Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-07-02
to smile ON him as blandly as hereto.

fore.
AT last--having. as I supposed, CIV
en- up all hope for that occasion, since
l was not then aware OF the wonderful
resourcefulness of woman-M argaretta
suggested that they should be rejoin-
ing tie 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 Il sudden ejaculation.
"'Oh! Look! The ankle strap OF my
shoe has come unbuttoned. Oh! dear!
lift 1t would not be presuming too
much upon your kindness, Mr.. Travers.
IL
Don't mention it. With pleasure
murmured the reverend gentleman, as
he sank gracefully upon one knee and
proceeded to negotiate the strap round
her pretty ankle.
"'Ila! my friend chuckled to my
self from behind my Hercules. In
the gallant impulse Of the moment. you
have forgotten your lumbago. Facilis
descensus. Sed revOcare gradum!
Il did. For as the vicar. still obliv-
ious Of hts lumbar disability, gayly es-
sayed to rise to his feet In the usual
way, he was suddenly gr1pped and
pulled back with spasmodic jerk. He
made another effort and another, adopt
ing that gingerly. feeling-your-way sort
OF movement which is SO eminently
characteristic Of lumbagO. 1t was Il
supremacy ridiculous spectacle, this
reverend dignified parson fixed ON one
knee and vainly trying to sidle upward.
l was within an ace of betraying my
presence by bursting into roar Of
laughter. But l just managed to con-
troll myself.
"Oh, please get up, Mr.. Travers!
murmured Miss Margaretta. blushing-
ly. affecting to be ignorant of the true
state OF the case. oh, please get up!
Somebody will see YOU
"I-I-will you-give me your
hand? gasped the vicar, desperately.
''She did SO, in the prettest confu-
sion. The vicar claspcd it with all the
fervor Of lumbago.
"Then it all came about more sud.
denly than you would believe. For
there stood Joshua Barker and there
stood my wife. as though they had
dropped from the clouds. And Joshua
was shaking the still kneeling vicar by
the hand and saying:
Congratulate you, my dear vicar,
congratulate you! ought not to in
trude just now. But was passing. by
Jove, and couldn't help seeing and my
feelings as father got the better Of
my discretion. You have WOO a treas
urea treasure, sir etc.
AT the same time my wife was kiss
ing Margaretta, who had covered her
blushing face with her hands, and God
blessing her and heaven knows what
beside. looking the while as innocently
pleased and happy as guileless child.
1T was splendid sport for everybody
except the vicar. And he-poor man!
was more taken aback and fiabber.
gasted than anybody l have ever seen.
He never attempted to expostulate OF
explain. Perhaps he meant to defer
i the difficult and disagreeable task until
he could perform 1t by letter. II 80,
the delay was fatal to him: for, before
| the evening was over. every body pres.
ent had heard Of the engagement, and
the vicar had run the gantlet Of hun.
dred congratulations. BY accepting
these. without repudiation-as he did
he simply gave himself away, and rem.
dered any future explanation impossi.
BILE"
He must have been extremely weak
minded"
perhaps. But then, you see. he was
in an uncommonly tight corner. He
had been flirting in risky way with
Margaretta. and 1t was quite natural
that she should misunderstood what
occurred. Under those circumstances,
to disabuse her would have been a
| delicate task. from which any man
might we'll be excused for shrinking.
| At any rate, he did shrink, and the
| consequence was the little biographical
circumstances which has evoked the
story."-London Truth.