Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-10-10

the stream among MY pauS, WHERE bu'
water was shallow and still. Presently
they allowed the boat to stop, and they
all sang. and made a charming picture
Agatha played her banjo and leaned
gracefully against Lily, whose gay
japanese parasol made a bright spot
against the dark foliage, and Edith
leaned on her pole They sang in a
manner calculated to draw the fish out
Of the water. providing that those finny
Jewels were gifted with musical and
artistic tastes, and presently Edith.
who was captain and lookout also.
heard the sound of oars.
They're coming; sing that first
verse again.
In a few moments a skiff containing
three handsome young men came down
the stream, but the unconscious girls
sang on, with downcast eyes, until
Edith dropped her pole, tottered until
the boat rocked. and exclaimed:
"Oh. girls. what shall we dot The
pole is gone"
The singing stopped, the girls
screamed and reached over the side Of
the boat, apparently trying to get the
pole. but really, it is sad to relate,
pushing it out of sight under the lily
pads until it floated almost to shore. OF
course these distressed dalnsels were
promptly rescued by the three young
men, and delightful acquaintance be
gan. 1t soon appeared that Frank
Lawrence. the eldest, knew Papa An
drews quite weIl-by name, and had
often been in the city of Riverineet,
and that Robert Solners and Charles
Rich knew cousin Tom, whom the
sisters had not seen for Il couple OF
years. but whose acquaintance made a
formal Introduction to these young men
quite super1uous. since he was a
most proper person, married and well
TO do. living in Chesterfield, where
the young men lived When Papa
Andrews came up on Saturday evening,
he was pleased to find his daughter
happy at their cheap boarding place in
the society of Cousin Toms friends"
There were many boating parties and
picnics, limited to seven people, OF
whom Aunt Clara was the merest no
body. the bare shadow of chaperon;
for the attentive young people always
settled her In a hammock with a mos
quito net over her, while they strolled
around The young men described the
village us the stupidest of places, afford
ing neither cigars nor candy, but boxes
of these indispensables were sent for
to the city, SO the young people did not
visit the village, the mail being brought
by one of the gentlemen, az they took
turns in going down for supplies
There were long evenings on the
porch, when ii rained or had rained,
and left the grass too wet for walks
and tennis, and there were cozy whist
parties. when two of the young people
had to take turns waiting OH the porch
while the other four played, The fish
ing was indeed first class, but, as the
prudent Edith observed to her younger
sisters, it was the catching that con
cerned them most seriously, and when,
on comparing notes, after three weeks
stay, they found that kisses had been
respectfully but earnestly begged for,
the fair fishers felt justified in calling
them "nibbles," and in putting forth
extra caution and skill in landing their
prizes.
I'VE must be very careful, now;
kiss begged for is an extremely promis-
ing nibble, but kiss taken or given is
letting him run away with your bait" 4"
said Edith.
"Charlie called me dearest" muir
INJURED Agatha.
Robert called me darling" said
Lily.
"That all goes for nothing. I've
known men to actually propose and be
accepted and then get up a quarrel
when they were tired of the girl. We
can't be too careful. | wish we knew
more about them. have mind to
write to Cousin Tom" said Edith, the
wise virgin.
"But Cousin Tom has gone TO some
place In Canada" objected LILY.
Let us say we're going home and
see how they take It, suggested Agatha.
you know papa said on Monday that
ho was getting tired of the empty
house"
This suggestion seemed good, and
that evening each maiden observed to
her attendant in gently regretful
tone that these pleasant days would
soon be at AN end, for papa wished
them to come home. The result was
pleasing, but not entirely satisfactory,
Frank and Robert and Charlie de
clared that their summer Joy would enc
as soon as Edith, Lily and Agatha de
parted, and they Immediately PROPOSED
to M the few remaining days with pleas
ant amusements, But they proposeC
nothing else.
81 suppose this sort of thing goes OF
all over the world" sighed Lily, wheI
tho sisters were once moro In council
Not in Europe. There the ohape
rons attend 10 business They hav,
all tho anxiety, and the girls Just sta.
quiet and let themselves be married,
answered Edith.
"Oh, wish things were manages
that way in this country II is such
nuisance 10 have 10 chase after mel
and not know what they intend The,
are SO deoeiving,' walled Agatha
III we American girls sat down ant
waited. we should all be old maids
I've seen that sort Of thing tried b