Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-02-10


sLe thought it was to gentleman of
Inc halr-cutting persuasion who lived
near; and then, of course, / guessed
who bought it,
lille, gasped LeaDder, II didn' I
mean you to guess; the purpose fol
which | require that cloak is my Sc
cret."
oh, you silly man, when I've guessed
1t. And l take it just as kind of you
as II 1t was to be all surprise. l was
wishing as / came along l could afford
TO buy it at once, it struck so cold com
Ing ont of our place, and you had actu-
ally bought it for me all the time. Thank
you ever 50 much, Leander, DEAR
He had only to accept the position.
and he did, Il am glad you are pleased, >
he said; Il intended it as surprise. .
And | am surprised said Matilda,
because, do you know, last night, when
l went home, | was feeling very cross
at you? | kept thinking that perhaps
you didn't care for me any more and
were trying TO break it off and oh, all
sorts Of horlid things l kept thinking,
and he was grateful to it.
And aunt gave me a message for you
this morning, and | was so out of tenn
per | wouldn't leave it. And now to
lind you've been so kind
She stretched out her hand to him
across the counter and he took and
held it tight; he had never seen her
looking sWeeter; nor felt that she was
half 50 dear to him. After all, his blum
der had brought them together again,
and he was graatful to it,
At last Matilda said, "You were quite
right about this wrapper, Leander; it's
not half warm enough for q night like
this. I'm really afraid to go home in
it,
lie knew well enough what she in
tended him to do; but just then he dared
not appear to understand ut isn't far.
only to Millman street" he said: and
you must walk fast, Tillie. / wish !
could leave the shop and come too"
You want me to ask you downright, y
she said, pouting. You men can't even
be kind prettily. Don't you want to
see how ! look in your cloak, Leander:"
What could he say after that? He
must run upstairs, deprive the goddess
Of her mantle, and hand it over to Ma
tilda. She had evidently made up her
mind to have that cloak, and he must
buy the statue another 1t would be
expensive but there was no help for it.
"Celtainly," he said, you shall have
it now dearest, if you like to. I'll run
up andifetch it down if you'll wait"
He rhshed upstairs, two steps at a
time, and, fiinging open the door of Il
cupboard, began desperately to uncloak
his Aphrodite. She was lifeless still,
which he considered fortunate.
But the goddess seemed to have nat
ursll propensity to retain any form of
portable property. One of her arms was
SO placed that, tug and stretch as he
would, leander could not get. the cloak
from her shoulders, and his efforts only
broke one of the oXidized silver 1asten-
iDgs, and tore part of the squirrels fur
lining
1t was useless and with damp fore
head he came down again to his ex-
pectant fiancee.
why, you haven't got it after air.
she cried, her face falling.
Title, my owp dear girl he said,
I'm uncommon try, upon my soul j
am. but you can't'have that cloak this
evening"
But why, Leander, Why"
Because one of the clasps is broke
1t must be sent back to be repaired"
Il don't mind that. Let me have it
just rs it is
And the Innings torn. No, Matilda,
! sha'n't make you present of a dam
aged article. ! shall send it back. They
must change it for me-" c'Ihen." he
thought, Il can buy my Matilda anoth-
cry
Il don't care for any other but that"
she said; land you can't match it,
"Oh, LORI he thought, land she
knows every inch Q! it. The goddess
must give it up; it'll be all the same to
her. Very We'll then, dearest, you shall
have that, but not till its done up I
must have my way in this; and as soon
rs ever | can I'll bring it round"
"Ieander, could You bring it me by
Sunday" she said, eagerly, when YOU
Gomez"
why Sunday" he asked
"Recause-oh. that was the message
your aunt asked me to bring you; it was
in a note, but I've lost it. She told me
what was inside though, and it's this:
VIII you give her the pleasure of your
company at her midday dinner at
o'clock, to be introduced to mamma?
And she said you were to be sure and
not foret her ring"
He tottered for a moment The ring,
Yes, there was that to be got off, too,
besides the cloak.
Haven't you got the ring from Vid-
ler's yet?" she said. He's had it such
a time"
He had told her where he had left it
for alterations Yes" he said, HE has
had it time. It's dis-1aceful the way
old Wider potters and potters. I shall
so round and hurry him up. l won't
stand II an
Here a customer came in, and Matil-
da slipped away with a hurried good
by.
I've got till Sunday to get straight"
the hairdreSser thought, as he attended
on he newcomer, the best part Of the
week; surely I can talk that Venus over
by that time"
When he was alone he went uIi to
see her, without losing a moment. Tile
must have left the door unlocked in his
haste, for she was standing before the