Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-10-08

lures of both with one eye sweep,
that lie proposed to you last night"
20. not to both. you know. Mr.. Dim
mock" INTERCEPTED young Bromley.
"He asked me to be his wife," said
Millie demurely.
HE told me that lie could o live
without me-" said MOllie mischiev-
ously.
How is this?" said the old man.
turning to young Bromley with a Sc
we're look.
The young man blushel furiously
and lifted his hands in protest.
I'm sure" he stammered, zone of
you is mistaken. I asked you. Millie,
to be my wife in the summer-house-
and-and-I kissed YOU. That was be-
fore supper, and later in the evening,
when We sat on the front steps, I saw
that 1 couldn't live without you, and
that we must get married."
Before we go any further" inter-
rupted the old coal merchant. (which
Is Millfe and which is MOllie? When
your dear mother was alive she could
tell the difference sometimes, but I
don't know to this day.
"Oh. how dull you are, papa.' said
the girls in duet.
Il think that is Millic OH the right
spoke up young Bromley.
"Why. MI. Bromley" said She. 81 am
Mollie."
Every good, now let's so on" said
their father; ''whcre We're we? o. yes.
young Bromley says lie asked you to
be his wife, Millic, and declared he
couldn't do without YOU"
Il beg your pardon. papa.' said Mol
lie, 'he told me that he couldn't live
without me-"
We'll. let's get u bearings" con
tinued the old coal merchant. "Brom-
/ ley, you asked Millic to marry you
down in the summer house, and you
kissed her! That's correct, isn't it?'
There's nc doubt about that, sir"
said Bromley eagerly.
"And after supper when you sat to-
gether on the stoop you told Mollie
that you couldn't live without her"
''That l deny. sir. o.! I beg your par
don, Mollie, you needn't look so angry.
| meant no OffenSe."
did you kiss Mollic?" went OIL the
old man relentlcssly.
NO, sir. l."
Eyes. YOU did, Mr.. Bromley" tiarcd
UP Mollie.
II admit" said the young man, strug-
Cling with his emotions. that 1 kissed
her when l said 1 couldn't live without
her. but 1t wasn't MOllie."
20. Mollie!" said Millie. "how could
you!"
Now, Millic. do he reasonable said
Mollie.
Old Mr.. Dimmock looked mystificd.
cit seems to me- he said. with IL
show of Impotence. "that if 1 were in
love with one of those girls l could tell
the difference between them. SO far as
1 can make out. young man. you have
asked Millie to he your wife. and have
tried to make Nellie believe that you
could not live without her. Now. to any
IL who does no know Millie and Mol
lie your conduct would appear to be
p%rrtidious. OF course. as between YOU
and MOllic. l must believe MOllie, for
| the girl certainly knows whether YOU
kissed her"
tiers hard. Millie was biting her neither
lip and SO was Mollie: hut Mollie was
trying to keep from laughing.
Old Mr.. Dimmock had an idea.
II would like to clear up this thing
to your satisfaction and my own,
Bromley" said he. LET me ask Won
whether Mollie kissed You when you
told her you couldn't live without
llery'
The young man got very red in the
face.
You Millie. of course" lie re-
piled, with embarrassment. perhaps
she wouldn't mind saying that she
kissed me in the summer-house. But
she didn't kiss me on tile stoop. 1 kiss
ed her"
How is that, Mile? Mollic?" asked
their father.
Papa said Mollie decidedly. II
couldn't keep Mr.. Bromley from kiss
ing nc, but 1 assure you 1 didn't kiss
him.
Mollie looked her father straight in
lie eHc' diiu .iieli sue SllOt I'LL
shaft ut Bromley.
Mile hung her head, and her face
was rs red as a poppy.
II Think" said the old man dryly,
"tiat it's plain I'll keep Mollie, and
We'll have that marriage before YOU
make another mistake, young man.
New York Sun.