The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-05-25
"A PRIZE STORY.
IN. Y. Record.r.l

and gloves on this particular trip, with elk
trunks. in one of which | found room for
my own wearing apparel. besides some
samples. This may seem OF little I'M
portance, but hear me out and you will
have another proof OF the fact that little
things count"
IL is not necessary for me to tell you
how l became acquainted with the best
girl in the world, nor for me to describe
her, for pen pictures OF beautlful women
are about as satisfactory as an essay on the
taste of ice cream to one who has never
caressed the chilly CONNECTION with his
own individual tongue. Let it be fairly
understood that she was simply the one
perfect thing in all creation and l loved
her as only a drummer can love.
Were we engaged?
Well. no; she was such shy little af-
fair, and only just finished" from board
ing school, but was almost sure had de-
tected bushes and shy, pretty looks,
which were only for me, and well l
mustn't begin to say how l cared for her
or shall grow tlresome.
She Il may as we'll tell you her name
was Minnie) lived in lively little town
in Ohio called Crestline, not much OF q
town for my business, but somehow | al
ways stopped there on my outward trip,
and coming back, too, although 1t gener-
ally made a lot of doubling" on my
route. Her family were pretty well fixed,
and consisted of her father, who was In
the hardware business there, her mother
(iust the incest old lady you ever saw, and
how she could cook y ayounger sister and
brother about my own age.
On this particular trip l had my plans
arranged to reach their house on Wednes-
day, and stay over Thanksgiving and IN
til the succeeding Monday, and had also
resolved that that Monday should find me
an engaged man or rejected sutton. Ii
were a regular story writer l could give
YOU some idea of the agitation and trepi-
dation I went through In bringing myself
to this resolution, but as | am not, L can
only say it was worse-much worse than
the ague.
|. Well, my plans worked to charm no
DELAYS, no bad weather, no accidents, and
on Wednesday evening l found myself st
the station at Crestline, Minnie's brother
Joe on hand to meet me with the carriage,
and with nv trunk-the same one | mem
toned before, you remember / was driven
to their home, and after glorious wei
come from Minnie and all the family
soon found myself and that same trunk
snugly quartered in a large bedroom, so
comfortable, tasteful and inviting /
COulOn I D6lp speCuidtlhE UpOA thO ca
quisite taste of my p Minnie.
Well, i must hurry over details or
shall never come to the end of my story.
| wish | could tell you about our dinner
that evening and the jolly time after din
ner, and how Minnie had to run off to
choir practice and who went with her,
but wouldn't, for that would tell you
about coming home again and what we
said At ali events, when j woke up
Thanksgiving morning l was sure
enough" engaged man, and just about too
happy for this world.
l was awake early, although l hadn't
been able to get asleep until AL hours"
the night before, and, after dressing, l
went down stairs softly. so that ] shouldn't
disturb tue family, who probably would
not be up for an hour yet, and let myself
out of the front door for walk before
breakfast.
was gone longer than l intended. and
as / came hurrying up the walk saw my
prospective father-in-law on the porch,
evidently waiting FOR me.
To my intense surprise, for the entire
family had given us their blessings and
congratulations the night before, his
mien was stern, his face like a thunder
cloud.
"Mr. NJ" said he. "there is no occasion
for any extended talk; let it suffice for me
to tell YOU that l was an unintentional
witness of what transpired in your room
this morning. and thank God l am in time
to save my daughter from life of misery.
Not q word. sir / have sent for the hotel
coach; yonder 1t comes; you will pack
your trunk aud leave my house III
stantly."
Astounded? Stunned? Well, should
say was. was not allowed to open nv
lips, and my request to see Minnie, even
for one minute, nearly frenzied the old
gentleman.
Well, there was nothing to be done but
get out" and | got" but of all the for
lorn, dazed specimens you ever saw was
| the worst
packed my trunk hastily and instead
of going to the hotel had the "bus" take
me straight to the station. where l took
the early train East, and duly arrived in
| New York.
What do you suppose was the first
thing / found on my arrival at the Office?
| A telegram dated the very morning left
| Crestline: "Wretched mistake. Have
written"
So ran the message, and by afternoon
came the letter from the old gentleman.
"Never made such an egregious old ass
| of myself before, but what in the world
do you carry that old cork leg around
for? When / passed your door it stood
| partly open, and | saw that leg beside the
bed and it was partly covered so that l
couldn't tell that it was dummy. No
matter what thought, my boy, you'll un-
derstand that when you have grown girls
of your own"
! Well of all ridiculous things | had TO
laugh in spite of the misery / had gone
through. What he called a cork leg"
was one of those forms of limbs you have
often seen in the store windows up on
Sixth-ave., as perfect shape as ever was
seen incased in a delicate silk stocking. l
was carrying it to a customer as a present,
and it was in the trunk before mentioned.
In order to get at my clothes had thrown
it out, and therein lag the whole trouble.
That morning when packed 30 hastily l
had forgotten it. and so the old gentleman
discovered his mistake.
| Did it come out all right?
Well, Minnie has Just said; 81 hope
| when the travelling bag comes it will be
large enough to hold our things and ba-
by's, too"
Produces of One Head of Barley.
Miss Lena Woodward of Thorn Creek,
| Waab oou.ad tho saad fror, ooa iaoJ ~