The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-09-26
A
After Considerable Experience ur.
Feterkin FDunG the Righi Mrthnd

AFTER ~~iGcra Experience Mr..
Feterkin Found the Right Method.
Il have often wondered said Sui5"-
Ben. why il was that some women
are overwhelmed with suiturs. 50 To
speak. while others have not a soil
tary one. There is something guppr
about 1t. bat perhaps it comes from
perfectly natural conditions. but OF
which we are unaware. And this re-
minds me of a story. Some thirty odd
years agO-I don't know exactly how
many. but ii IA some time during the
War Of the RebelliOn-I heard Il story
which a returned soldier was reading
i'll q newspaper TO Il little group gath
cred around him. TO their great enjoy
ment. The story made such an i'm
preston on me that / haven't forgot
ten it, aud will tell it in outline.
Mr.. :. G. Peterkin was Il prosperous
young man of business in New York
city. who got ahead in spite of his
constitutional modesty. This was his
way in society more than in trade: he
was afraid of IN more than men.
For a long, long time he had set his
heart upon Il lovely young lady named
Violet. He often called upon her. and
resolved again and again to offer her
his hear and hand. but as often that
heart failed him. At last he became
alarmed by the fact that the daShing
Capt. Latham, of one of the sound
steamers. was often at the house when
ne called 10 see Violet. At last he
could not bear the suspense any longer
and he ventured with much heSitancy
and aW~kwardneSS, but with dO-Or-die
determination, TO ask her if she would
be his wife. With remarkable cool
ness she replied:
You should have spoken long ago.
Mr.. Peterkin; | have been engaged to
Capt. Latham for some time past, and
we are to be married very shortly. |
am sorry to disappoint you. but we
will be as good friends as ever. and
you must come to see me just the
same. The captain will always be
glad TO have your company
"Peterkin went away sorrOwful. But
a brighter day soon dawned. for with
in three months after they were mar
ried the captain fell off the steamer in
a fog on the sound and was drowned.
Now Peterkin took. heart. He would
have the widow. A year Of mourning
wore slowly away. He kept his eye
On the widow, but would not insult the
memory of the dead by proposing IN
til a decent interval had passed. The
year ended, and he laid his heart again
at the little feet of Violet. She heard
him quietly and gently remarked: My
dear Mr.. P%eterkin, | am sorry to disap-
point you again, but for the last six
months | have been engaged to DR..
Jones. 1t was hard for me to make up
my mind between him and his friend,
the handsome Lawyer Bright, but DR..
Jones was 5 o good TO me while | was
sick in the winter, after my husbands
death, that ! promised him i would
be his at the end of the year.
$50 poor Peterkin retired once more.
The Widow Latham became Mrs. d"
Jones, and so remained. while the dis
comtited Peterkin wished the doctor
might take enough of his own pills to
make an end of him Time passed on.
Peterkin was walking down Broadway
n day, while not far ahead of him
he saw two men,. one of whom he
knew to be this hated DIR. Jones. a
large fiat stone was being hoiSted to
the coping of a new building; the
ropes gave way: it fell and instantly
killed the two men.
'Peterkin rose to the emergency of
the moment. For the dead he could be
of no avail. His thoughts were on the
widow. He turned. he ran. he flew to
her abode. When she entered the Don
where he awaited her he began: My
dear Mrs. Jones. | bring you dreadful
news. | was walking on Broadway.
when / saw a stone fall from a house
upon your poor husband, and he is
dead, but you must let me comfort
you. l beg you, now, to be mine-my
Violet. at last
Dear Mr. Peterkin. / am sorry, but
when DR.. Jones and Mr.. Bright Were
both begging me to marry, / took the
doctor and promised Mr.. Bright if any
thing happened to Jones l would GER
tainly be his. So you see / am en-
gagged. / am sorry. for l think a great
deal Of you, my dear Peterkin.'
"Peterkin was very calm and self
contained. He said: And will you
promise to be mine when the lawyer
is no mOre?' Certainly l will, with ali
my heart and soul Then come to
my arms. my Violet. for the same
stone that killed the doctor was the
death of Bright. and you are mine at
last. Boston Herald. d.