The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-10-23
WITCH AND /.

Witch and l had q quarrel! Who is
1t that says it takes two to make a
quarrel? Whoever it is makes a mis-
take. 1t took only one to make our
quarrel, and that was my precious
Aunt Betsy Jane. Witch has temper;
so have l. She wasn't christened
Witch. God fathers and mothers have
much to answer for, still never heard
o. their giving Witch as a baptismal
name to Christian child. No, her
rame is Julia Felicia, which is simply
absurd. Fancy little dark-eyed, be-
witching five feet nothing having a
name like that.
My name is John, and John I'm al
ways called. Had l been christened
Robert or Thomas / should. have been
called either of those plain, sensible
names. There is nothing for the imag-
fnation to catch hold of in my face or
figure. I'm not six feet in my stock
lrgs; I'm only five feet ten. l haven't
crisp, golden hair" and ''tawny
beard" No; my eyes. hair and beard
Gescript features and good teeth. More
over, as said before, have temper,
vile one, and il all things, apart from
Diy profession, am a born fool
1t was over a game of tennis that
Aunt Besty Jane made US quarrel.
Witch didn't play up and l slated"
her. I've SLATED" Witch ever since
I've known her, and I've known her
since she was 10, so she ought to have
= Alx,
she wouldn't have bothered her head
about it if it hadn't been for my be-
loved aunt. Witch states me ferocious-
IL sometimes, but it never makes any
difference
Well, it was at one of Mrs. Douglas
"at homes that the row began. Witch,
Hiss White, Dougal and were playing
tennis. Dougal and Miss White were
against us. As rule Witch licks the
other girl into fits, but on this occasion,
for some reason or other, she missed
rearly every ball. l was annoyed, and
expressed myself perhaps a little
more strongly than ought to have
done, but Pm sure | said nothing one
whit stronger than I've said scores Of
times without any offense being taken.
he that as it may, Witch refused to
play any more and went and sat down
by Aunt Betsy Jane.
l am a doctor, and soon after that
someone fetched me away. 1t was a
bad case, and didn't get home till mid
night. In the dining-room some cold
meat and beer were waiting for me; so
vas note from Witch. ate a mouth
ful and drank a glass of beer, then
opened the note. For a moment / felt
as if had knife in my heart. 1t was
such a cruel stab. Witch-my little
Witch--would have nothing more to do
with me. My conduct at Mrs. Douglas
had proved to her that she no longer
possessed my respect, and without re-
spect love was not likely to last long.
cite. She ended by saying that she
would have returned my ring, but could
not remove 1t from her finger, but that
she would get the jeweler to cut it off
tomorrow. / smiled grim smile at
the last sentence. had no intention of
allowing that ring to be cut off.
The lovely eifusion puzzled me alto
gether. 1t wasn't in Witch's usual
style. Naturally, a note of that kind
coming from her would have run In
this way: "John, / hate and detest you,
and hope you'll keep out of my sight
forever" or something like it. Well, l
went to bed. / was such an ass that
l never slept a wink all night, but
made up my mind what | would do.
got up early and made good break
fast; then went into the surgery, saw
EIy assistant, talked over the cases and
told him | should be away all day.
After that went to town, straight to
Witch's fathers Office. He hadn't ar
rived, but his people knew me and
showed me into his private room. He
aud are great friends-always have
been. So it was quite natural for me
to go to him for advice, or, rather, to
talk over things. When he came in he
seemed rather surprised at seeing me,
out after he had shaken hands he
looked over his letters, gave some di-
Iections and then, looking calmly at
NE, said:
Now, John"
Can you spare me half an hour, sir?'
$50 far as l know. Go ahead.'
We'll, I'm making $4,000 a year and
my practice is increasing"
That's good"
Don't you think Witch and might
marry on that?"
Certainly"
You have no objections to our mar
tying next month, If she consents?'
"None. l have no wish that she
should marry at all, but If she must
marry, I'd rather she married you than
anyone else -
Thank you, sir, for saying that
ha nix you very much," said l, grateful
II. seizing his hand and wringing it
hard.
"Just so." said he, removing 1t from
my grasp and looking anxiously at it..
t.But why this fervorw
put Witch's precious epistle in front
OF him. He read it twice through at
tentively. put 1t down, and looking
slmly at me said:
Very interesting! But scarcely to
be regarded as prelude to very
speedy matrimony, 1 should think"
''Ah, but it is, sir. a girl doesn't
write a note like that and have done
with 1t. No. she continues to write
Them I shc IL pua1.ainfan .upf a similar