Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-12-27
AN ENGAGED Man


m offer Of marriage 10 Niss xcSnarry.
she was daughter Of that rough old Gus
toner. Captain McSnarvy. late Of The
Indian navy. aud was . young woman
in whom strvngth Of viii aud determine
tiou to get . husband prcio,niuat~d con.
sidsrably over feminine chArms and
grace of p-noa. What had made
Spoooer propose TO her at all was mys.
tery to the young mans friends; Indeed,
Il was more " lcss mystery 10 himself.
But be was = weak minded, compliant
young fellow. and Jane McSnsrry hal
him all to L-rs-lf for thr-- weeks one
summer. In . quiet country watering
place. whittier she and her father hal
devigneily pursued him.
Yet. with all this. 10 u doubtful
whether he would have been "brought
up 10 ths scr.ich.- hal not Captain Nc
snar~y. Q tr..culent old rufiisn. of whom
spooner stosi In great bodily fear. an
uounc~i his intsntion-in . general way
and without reference 10 particular PR
sons-of hor swhipping any man whom
he should h..i trifins with his daugh-
t.r's virgin affections Quite - much
urg~i by this threat - Allur~i by Miss
McSnarvy's Vaccinations. Spooner pro
pound~i the moinentous question. and
received frv;n her fAltering hps bash
ful Affirmative.
but ~ time went ON and young
Bpooncr b-tl .yci no anxiety to consuin'
mate his h.ppines by marriage. Miss
McSnarvy &. ~ impatient, and she more
than oucs Limited 10 her hAncc that 10
was now high time 10 start housekr~p
Ing. The young man. however. ignored
thc.s hints. ,xcept when they wew very
strong indeed. and then he pleaded vAri.
ous excuses Tor delay. The fact was the
better be knew Mss McSnarey the l-~s
be rclisbed ,..e prosTsct 81 marrying her.
and though conscious that the dreaded
day of their anion must come at lat. he
determined to put 10 od - long ~ he
possibly could.
In this determination Spooner was
loudly spplA..ici by his bachelor friends.
among whom his engagement wn .
standing jo.e; more ESPECIALLY ~ he
was always boasting Of his conqursts
over other girls-notably over Que or
two with whom he hsd entered into cor.
rr.ypndenc-. "just for the fun Of the
thing In answer 10 sone advertise
men,s In The Matrimonial Herald.
Whether tb--e conqucsts wcr- all 80
complete ~ spooner rrpr~sent~i them 10
b.. his friends werc not unrasonably
disposed to doubt. But. ~ his bra;gart
stories were decidedly amusing. they
affected for the most part n solemn b--
lief In them. and took malicious pleas-
ure In drawing the elf satisfied young
fellow out One day at the club Dick
Bolus. an intimate acquaintance. s'rolIei
up 10 him with newspaper IN his hand.
"weil. spoouer." he inquired. with =
confidential wink. "got anything on In
the matrimonial line Just now-ehy
Nothing" replied Spoouer. "eicept
my standing engagement with Miss Nc
Suarey. You se~.- with q languld. bLlss
air. which he was very fond Of asum.
ing. "the girls are all very we'll for q
bit, bat when chap has hal ~ much of
EN- ~ ! have. they soon begin 10 pail.
don't you known
swell. you should be able 90 sp.ah
wiia authority on that subject. " AIy'
body can answered lolua "And. In
de.-i. Two always heard that love h -
very-whAt dye call em-ephemeral
sort Of affair. but when there's money In
the case II must make oonstancy TO the
young lady . very good deal easier.
mustn't iu'
Certainly. dear boy" returned Spoon.
sr with an air Of patroniring experiences.
"But OF what are your remarks Apropc-l
ARE you intending To swallow 'gilded
pill by any chance
Bolus shook his head dcspondingly.
"No such luck'- be- sAid. "Dut I've
Just r~ai such . ripping advertisement
In The Standard. here-ins-rt~i by .
BEAUTIFUL young lady with Eve thousand
dollars Q year!"
"why not snswer IT, them askej
Spooner.
"lt would be no 10 for me. I'm afraid
answered. Bolus. "becaus-." with comi
cal downward glance at his own short.
round Irrson. "the gentleman Ia TO b
tall and of . military figure. but u
might do for you. old fellow; for you are
tall and rather Of the military cut, -
pecially since you've taken 10 having the
shoulders of your coats padded
"You forget that l'n already en-.
gasei." rrjoinci Spooner. With . sickiy
smile.
"Oh. never mind that cried hi'
friend lightly. "you might enter into
correspondence with this advertising
beauty. Just for . Joke. you know; and
then. u you found her really such .
sumner n she represents herself to be.
you couli easily yet up . quarrel with
Mis McSnarey and brcak od your On.
gagement. couldn't you!"
"En:agein-nts aren't % easily broken
Oh as you think" returned Spooner rue-
fully. "Bnt let ~ hear this advertise
"sa,. o'a man A.. - .., A..
po'us ne'u up s,~ % ~ ~ ~
P'Aoe anu ' - ''''
Young lady. afed twenty zoe. bsausiful. god
nsurs' aocompii.hsd. Win nve ,h"usana ,so. 90,
si,h % . s.s,l,m.S @ .,,h = We" 10 msirimony.
Age must not eIce>d thirty; m,si he hand.
some. tall .nd oi . military nsur: and Also S
Ie,, nss p,,ss M. I "a .,cl, Z Xadr,ss
-ossss,..- Ksiiys viss s,r.st W.
.rh.,.r c,,.d Rolus when he had
s,,.hsi .Whst do ron ,h,nt Of that.
-, h-.,,,s,,,-a,.