The herald., 1896-10-25

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Henry Decker mad 4 very nnpisss&nk ~
/: deal 10 facc on the morrow. He 9t&yoQ ~
4 hh room up TO late hour, he kafrted oyo1
his breakfast. he tried to keep % ~
drcgdcd rio,ren. as long as possible. AZ
/, iast he aunrcned up courage. and win =
deep drawn s.sh. basau
"Mr. Malier. aavs something 70 CO.
mrnioa.e''
"Hm," thought the old man. NOV ~
the proposal" ana aloud he added:
Dear boy. why don't YOU call me upcle'
I should prefer IT,
Permit me. / cannot 60 that; havs -
right to do that"
| The old man cast look Of surprise -
him. American manners" he sollloqul1ed.
"Mr. Moller,"s Henry again said feeiin8iys
when yesterday / entered your houee !
had not the remotess idea that the most
important moment Of nv life was 80 near
at hand. I came as total stranger to yous
ard you received me, not as such, but =
If I were the future husband. the acceptbo
lover. Of your loyely daughter"
(which you are, Charlie. Why do y4u
make so many unnecessary wordsS ! -
not understand your newfangied way ~
going about it. All I know is that Il y
my and my wife's dearest wish that ~
should have her,
But, dear sir, you give me NO chancs -
explain"
"or was I mistaken after allf Do yua
not care for our daughter? Is there II ~
America girl like our sweet Marie!
ION the contrary. dear sir, all desire =
| to be couxidered . worthy .: such .
| prize r al, as5 sa
"By thunder! Charlie, have you taken
leave OF your senses? Are. all Americana
affected in a like manner when proposmgy
| Have not told you plainly that we do noe
object? And"--tur1ing to his daughter
Marie, do you care enough for this young
man, who has SO confcunded mAhy ooJec.
lions to make against you, to marry MIN
Indeed I do, father, with all my neaS@
the maiden replied. frankly.
There! that ends the matter. No mcfe
nonsense now. Such matters ought % -
settled quickly. oh. l know what an
talking about! Never would have -
leved tina. a practical American could bs
such a cireum.ocutionist: Quick. now the
betrothai kiss. and here is or- blessing te
boot. One, two thr---
He was lust going to say 'three" when
the door slowly turned on its hinges ana
stranger entered, who stopped Tor mo-
ment on the threshold, and then broke cus
into pleased laughter
"You here. friend Deckerr' be exclaimeo.
'sI thought you had inspected your mines
long ago and were safely back at Ham
burgv' Then, turning to mine host, he, ex-
tended his hands.
"Here am at last, dear uncle" he said.
''I know tarried long Oh the way. put
bad very important matter to settle -
Berlin and could not possibly get away
earlier. Everything is in tip top condition
at home IN San Francisco, and fatner ane
mother both send their best regards"
ssSir. who are -ol?" grufly asked 0o
landlord of the Blue Lion
sWho am I? What an odd question to ask
Of mel Why. to be sure. am Charles
Berner, very much at your service. ana tne
eon Of your Cousin Berner. Of San Fran
cisco!'
The iazes old man leaned heavily upon Z
chair. looking hewildered from one to the
other; bis lips opened; he easped tor
breath; no tried to say something, but could
utter no sound. Ho sank faintiug into the
next chair.
Three months have passed since the
events narrated above, and our fair rsadero
have undoubtedly guessed how 1t all ended.
The "genuine" Charles Berner had been de-
tanned by very important matters IN 8er-
lin-that is. by Miss Clara Foster. But
being an obedient son. he took the Journey
to his relatives, in spite OF the fact that his
cousin Marie could be nothing to him now
that he and Clara had found each other.
bursting suddenly in upon them at the
very moment when his uncle "commanded''
his friend Decker and Marie to embrace ana
give the "betrothal kiss" he had UNDER
stood the situation at once. and wHs mot
loath to help his "double'' out Of his dilemma
by explaining all to his uncle and aunt.
which he did the more gladly as his choice
had been made ere he had met his cousin
Marie.
The old people are perfectly satisfied with
their son-in-law. sand Mr.. Moller tells his
neighbors and guests often OF the smart
trick played on him by Henry Decker. in
variably adding:
"He Is all we could desire. but It = .
pity all the seine, that he is not an Amesa-
n,"--From the German.