The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-08-07


with her friend later on in the evening
so as to give you an opportunity. Now
1 will stop that"
''Thank you thousand times I am
overwhelmed with confusion. You must
understand that the only reason l can
see why did not fall in love with Miss
Paulina Smith and did fall in love with
Miss-Miss-what is her Christian
name?"
"Jessie. %
"Jessie-a lovely-an adored name?
Well, why [ did fall in love with the
red beauty on my right and not with
the brown beauty on my left was that
the sun was setting behind the latter,
so that could not see her very distinctly.
Her head was between me and the sun,
whereas the sun shone eHulgent oves
Miss Brown and brought to light her
splendid charms That was the only
reason. pom nay soul. y
It was an immense relief to me when
we went upstairs into the drawing room
to know that Miss Smith was ignorant
of the intention with which had been
invited there that evening. She sup
posed that was in Squabham on some
business with which her brothers were
likewise engaged. So she was lively,
very agreeable and made me lose all my
nervous strains and spend really a
charming evening.
Next day awoke after sound sleep,
in which I dreamt that was the ter
restrial globe, about which revolved-.
or, no, that itself revolved-no, mean
both one and the other-I am getting
involved, but it doesn't matter, dreams
are involved things. dreamt that
was the terrestrial globe on which now
rose the solar orb with radiant face
and streaming auburn hair. Then it
set, and above my horizon and occupy
ing my sidereal vault shone the pale
face of Miss Smith, with dark brown
hair and hazel eyes, with very sooth-
ing and gratifying effect to my liver
and my tongue, which was quite clean
next morning when I looked at it in
the mlrror-a proof, moreover, that Mr..
John Smiths wine was good.
inquired the way to the house Of
|
self. He was stout, little man, with
white hair. I informed him Of the pas
sions entertained for his daughter. He
nodded his head and called one of his
clerks. 'sMr. Baker, please step into my
parlor and tell my daughter there's a
gentleman here wants to see her on
business.
This was rather blunt way of put
| ting it, but as Mr.. Brown said, "Busi-
ness is business, and should be settled
off hand
In came Miss Jessie Brown, looking
lovely, no doubt, but in her morning
dress not quite SO charming as when
equipped for going to Stoke; nor was
her beauty SO radiant in the shade as it
had been when blazed on by declining
PhHbus
81 say, Jess said Mr.. Brown, "this
gentleman. in the broking business, in
come nominally 600, age 35, constitu-
tion-by the way. you did not say what
that was" he turned to me, passed by
any decent life assurance company, eh?"
nodded. "He wants to know if you'll
be his missus, Now then, what do you
say2"
''E am much obliged for the honor"
answered Miss Brown, "'but I must de-
cline. Ill may as well tell you, ia
Their, now we are on this topic, that I
got engaged without asking you to Gap
tain McGregor while at Stoke two days
ago. He was sitting on the box seat by
the coachman," she said, turning to
me, Perhaps you did not catch it, but
was talking with him, through you,
on that pleasant drive"
I returned abashed, COMPOUNDED, ITO
my sins.
Then unused on my situation. I had
wasted two days off from my business,
it has cost me 6 shillings for the outside
seat on the coach from Stoke, besides 1
shilling as tip to the coachman, and
sixpenoe to the boy who took my port
manteau, it would cost me seven and
six to return to Stoke, and my inn bill
would not be under 81. Well nigh SO
thrown away, besides the loss Of two
days from my business. 1t was too vexa-
tious. 1t was clean ridiculous. It shall
not be, said l. / returned to the house
Of Mr.. John Smith, and desired an in
terview. 1 told him that / had been re-
fused, showed him that I had my hotel
bill to pay, as we'll as seven and six for
each coach journey, and informed him
that my moral nature revolted from
waste. Would he then allow me to see
his sister, Paulina, and propose to her?
He asked me to dinner again that
evening. After dinner Mr. Smith and
his friend disappeared and I was left
alone with Paulina. seized the occa-
sion, discovered my passion, stated my
income and-was accepted.
have already said that I am man
beyond my time. Then came in that
absurd craze for even carroty hair.
When that fashion prevailed, 1 had be-
come an enthusiast for dark brown.
Paulina, my wife, has dark brown hair.
And now I am always, avant tout,
man beyond my time, I have great
passion for and admiration of silver