Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-07-14
She Was Pretty.
TEMPLE BAR.

1 had stated my intention of go
SnS ing to see Miss Kitty clearly
eaaSsS enough, but in doing SO had
no very fixed idea as to what I
should do when I did see her, and in
fact | was entirely nonplused by the
whole situation.
determined to retire to my ham,
mock and think over matters in gen.
eral. AS | lay there, swinging light.
~ over the water, and with the distant
sound of the weir lulling my senses
pleasantly, it is not to lie wondered
at that fell into dreamy reverie.
Old half forgotten recollections
came thronging upon me; of little
faxen haired Kitty, whom I used to
torment and laughingly ask to be my
little wife, nearly dozen years ago
when she was little chit of 10; of
her father, my old friend John Dob
son. who used to say in his sober
business way, ''and so she shall be
Mildenhall, if l can help you, and
you care to have her when she is
grown up;" ofthat quantity touching
clause in poor Dob&on's will by
which he had done all that lay in his
power to help me.
And ], engrossed in turning over
money in the city, had clean forgot
ten all about her! 81
l was aroused by the sound of
voices and looked round. There, in
the very identical place where Mr..
Bob Tyncker had done his. extreme
ly futile fishing in the morning, he
and Kitty were sitting and talking.
"And so the old fe!low-and a
queer old fellow he is, too" Mr.. Bob
was saying, "will be round at the
house this very afternoon to see
about claiming your hand"
"Oh, Bobl" said Kitty, trembling.
81 say, Kitty" said Bob mischiev-
ously, Suppose he really wants TO
stick to his old idea of making you
his little wife, Ell? What shall you
do then?'
ooh, Bob, DON'T" said poor Kitty.
she has been such a bugbear to me
lately that-that'-("that there is a
danger of a young lady shedding
tears at the very mention of his
name,' thought to myself grimly
for Kitty did not seem to be able to
complete the sentence herselO.
"Never mind, Kitty" said poor
Bob, hugging her tenderly. IT am
brute to have suggested such an
idea. If he doesn't refuse to have
you, why, you will just have to re-
fuse him, you know, and that will
bring the whole matter to the usual
way of doing things, from young
lady point of view, you see."
$50 it WILL" said Kitty, brighten
ing up once more; but, Bob, then,
the $4,000 will have to go to the
Methodist chapel, and that is Just
the very thing that has been max
ing uncle so terribly savage"
"Let him be,' said Bob stoutly.
ut won't hurt US after to-day; you
will be free then, you see, and marry
whoever you like. And we haye
plenty to set up housekeeping on
between us, without the beastly mon
ey-let him be angry if he likes.n
"And SO he is, sir" shouted Mr..
Dobson suddenly, poking his head
oyer the top of the bank. $50 heisl
1t would make saint savage to be
set at defiance in this wsy. I began
to think
"Stop!"' ] called cut, rising hasti-
~ in my hammock.
Spllsh! Somebody had fallen in
to the water.
Me, by Jove, and SO began strik-
ing out Justify on all sides, with
hands, feet, fingers, elbows-I can
not exactly cali myself swimmer
and getting my boots above water
more frequently than my head, am
afraid, till | was suddenly grasped
by the collar firmly.
"Keep cool,' said my young friend
Bob Tyncker authoritatiyely- he
it was-nimbly swimming on his
back with two legs and one arm, and
drawing me after him with the other.
"Keep cool; I've got you all right p
"Cool it is!' / thought to myself,
my spirits reviving as / felt myself
towed along-right across the river
For Bob, it seems, like retriever
he certainly swan as we'll as one