Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-09-07

Once We thought ne would have pro.
posed to julia, but nothing came Of
it,"
What a relief! Only Juliai
So time won't pleasantly on. and
then-how can I confess it?-my life.
long creed was thrown to the winds,
my proud ambition humbled in the
dust, and I became a willing slave to
the sex had 30 long despised and
Ignored. My only thought now was,
how and In what words I should boz
seech my darling Annie to become
my wife. Time after time I was %
the point Of speaking. but Julia al
ways turned up at the critical mo-
ment.
One evening Julia announced that
. week thence she had an engage
inent to play at q concert. Then
burst upon the n brilliant Inspiration.
l purchased two stall tickets for the
Lyceum for that same evening, and,
making pretense that I had them
given to the. / persuaded Annie to
promise to accompany me. This
time Julia would not be able to in
trude, and I should know my fate.
In two months time I should be TAX
ing my summer holiday, which would
fit In lust nicely for the honeymoon.
On the sventful day I hastened
homoward with q queer huttering in
my heart and Q flower spray for
Annie In my hat. Julia opened the
door, aud hardly permitted me to
enter before she informed me that
Annie had been out In the hot sun.
and had been obliged to 60 to bed
with . very bad sick headache. My
futtering heart gave one huge bound
and then seemed to stand still. How.
ever, to disguise my feelings, I said:
II am sorry; and you have to play
at the concert?"
mo-" she replied, 1.-The concert
has been postponed"
''Then may I beg the pleasure OF
your company I did not ask you
before because OF the concert en-
gagemsnt."
Thanks. I shalt enjoy II i'm.
mensely."
What . miserable failure that
evening proved to be! I do not even
know what the play was called. I
was thinking oil the time OF my poor,
sick darling, and not OF the acting or
the woman who sat by my side wear.
ing the flower spray that was meant
for Annie.
The words were still unspoksn
when my holidays arrived. and, tear.
ing myself away from the two sis
ters, who stood ct the gate and
waved their hsndkerchiefs as long as
I remained In sight, IL was with no
feelings Of joyful anticipation that I
betook myself to Hastings for rest
and recreation.
Rest! Where could find its Not
on the parade or pier amidst hun
dreds OF couples promenadlng. 40 I
had pictured Annie and myself doing;
not on the beach where the Eth.
opian musicians were eternally play.
Ing "Annie Laurie" ''Sweet Annie
Rooney" and "Annie. Dear, I'm
Called Away" For q whole week I
wandered aimlessly hither and
thither. Then I could stand II no
longer. So wrote long letter com.
moncing Darling" and pouring out
the impassioned. pent up love that
comes but once In q mans lifetime.
I besought and beseeched her to take
pity upon mo, or my lifeless hod::'
should serge In the pillows that beat
relentless;y on the rocks Of Beachy
Head.
When I had finished, I happened
to catch sight OF photograph which
I had purchased the previous day.
representing one OF the yachts pre-
pairing to start on her morning trip.
with my own figure In q prominent
position In tho bows. "Ah," thought
I, "I'll send that to Julia
lit were possible had now less
rest than before, night or day, while
waiting for the answer. Rising In
the morning with haggard looks and
burning brow. tho other boarders
would remark that the sea DIR did not
seem to agree with me, while under
the mask OF supreme Indifference
there ragged within mo the fiercest
volcano that ever burned In the heart
OF man.
At last the reply came, and, bound.
ing up to the privacy OF my own
room, and trembling fingers I tore
open the envelope which hid from
me-iiie or death?
dearest. ! am yours forever. I
cannot say your proposal was I'M.
expected, for J have felt that you
could mean nothing less. ever oince
that evening when you so openly ex-
pressed your pretaronce TOR me by
taking me to the theater"-
What! Whew! Wherel u ]
looked at ths signeture-'Julia. u
Oh, Heaveno! |. saw 1t all. I had
placed them In ethe wrong envelopes.
and sent the letter to Julia and the
photograph to Anniei How I ragged
and fumed and tore my hair. until
ut last. In sheer exhaustlt n, ! sank
into Q chair and underworld to finish
reading the letter.
annie thanks you very lNnch FOL
photo. and she desires me 10 toll
you that yesterday Mr.. Malcomt
proposed to her and was accepted.
We will have the two weddings on
tho same day. Won't that be nice,
dear p"
Nicer This was the last straw,
Nice, indeed. for me to be married u
woman ! did not care for, and OF
the same time to see the one loved
given to another man! cannot ~
member what did for the next hoK