Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-02-19
WON BY A PLOT.
Why Minnie Married the Man
Chosen by Her Father.

you, papa" pouted Minnie McAlster,
only and petted daughter of Lawyer
McAlster, and pretty and willful as 4
pet kitten; $50 perfectly unreasonable,
and it is so impudent of that fellow to
write and ask you for my hand before
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 I in pinafores. I know all about
that Because we were two pretty
children, and pleasant playmates, our
stupid fathers said: Let US pledge OuE
children to each other And now, after
twelve years, when 1 ami seventeen and
he twenty-one, the impudent creature
eoolly desires me to be true to that nom
senslcal trash, and writes to ask re-
newai of your consent"
(which he certainly has"
''But which it will do him no good to
obtain" continued Minnie; ''for say
positively I will not see him, nor speak
to him, nor glance at him if he comes
here. If you write aid tell him to
come, 1 will run away to lockwood.
anyhow, and take vocal lessons 1
know have musical genius, If it were
properly cultivated; and there is a
splendid professor at lockwood who
has large class in training. l 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,
eoolly, viewing his irats daughter with
twinl1ling eyes, 'let ma correct one err
TOR you have fallen intl Walter Ora
ham is worth three times what am az
this moment. His fathers whole prop
erty is ia his hands, and he is wealthy.
So 1 hardly think he is looking with
covetous eyes upon your few thousands.
No; he remembers you IS 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 I wish you would call in an
artist and have my picture taken on the
spot to send him"
"But would rather not, for remem-
Der desire you to see aud at least treat
this young man as the poet says we
treat Vice, the monster-hrst 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
match, 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 a 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.
don't ask you to promise your hand to
him till he has done this-but you re-
fuse even to see him"
Eyes, / 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.
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 a story-book."
Mr.. McAlster smiled.
'You will doubtless fall in love with
that professor over at lockwood" 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
Hood?"
81 will think about it. I would rather
you should take lessons here, and if
can get good instructor to come here
suppose you viii be just as well
pleased, will you not?'
'Yes-if you keep Walter Graham
away"
At the end of a week Mr.. McAlster
informed Minnie that he had secured
her an instructor for her voice.
81 wrote to q 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"
PROT Bangemwelll' renes4eA Min
ME. What namel I know he Is old,
and tall, and thin, and wears green
spectscles, and will be as cross as a
bear, but don't care so long as can
take lessons In singing, If he is an
ogre"
Prof Bangemwen looked any thing |
but an ogre as he stood IN the parlor an |
hour after his arrival, and was present.
cd TO Miss Minnie, his pap,I, VINO had |
Just come in from walk lie was tall,
as she had said, but not CID being GER
tainly not over twenty-five. and not |
thin, for he had the splendid figure Of |
an Adopis and his dark uaarnefic ewes 1