The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-01-27
WITCH AND |.

Witch and | had quarrel Who is it
that says il takes two TO make quarrele
Whoever it is makes a mistake II
took only one TO make quarrel, and
that was my precious Aunt Betsy Jane.
Witch had a temper; SO have /. She
wasn't christened Witch. Godfathers
and mothers have much to answer for,
still never heard of their giving Witch
as a baptismal name to Christisn
child. No; her name is Julia Felicia,
which is simply absurd. Fancy little
darked-eyed bewitching five feet moth
ing with a name like that
| My name is John, and John rm al
ways called. Had i been christened
Robert or Thomas | should have been
called by either of those plain, sensible
names. There is nothing for the inn
agination to catch hold of in my face
or figure. I'm not six feet in my stock
ings; Pm only five feet ten. [ haven't
''crisp golden hair" and a 'tawny
beard" No; my eyes, hair and beard
are brown, and for the rest have non
descript features and good teeth. More
over, as / said before, l have a temper,
a vile one, and in ali things, apart from
my profession, am born fool.
1t was over game of tennis that
Aunt Betsy Jane made US quarrel.
Witch did not play up, and l slated
! her. ve slated Witch ever since I
have known her, and rve known her
since she was 10, so she ought to have
got used to it. For the matter of that,
she wouldn't have bothered her head
about it if it hadn't been for my belov-
ed aunt. Witch states me furiously
sometimes, but it never makes any
/ difference.
Well, it was az one of Mrs. Douglas
"At Homes" that the row began.
Witch, Miss White, Dougal and were
playing tennis. Dougal and Miss White
were against US. AS rule, Witch licks
/ the other girls into fits, but on this oc-
I casion. for some reason or other, she
missed nearly every ball. was an
noyed, and | expressed myself perhaps
a little more strongly than | ought to
have done, bat Pm sure | said nothing
one whit stronger than Pve said scores
OF times without any ofiense being
taken. BE that as it may, Witch -
fused TO play any more and went and
sat down by Aunt Betsy Jane.
am doctor, and soon after that
some one fetched me away. Ii was a
bad case aud ] didn't get home till
midnight. In the dining-roOm some
cold meat and beer awaited me; 50 was
note from Witch. ate mouthful,
and drank glass of beer; then ] open
cd the note. For 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 nay respect, and without re-
speet love was not likely to last long,
etc, etc. She ended by saying that
she would have returned my ring, but
could not remove il from her finger,
but that she would get the jeweler to
cut it off on the morrow. i smiled a
grim smile at the last sentence. / had
no intention of allowing that ring to
be cut of.
The lovely efigsion puzzled me al
together 1t wasn't in Witch's usual
style. Naturally, 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
never slept 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
my assistant, talked over the eases 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 |
and / 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; but after he had shaken hands he !
looked over his letters, gave some di- |
rections, and then looking calmly at |
me, said:
"Now, Johnr'
"Can you spare me half an hour,
sir?"
"As far as / know. Go ahead.
"Well, / am making $500 year,
and my practice is increasing"
That's good
'Don't you think Witch and might |
marry on that?"
Certainly"
"'Gou have no objection TO our mar
rying next month, if she consents?'
None. I have no wish that sae
should marry at all, but if she must
marry, I'd rather she married you th. IN
any one else"
"Thank you sir for saying that.
Thank yoI very much" said | CRATE
fully, seizing his hand and wringing it
hard.
'Just So" said he removing it from
my grasp, and looking anxiousIy tow
ard il.
''But why this fervor??'
put Witch's precious epistle ip front
of him. He read it twice through at
tentively, put it down and looking |
calmly al me, said:
Every Interesting! But scarcely to i
be regarded as a prelude to very |
speedy matrinony, should think"
"Ah, but it is, sir. A girl don't |
write a note like that and nave done
with it. No, she continues to write
them. shall probably get similar
note once a month now, and that will |
be very firing. l give you my word
that did not sleep wink last night.
The practice won't stand that sort of |
thing long you know said [ earnest
ly.
"You seem to have an accurate !
knowledge of women and their ways,
he replied dryly.