The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-02-15

of hair with unusual care and having
his beard trimmed oftener than had
been his wont. At the table he had al
ternate fits of abstraction and l~oquacity.
He fingered there 40 long as Lillian re-
NAMED and would, after q supper. fol-
low her to the sitting room, where he
would talk to her by the hour about
come Greek poet or some natural phe-
nomenon. And when he showed her his
various bugs, insects and reptiles, max
No q running commentary on their pc
suliarities, the landlady formed the
very natural conclusion that the profess
or was badly stuck
The girl was a splendid listener and
fattered Mr.. Monson's vanity by her
attention rather than by words of praise.
In about three months the professor
had wound himself in a net as complete
" as the silkworm in its cocoon. AS
he grew more persistent In his atten-
tons the girl became more coquettish.
She would be very kind n day and
distant aud hard to please the next, thus
tormenting the very life out of him.
At last, unable to bear the strain, he
determined to risk all by a test question.
A favorable opportunity presented itself
one night when everybody had retired
and the twain were alone in the parlor.
What took place there had better be
told in the words of the young lady,
who related the affair afterward to the
landlady's daughter, not knowing that
I was listening and taking it all in.
"Well,' she said, ito begin from the
beginning, your mother left the parlor
as the clock struck 8, taking care to
close the door after her. This embold-
ened him to draw his chair closer to
mine. DO you think one can be happier
when married thar single?' he asked. l
replied that l didn't know, not having
had the experience Of a married woman.
"'Well, don't you think SO or be-
lieve so?'
why, that depends or circum-
stances, Mr.. Monsoon answered. l
knew what was coming all the time,
but didn't want to show it.
But if there is love in the mar
rage. don't You think that there will
be happinessT
At this point he seized my hand and
VI uSSLSA ~ INV > - 80 DH~>
and said excitedly:
Then marry me, Miss Lillian. No
man can love a woman more than | love
you. Say but yes, and my very life is
at your disposal to do as you please with
it. Your happiness will be my first con-
, sideration. Here, on my knees. | ask
; you to grant my suit.
II turned my face around to look at
him, and, oh! what do You think? You
can never guess. l laugh every time l
2 think of it. One of those nasty cater
pillars had crept out of his pocket dur
ing the excitement and was making its
way over his shoulder toward his collar.
| nearly died with laughter at the COM
D ical situation. Upon this he got very
D mad and excited beyond control, but he
t remained on his knees the while. Said
> he:
n You are laughing at a very serious
matter. You trif1e with me. Is this the
2 EE os1es e tsnat the proffered love OF an
: ~ am sorry, Mr.. Monsoon. l was
r not laughing at you. but at something
else
e II had barely finished saying thai
i when that worm stood on the pool
J. mans collar. and bracing its hind feet
q on it made a grab for his hair with it
u front feet. The nasty thing was SO com
II ical IN all its movements that | laughed
right out, making nc attempt to con
x troll my merriment. He arose from hi!
l. knees. His face was scarlet with rage
;, But az he turned the doorknob l com
e manded my disabilities enough to say
J, to him:
n Mr.. Monson. am very, very sorry
for what has happened. | respect an(
IL esteem you as n friend. but l can never
n be your wife. But if you don't wan
q another girl to laugh at you the mex
10 time you go accounting you leave orm'
and bugs behind
If by this time the caterpillar hat
reached his bald spot and from that ele
q waited perch was looking on the seem
g with placid enjoyment. He caught m.
eyes as they were bent toward the in
N truder. and just then. bis excitemen
5, having subsidized a little and no doub
l. feeling the nasty thing on top of hi
l. head, he caught it in his hand. crush
l. ing the poor worm at he same time
He then made a dart for the stairs, GO
II ing over three steps at a time. That i
5, all there was to this little romance o
h mine
l. The next week the professor resigne'
II his position in the school and left tn