Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1891-09-03
THE HIGHEST BIDDER.
He Cot Not Only tho Broken Slip
per, But q Wife.

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 stepmother and
no 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. Hill
dreth would inform her, sit was only
for her own good" but as it was only
say she "should be glad when that
witch was well married and out of the
house." we can hardly blame Peggy
for not having unquestioned faith in
Mrs. Hildreth's desire for her good
One afternoon, when these two had
had a few words of anything but an
amiable nature, the servant announced
caller for Miss Peggy, Mr.. Jack Les
lie, of the Seventh regiment 1t APP
peared from the card, and Peggy has
tened TO meet him, looking, with her
sparkling blue eyes and golden curls,
gowned in shcrt-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 | have been having it
again, although ! came out ahead"
with laugh.
"As usual, see But what were you
quarreling over this time?"
"Well, I'll tell you. l called that
young Bliss fool or an idiot, don't
remember which, and as he is distantly
related to Mrs. H., she naturally OBJ
jected. We argued the matter to some
length, and then she told me to prove
my statement or take it back. | said
could, and that she would agree with
me if she had only heard him propose
the other night.
at 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
WEAKLY must do me the au--extremc
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 and said
| "Now, Jack, rlet's have it. | know
you've brought some good news by the
disagreeable way the lines in your fore
head run"
"Well, you've guessed Alright, SO just
catch your breath while ! relate all
know. The Seventh intend giving @
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 you
throat. Oh, how lovely How nice o.
you to come over and tell me before
the other girls knew anything about
| itr
"Well, as long as you don't throw me
over at the last minute for Overalle Of
any of the Wainwright boys, | shall
feel repaid"
Peggy actually colored, for Howarth
Overalle was one of the few men whom
she could not bring to her feet, Not ,
very handsome man, but tall and dis
tinguished looking, bearing himseli
like the true, honest soldier that h,
was. He had often watched Pegg,
Hildreth from afar, and contrasted he
with the pale, tired, invalid sister h,
had at home in far-away Montana. Jacl
Leslie had purposely mentioned Over
ale just to tease Peggy. He had Away
known her, and as she pestered hin
when it suited her mood, he once il
awhile retaliated.
1t was war to the knife between tn
two Until Jack left, and then Pegg,
wenS upstairs to pull over some oil
trunks of her own mothers to sec wha
she could find suitable to wear to tn
ball. She came across a beautiful whit
brocade with tiny pink rosebuds EN-
broidered over it.
Snow" she soliloquized, "this woul'
just suit me made up with little of thi
honiton lace. Mrs. Hildreth will fain