The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-06-10
of tea and coffee, twaddle and fiirta.

| tions, for which last-uamed amusement
| various alcOves in the hobbies and pass
ages We're not inconvcuient; the more
so, as the said lobbies and passages
were but indifferently lighted.
AT this particular function every,
body, of course, was present, including
Margaretta, her parents and othei
adolescent members of her family. My
wlfe bore down upon Margaretta the
moment she appeared, and saw then
soon engaged i'll a whispered converse.
ton III a corner of the tearoOm | did
not observe them again for some little
time. being just then tackled by a
wealthy and bypochondriacal old lady
one of my best patients who insist
ed on recOunting to me a long history
of all that she had suffered since ou1
last meeting. | was inexpressibly
bored by this tiresome old person. But
l could not offend her, so was obliged
TO listen. And when at last l was free
from her-which was not for twenty
minutes-I noted, with grin of amuse.
ment, that Margaretta (aided, no doubt,
by my wife), had made her pounce, and
was in the act of sailing out of the tea.
room upon the arm of our stately vicar.
who did not, indeed, seem at all 10th tC
lead forth this beauteous damsel into
the greater SecluSiOn of the dimIy light.
ed passages
Il looked round for my wife. Ali
There she was hobbing and nobbine
with old Joshua Barker. not three yards
from where l stood! Presently 1 heard
her say to him:
Don't you think this room rather
hot, Mr.. Barker? Shal! we go out into
the lobby for n few minutes?
'Certainly-a good idea answered
the brewer. Offering her his arm.
"And off they went-my wife throw.
ing Inc a meaning but mystifyine
glance over her shoulder as she passed.
That she was up to some mischief I
could see plainly. That this mischief
was in connection with the vicar and
Margaretta l could conjecture with
tolerable certainty. But beyond that
general impression, l was quite in the
dark and, being detached just then and
seeing nobody about with whom bad
the least desire to converse, strOlled
out myself into the lobby with the idea
of seeing If possible what my wife's
little game was.
"As l sauntered slowly along one of
the side passages, heard the sound of
murmured conversation on my right.
Glancing in that direction, l deserted
the vicar and Margaretta seated in con-
tiguous chairs, screened by big palm
They were too much taken up to have
observed me. And, am half ashamed
to confess it, but 1 did low thing. /
slipped behind brawny plaster Her
cules, which stood adjacent and played
the eavesdropper.
"The vicar was bending close to Mar.
garetta, uttering many pretty speeches
but nOwise committing himself-and
she was listening with heightening col.
or and downcast eyes, ever and anon,
however, raising those features and
darting at him glances of radiant ten.
derness, meant, doubtless, to evoke
something from his lips more practical
than these empty compliments Once
or twice 1 half thought that declara.
ton was coming; but ON each Occa.
sion he pulled himself up just at the
critical point, and turned what looked
like being a proposal into a mere piece
of firtatious rhetoric. 1t must have
been uncommonly tantalizing for Mar.
garetta. But she kept her head and
her temper admirably, and continued
to smile ON him as blandly as hereto.
fore.
'At last-having, as supposed, Civ
en- up all hope for that occasion, since
l was not then aware of the wonderful
Of acknowledgement
suggested that they should be rejoin-
ing the others. The vicar agreed. They
rose from their seats, and as they did
so. Margaretta, happening to glance
down at her particularly neat little
toes, uttered sudden ejaculation.
:" oh! Look! The ankle strap of my
shoe has come unbuttoned Oh! dear!
I-I-if it would not be presuming too
much upon your kindness, Mr.. Trayers,
[-I-
Don't mention it. With pleasure
the reverend gentleman, as
he sank gracefully upon one knee and
proceeded to negotiate the strap round |
ler pretty ankle.
"'Ha! my FRIEND I chuckled to my
self from behind my Hercules. In
he gallant impulse Of the moment, you
nave forgotten your lumbago. Facilis
1escensus! Sed revocare graduml |
Now l shall see sport
"'Oh, please get up, Mr.. Traversr
Miss Margaretta, blushing-
Y, affecting to be ignorant Of the true
state of the case. oh, please get up!
will see you
"I-I-will you-give me your
land: gasped the vicar, desperately.
''She did SO, in the prettiest confu-
ion. The vicar clasped it with all the
ervor of lumbago.
"Then it all came about more sud
lenly than you would believe. For
here stood Joshua Barker and there
TODD my wife, as though they had
lropped from the clouds. And Joshua
vas shaking the still kneeling vicar by
he hand and saying:
Congratulate you, my dear vicar,
you! l ought not to in
rude just now. But l was passing, by
owe, and couldn't help seeing and my
ceilings as father got the better Of
ny discretion. You have won treas
re-a treasure, SIR etc.
AT the same time my wife was kiss
lg Margaretta, who had covered her
lushing face with her hands, and God
lessing her and heaven knows what
eside. looking the while as innocently
leased and happy as guileless child.
at was splendid sport for everybody
except the vicar. And he-poor mani
was more taken aback and flabber-
asted than anybody l have ever seen.