Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-03-02

w
sin Mark picked up the refractory i'm
plements, and then Mrs Jennie pro
, ceeded with rare caution and tact t(
her labor OF love. Cousin Mark, at hel
request read aloud an article from The
; Popular Science Monthly drawing Miss
Kent into the discussion as deftly az
was ever fly drawn into the web of 8
spider.
Who is that lady, Jennie?' Cousin
Mark inquired in the evening
You mean Miss Kent, said Jennie
looking up from her paper. oh, she
is lady have known for a long time
She is making some dresses for me now
Why?
She seemed uncommonly well posted
for woman
Under any other circumstances Mrs
Carlisle would have resented This, but
now she only queried, DO you think
sol? and that ended it.
Two or three invitations in the draw
ing room were quite sufficient to make
Cousin Mark perfectly at home there,
and, after a week, he became familiar
enongh to say:
If yo'i are not too busy | should like
to read you this article
oh, am never too busy to be read
to- Miss Kent would say, Sit down by
the window, in this comfortable chair
and let's hear it,
After couple of weeks, when the
gentleman came in, hOarse, with a sud
den cold, Miss Kent hustled about, he1
voice full of sympathy, and brewed him
a dose which he declared he should
never forget to his dying day; but one
dose cured. After this occurrence Miss
Kent was a really wonderful woman.
All, what an arch plotter! She let
them skirmish about, but not once did
she give them chance to be alone to-
gether. Her plans were not to be de-
st7oyed by premature confidence un:il
the very evening preceding Cousin
Miss Kent was very demurely asked to
remain and keep an eye on Master Car
Isle, whom the fond mother did not
like to leave quite alone with his nurse.
1--WE are compelled to be gone cou-
pie of hours, said she, but Cousin Mark
will read to yol-won't you, cousin p
Certainly, if Miss Kent would like it,
replied the gentleman.
The infant Carlisle, thanks to good
management, was never awake in the
evening so the victims of this matri-
monial speculation would have plenty
of time. The back parlof was the room
most in use during the evening and out
of this room was a large closet with a
large blind ventilator, and out of this
closet a door leading to the back stoo;)
and garden. Imagine my surprise when
l was told that Nj. Carlisle was going
TO the lodge, and that we, after profuse
warnings about the baby and promises
not 20 be gone too lolg, were to proceed
to this closet overlooking the back par
| hu hn of no oil to nd
garden. In vain protested.
why, you little goosie, laughed Jen-
ME, 'therc'll be fun enough TO last a
| lifetime. John wanted to come awful
| ly, but | knew he'd make an awful
noise and spoil eve .vthing so wouldn't
| let him.
TIE willy schemcr took The precau-
.ion 10 lock the closet door from the
| outside, so there was no fear os detec-
ton. On high bench, SUI as two mice,
we awaited results.
Presently Cousi1 Max as if arousing
| from p.ot.'acted reverie. asked,
Would you like 10 have me tcad?'
oh l am MOI pa>Jicuiar, replied Miss
| Kent.
Here is an excellent Article on elective
affcitie How would you like that?'
JeDnie's elbow in my side almost took
away my breath.
Who is it by? she Inquired.
Jennie exclaimed (clear in my ear)
| !Thats 10 Gf.in time, see if it amt
It's by p ominent French writer, l
believe answe ed Cousin Mark.
I don't think care for a translation
tonight. said Miss Kent.
Nor 1; no. reading of any kind he
continued. This is my last evening in
New York Miss Kant
I hope you've enjoyed your visit, she
returned.
Jennie Unto my very head this time).
She's as shy as 5-yea1-old colt
L didn't think l should feel so bad
about leaving,' Cousin Marx went OIL
He is the wreck, you remember,
whispered Jennie.
A long pause.
L tbiuk l hear the baby exclaimed
Miss Kent.
/ oh, no, said Cousin Marx? You are
fond of babies, are you not Miss Kent?'
No answer from Miss Kent.
L have been a ve:y lonely man, Miss
Kent Cousin Mark resumed, but
never realized how lonely the rest of
my life must be until came to his
| house.
'Oh, how lonely echoed Jennie.
| L
and my boarding house-bOarding
house for man so fond of domestic life
as l am, Miss Kent
| Just then we distinctly heard a little
kind of purr, which sounded very like
a no5e of intense sympathy from Miss
Kent.
4 have friends in San Francisco, of
course said Cousin Mark, but no fire
side like this, no one to care for me if |
am ill, nobody to feel very badly if l
| die
'Thatll fetch her. said Jennie.
Il wish that l lived in San Francisco.
said Miss Kent in a little quivering
voice You could call upon me at any
time if you needed anything
| Jennie in convulsions.
If YOU will go to California with me,
Miss Kent, I'll wait another week
Why, Mr.. Lansing, what do you
mean? What would folks say?' she zaid.
we don't care for folks, said Mark.
If you will go, we will have house as
pleasant as money can make 1T. You
shall have birds and flowers and horses,
and all the scientific monthlies that
you want, deuced if you sha'n't, and
YOU shall never sew another stitch for
anybody but me. Will you be my wife?
Just then Jennie and l stepped up
another peg, and there was that little
old maid, who would not marry the
best man that ever lived, hugged close
to the mans breast who wouldn't mar
ry the best woman that ever lived, not
even to save her life. We came away
then, but it's my opinion that they re-
manned in just that position till we rang
the bell half an hour later.
How did you known i asked of Jen-
ME.
My DEAR she answered, my whole
reliance was upon human nature; and
let me tell you, dear goosie, whatever
else may fail, that never does
Why, Miss Kent, what makes your
face so very red?' inquired Jennie upon
entering, and Cousin Mark, how
strangely you look! Your hair is all
mussed up
And hope to have it mussed often,'
said Cousin Mark boldly. Miss Kent
and | are to be married this week