Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-10-17

powers of surgery and fascination. The
sprain had certainly surrendered to his
skill, and, building his faith on dozen
or so of smiles and glances, he allowed
himself to entertain the agreeable be-
lief that her heart had also surrendered
to himself. He had often been told
that he might choose wife when and
where he liked, and, with consumn-ats
conceit, he had lately thought the Same
thing himself Then, he reasoned, why
should he not choose n wife now, and
why not at Dovecot? To DIR. Dinks'
mind there was considerable-nay, iu-
disputable logic in his reasoning.
Babs always seemed glad to see him,
and she was wholly at ease with him.
Indeed, she was always so gay and
good-humored that DIR. Dirxs glowed
and flourished in his own op,nion-that
opinion being that she was certainly
very much in love with him. True, she
sometimes laughed, and at such times
Dr. Drinks experienced some difficulty
in divining whether it was with hlm
or at himl But love is proverbially
blind, and the doctor determined to
chance his fate. He would propose to
her!
And then he fell into n delightful
reverie, and pictured to himself the
scene. He would kneel by that little
couch by the fireplace and would ask
her in tender phrases would she be his
wife. And then he wondered would
his darling faint, or would she sink
gracefully into his arms and whisper:
"Dear youth, will" And then the
consummate delightfulness of it all
overpowered DIR. Dinks, and suggest
lively hugging the nearest armchair,
he mentally collapsed
Dressing one evening with the
punctilious care born of long bachelor
life, and with many hesitating doubts
and fears, DIR. Dinks set out on an all
important visit to Dovecot house-a
visit fraught with matrimonial inten-
tions. His progress was slow. 1t was
just after the early tea of provincial
life, and several of his friends and ac-
quaintances were on the street, and
many were the cordial greetings he had
to exchange with them. They after
wards remarked to each other that the
doctor was certainly strange in his
manner, and they hoped he hadn't been
-, and then they paused and finished
with a suggestive smile.
All unconscious of his friends levity,
he pursued his way, and as he came in
sight of Dovecot house he felt the by
no-means strange sensation that the
of f1,a xt,pr1l \
With as martial step as he could
command, DR.. Dinks crossed the gar
den plot and instantly rang the bell
very, very tenderly. He must not, he
thought, alarm his little darling.
II shall find my way. You need not
trouble to come with me-" he said to
the smiling maid whose duty it was to
attend the door and announce arrivals.
Miss Grantley, 1 presume, is in the
same apartment"
"Yes, sir; but please, sir, she's en-
gagged just now.'
But the doctor did not hear. Slowly,
very slowly, he went up the soft car
peted staircase, and paused for brief
moment at the door before entering.
His heart had resumed it's stentorian
humping; his legs mbled-all, of
course, in joyous anticipation of his
coming happiness. Leaning against
the architrave for support, he softly,
very softly, turned the handle and
opened the door. But, oh! what did the
sight which met his gaze mean?
Standing in the embrasure of the
window, with his arm about Babs'
waist was tall and fair stranger! In
his other hand he held a small golden
hoop, which he was showing to her.
"Isn't it strange, darling?" DR.. Dinks
heard this tall, and fair, and unknown
somebody say to-Babs, his Babs!-
isn't it strange, darling, that within the
little circle of this ring there should be
so much happiness, and love, and hope
for You and l? You must wear it, dear,
and, wearing it, remember that our
love, like it, is without end. Babs"
he exclaimed, "oh! Babs, my darling!-'
DIR. Dinks did not wait to hear more.
Softly, as softly as he had opened it, he
closed the door, and skunk down the
staircase like convicted felon. Out
side he leaned against the garden wall
and endeavored to pull together his
shattered energies.
Shouldn't just like to dissect that
fellow, that's ALL" he muttered. "But
no, wouldn't" he added, in the same
breath. "She-she loves him, and-and
that's something"
And then DIR. Dinks inclined his head
to the angle medicus and felt his pulse,
wondering whether, after all, that
mapnificent thrill-that sudden sepSe
of rapturous delight-was not lusu.
nature-a freak of fate!-John j. Col.
Inns, in Yankee Blade.