller for Miss Peggy, Mir. Jack Les lie, of the Seventh regiment it ap. peared from the card, and Peggy has tened to meet him, looking, with her sparkling blue eyes and golden curls, gowned in n short-waiSted white mus lin tied up under the arms with a broad sash, like an animated Kate Greenaway picture.
 "Oh, Jack, am so glad you've come! Mrs. II. and l have been having 1t again, although I came .out ahead, with laugh.
 "As usual, sec But what were you quarrcling over this time?"
 Well, I'll tell you. called that young Bliss fool or an idiot, I don't remember which, and as he is distantly related to Mrs. H., she naturally ob- jected. We argued the matter to some length, and then she told me to prove my statement or take it back. l said could, and that she would agree with me if she had only heard him propose the other night.
 "lt was done in this way" and Peggy stood up at an angle of forty-fve de- grees and toyed with an imaginary eye glass: "Weally, Miss Hildweth, you weally must do me the au--extreme kindness of accepting my name and au-estates, doncher know and then after that she gave in" and Peggy took two waltz turns and sank into an easy chair andsaid:
 "Now, Jack, let's have it. I know you've brought some good news by the disagreeable way the lines in your fore. head run"
 Well, you've guessed aright, so just catch your breath while relate all know. The Seventh intend giving a ball on the third of next month, and I've come over to invite you early so there can be no mistake about your going with me-"
 Really; honor bright; cut your throat. Oh, how lovely! How nice of you to come over and tell me before the other girls knew anything about itw
 Well, as long as you don't throw me over at the last minute for Overalle or any of the Wainwright boys, l shall feel repaid"
 Peggy actually colored, for Howarth Overalle was one of the few men whom she could not bring to her feet Not a very handsome man, but tall and dis tinguished looking, bearing himself like the true, honest soldier that he was. He had often watched Peggy Hildreth from afar, and entrusted her with the pale, tired, invalid sister he had at home in far-away Montana. Jack Leslie had purposely mentioned Over ale just to tease Peggy. He had always l known her, and as she pcstered him | when it suited her mood, he once n | awhile retaliated.a It Wal. war to tho knife between the two until Jack 3tlt and then Peggy went upstairs hull over some old | trunks of hef own mothers to sec what | she could find suitable to wear to the | ball. She came across a beautiful white brocade with tiny pink rosebuds em- broidered over it.
 "Now," she soliloquized, "this would | just suit me made up with little of this horiton lace. Mrs. Hildreth will faint with horror at the idea, and say I'll | look like my own grandmother. Then perhaps somebody will fall in love with my own grandmother. Now, I'll put it on and dance the minuet with some bodY's- grandfather. wished the somebody's grandfather looked like nowarth- Overalle, the hateful old thing. I'd like the fun of refusing him. Now, Peggy, wait a moment. If MT. Overaile should ask you to ac- company him to Montana and spend dull existence with an invalid sister and an old mother, would you, after all, -~-