Nevada County picayune., 1891-09-17
THE HIGHEST BIDDER.

Peggy Hildreth was the bell of the village. No one ever quetioned that fact. There were many girls as pretty as Peggy, but none as bright and saucy. Certainly no young girl of eighteen had had more suitors or knew better how to refuse them and still keep them at her feet.
 Now, Peggy had a stepmother and no father. and like the traditional stcpmother, this orc was hard to live with. Perhaps Peggy was little to blame herself, for she strongly ob- jected being dictated to. even when, as Mrs Ilildreth would inform her, :, it was 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 mar ried and out of the house" we can hardly blame Peggy for not having unprecedented faith in Mrs. Hildreth' B desire for her good,
 One afternoon when these two had had few words of anything but an amiabe nature, the servant announce ed caller for Miss Peggy, MT. Jack Leslie, of the Seventh regiment, it appeared from the card, and Peggy hastencd to meet him, looking, with her sparkling blue eyes and golden curls, gowned in a short-waisted white muslin tied up under the arms with broad sash, like an animated Kate Greenaway picture.
 "Oh, Jack, I'm so glad you ye come! Mrs. H. and l have been having it again, although l came out ahead, with laugh.
 As usual, l see. But what were you quarreling over this timc?'
 "Well, I'll tell you, l called that young Bliss a fool or an idiot, l don { remember which, and as he is dis tanty related to Mrs. H., she natur- ally objected. We argued the mat ter to some length, and then she toId me to prove my statement or take if back. said could, and wished that she had only heard him propose the other night,
 Ut was done in this way" and Peggy stood up at angle of forty five degrees and toycd with an imag- inery eyc-glass: "Weally, Miss llil- dweth, you weally must do me the au extreme pleasure kindness of accepting my name and-an estates donchcr know and then after thct she gave in, and Peggy took two waltz turns and sank into an easy chair and said:
 Now. Jack, let's have it. l know you'yc brought some good news by the djsagrccablc way the lines in your forehead run"
 Well. you've guessed alright, so just catch your breath while l relate all I know. The Seventh intend giv- inc ball on the third of next month, and I've come over to invite you carly so there can be no mistake about our going with me, V
 "Really; honor bright; cut your throat Oh, how lovely! How nice of you to come over and tell me be- fore the other girls knew anything about it."
 "WeIl, as long as you don't throw me over at the last minute for Over ale or any of the Wainwright boys l shall feel repaid" "
 Peggy actually colored, for How arth Oyeralle was one of the few men whom she could not bring to her feet. Not very handsome man, but tall and distinguished looking bearing himself like the true, honest soldier that he was, He had often watched Peggy Hildreth from at'r' and contrastcd her with the pHe' tired, invalid sister he had at home in far-away Montana. Jack Leslie had purposely mentioned overalle inst to tease Peggy. He had always known her, and as she pestcred hlm when it suited her mood, he once m awhile relaliated.
 II was war to the knife between the two until Jack left, and then