The St. Johns herald., 1897-11-20
glad to have him-Miss Grant, Miss
 Graham. and Lucy Brown. All he had

lHLAA IuLOW ny Sen away OA Ter. There's Miss Graham; she's smart and handsome, and her fathers worth q great deal; but she's got too much tem- per for me. I'm afraid I don't want any of these high-fyers! Miss Grants the most desirable person after all Old Grants bank account is one very satis- factory feature about the transaction. When she gets back I'll speak to her about it and have the thing off my mind"
 Miss Grant came back the next week and Oscar wended his way to her home shortly after her return to inform her of the decision he had arrived at dur ing her absence.
 Miss Grant was rather cool.
 She's miffed to think I haven! spoken on the important subject be- fore," thought Oscar.
 A good chance presenting itself. Os- car proceeded to offer his hClrt ana hand to Miss Grant after the most genteel manner possible.
 He expected her to burst into flood of thankful tears or perform some other equally original feat 10 demonstrate the gladness of her emotions, but she did not do anything of the kind.
 You do me a great deal of honor, I suppose" said she, in a tone which seemed to imply that she hardly con- sidered that she was speaking truth fully, "but don't feel like accepting it.. I would refer you to Miss Graham" Oscar was thunderstruck.
 He had never dreamed of anything like this. It fiustered his wits up ter ribly for a minute or two. Then he rallied them and tried to explain mat ters, but Miss Grant was obstinate as q woman ever YVES, and would not listen to a word from him.
 Go to Miss Graham" was all she said, and Oscar a- lGe- withdrew from the 4ell, GiscOm1ted.
 "Its plain as the nose on my face that she's heard something about my dirt- ing with Miss Graham, and she's mad about it. Confound Miss Grahamw
 But after sober second thought on the matter he concluded to accept Miss Grants advice and go to Miss Graham.
 Accordingly he set off to inform Miss Graham that he had concluded to marry her.
 Miss Graham was all smiles and pret- ty words, and Oscar felt that he had but to say the word and the thing was settled.
 And by and by he proceeded to in form her of the honor he had decided to confer upon her.
 Marry youw exclaimed Miss Ora ham, "why, I couldn't think of such a thingw and she laughed as if it was the best joke of the season.
 Oscar began to feel scared.
 "Why nOt?" he demanded.
 Because I'm engaged to one man al- ready and the law objects to our mar rying two, you knoww And thereupon Miss Graham laughed again as if 4t were immensely funny
 For the life of him Oscar could not see the point.
 "How long have you been engagcd?' stammered Oscar, feeling cold and hot, and, to use handy old phrase which is very expressive if not strictly ele- gant, decidedly streaked."
 For as much as-let me see"--coOi- ly-''as much as a year, fancy. Yes. It was in October that 1t happened. Just about year ago."
 And you never told mew groaned Oscar.
 You never asked me-" said Miss Graham.
 Poor oscar! He gathered up his lac erated heart and withdrew from his second battlefield comple, ely routed.
 "I won't give t up" he decided. There's Lucy Br0e4n. S-.-'-. --,- -.-> and jump at tae chance, and she's worth forty Miss Grants and q train i load Of Miss Grahams. I'll write to her and ask her this very afternoon"
 And write to her he did.
 He had not answered her last letter, received three months before, but he l put in a page of excuses for his negli- l gence and smOothed the matter over to | his satisfaction, if not to Lucy's.
 The letter was sent, and he awaited a reply with considerably anxiety.
 At last it came.
 Its favorable. of coursev' he said, as he tore open the letter. ''Lucy's al- ways thought her eyes of me-"
 But his opinion as to it's being favor able changed somewhat as he read it.
 MT. Oscar Edson: am very thank | full for the honor, etc, but don't take up with secondhand articles when l can get them at tirst-hand. John Smith says: Tell him l have something to say about it now, and I'm not going to forego my claim on Lucy Brown for aD the Oscar EdsOns in the world, and 1t isn't quite the thing down in Dayton to propose to other mems wives
 Love to Miss Grant; also Miss Ora ham. Yours,
 LUCY BROWN SMITH,"
 "Good gracious! Lucy marriedw
 Oscars eyes were like saucers when he read that name.
 Then he suddenly dropped into th,' nearest chair.
 Well, I've gone and done 1t this timeT' he grOaned. oscar Edson you're a foolw