Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-12-07

columns in private, and lighted at
length on a business like advertise
ment which impressed him favorably:
MAUD, young, dark and good looking
M with private income, wishes 10 CORE
and position, with view to matrimony. Ref-
erences exchanged.
REPLIES were to be sent to letter
of the alphabet at the Office OF the
paper.
Tim was not middle-aged, but he
considered that, if anything, that
should tell in his favor. He read and
reread the advertisement till from
feeling tempted to answer it just to
test the probability OF Ted Merrows's
story, he began to succumb to fresh
fears for his future, aud became
anxious tn answer it for his own sake.
"There's no harm in writing" he
argued. "If change my mind or it
doesn't seem good enough I can drop
it."
And while the impulse was upon
him he wrote. He wrote vaguely of
his income and said nothing of his
age. but craved IN interview. If he
explained his precise position, he
feared she might fancy it was too in
secure to render him eligible; hut If
he could see her, he hattered himself
that the charm OF his conversation AMI
personal presence would dazzle her
and divert her attention from his less
pronounced monetary qualifications.
He signed his own name, ct. Cottle, I"
because, if the negotiations came to
anything, it might shake her conf
dence when he had to acknowledge
that be had approached her under a
false name at the same time, as she
had'withheld her surname and address,
he felt justified in requesting her to
direct her reply, in the first instance,
to the postoffice in Bayswater Road,
to be left till called for.
81 can look in for it the next time l
go to see UNCLE" he reflected. "If it
turns out frost, ! needn't tell Mer
rows anything; he'd only grin about
it. I'll get the letter off before he gets
in"
And he ran out and posted it at
once.
He half regretted his impetuosity
when he contemplated what he had
done in the cold light of the next
morning.
Nevertheless, a couple of evenings
later he iourneyed to Bayswater and
inquired at the Postoffice for his let
ter, but it hadn't arrived. So he
walked on to see Uncle Cottle, but as
his uncle was not at home, he told
them to say that he had called, and
wouldn't wait.
His interest in his rash matrimonial
project had coo ed considerably; but
going to see his uncle on the following
Saturday afternoon, he inquired
casually at the Postolfice again, and
was not altoget her displessed that
there was still no letter for him. He
decided that his epistle had not Great.
ed IL satisfactory impression. and that
he should hear no more of 7.
Turning the corner lie beyond
the Postoffice, he was surprised to run
into Uncle Cottle, gorgeous in a new
white wsistcoat and with flower in
his buttonhole.
"Tim, my boy" he calculated,
eve been expecting you daily. Sorry
was out when you called last--I was
out on particular business"
"Ohl"
Tim had dim prcmnnitions of disas-
ter; he inly upbraided hims elf for
neglecting the affairs OF Miss Holt.
eyes"
Uncle Cottle winked his left eye and
smacked his nephew on the shoulder
exuberantly.
II was arranging to get married"
ITO Miss Holt?" faltered Tom.
NO." laughed Uncle Cottle.
"You'll never guess. It's the widow
Mrs. Netley. You remember, we
wrote to her? She answered my letter
that evening, m hour before you
called"
"But you said," he stammered.
THAT if Miss Holt rejected you you'd
know there was a curse on you,
and :"
81 haven't asked Miss Holt be.
sides, it's three months since wrote
to the widow, so, in any case, she has
a sort of prior claim over the"
'The other CURSE" suggested Tim,
bitterly.
"Iere's her letter." said Uncle Cot
tie, disregarding his Interpolation.
"Read it for yourself"
He thrust the missive into Tins
hands, and he read it dazedly, as they
walked on together.
"DEAR SIR-If you care to call on me
shall be pleased to see you. l regret you
did not give me your address, as I should
have thought 1t implied either want OF
in me or candor In yourself. had
it not been that we are almost neighbors, and
I had the pleasure OF meeting you few
months ago, and know you by reputation.
Under the circumstances you will appreciate
my preferring to send this to your private
address which have taken from the direc-
tory. Yours, truly, MAUD NErLEY."
"That's all right. Tim. amt it?"
chuckled Uncle Cottle.
Tim realized in flash that this was
his "Maud," and it was his letter she
was answering, not his uncle's; but
he could not SEQ his way to saying 80.
"What does she mean about your
address ?" he said.
"Why, l was nervous when l wrote
that letter, and must have forgotten
to put my address in; that's why she
didn't answer before; she couldn't.
And it's just occurred to her to look
IN the directory. See? I meant to
have asked her about 1t, but she was
SO nice and amiable and smiling, and
l was so -so-well. I hardly XII ~ how
l was but there didn't seem any need
to apologize, and, in fact, never
thought about it till I was coming
away"
"Is she yoang?" asked Tim, for the
aolra ,o okh,no