The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-04-22

Meanwhile we're engaged, you know,
and we must live mp 70 It. Where shalls
/ take you tomorrow T.
"Oh, no! You must do q lot of your
book tomorrow, and give me some copy
ms 70 do-about brains, aud splaes, and
Nonsense, child! Don't l always take
you out when l come to town Shall we !
so to the Academy 7" She laughed her
old childish laugh, S. s.z H. 81
And lunch ut 4 restaurant" she IN
qMired delightedly, And 50 to the
In the gardens, and see the variety show,
and dine on the terrace like we did last
Year," She squeezed my arm IN her old
way. won't it be jolly r. Il. zess ss
| 1t was jolly. The next day took her.
to the Zoo. and smiled to see her laugh
| at the monkeys. The day after took
her to the Exhibition and up the big
cause she was frightened, or pretended
to be. l squeezed twice for goodnight.
Then / began to see that it would be
| bad for the "Celebral Convolutions' It
| this sort Of thing went on. So sent for
Nephew Frank to come up to town at
once. That light-hearted young gentle
man held his sides with laughter when l
explained the situation. =
| $50 I'm to court your fancee-she used
to be a pretty little girl-and take her off
your hands for an allowance Of $500
year?" he said. wiping his eyes; $500
and $500 make f800-f4OO apiece"
EXACTLY" said, approvingly. "You
always were smart at figures, Frank"
| but, my dear uncle, suppose she won't
have me? Besides: I'm not sure. but l
think, I'm Just little gone on Nellie
Amanda?
"She's awfully nice, Frank; you
couldn't help it," was surprised at my
doleful tone.
"rhen," said he "whyever don't you
marry her yourself?"
g! lit Il cigar and drummed on the
fender with my slipper. "I'm too old-too
l said, regretfully. II don't know-I'm
not sure-if it would do"
II believe it would be the best thing in
the world for you, old man." Frank
leaned over the table earnestly. He's an
honest, 9nseltish lad; that's why I'm so
roma OF him. And l know he'd be good
to her.
"Well," l said, slowly, "I'll he honest
with you, Frank. I'm fond of the child
very fond, indeed. If thought that she
could like me-in that way-I'm hanged
II l wouldn't CHANGE it. But she only
looks upon me as an elder brother. Some
day, she-l paused to blow my handker-
Gbief-she would find out. 1t wouldn't
40: I'm sure it wouldn't do
50 It was arranged that | should be
busy finishing my book, and see less of
Amanda. And Frank was to see her
every day, to lind out if she would like
MN better than me, or if he could like
her better than Nellie Marchant.
This arrangement lasted for a fort
night; but none of lis seemed quite our
selves: Mandy grew staid and silent.
| couldn't do anything right with the
book, and something seemed wrong with
my liver. Even cheerful Frank grew a
bit bad-tempered. At the end of the
fortnight he burst in upon me in the
eyyenlng, when | was busy with the
Cerebral Convolutions.'
Look here, uncle" said he, coolly,
taking one of my cigars, you're an ASST
That | observed, mildly, ''is very
''Well," said he, II like Nellie ever SO
much better than YOUR Amanda is
| fat"
'"rhen," said I, bringing my hand down
f Sn TIE table with " thomp' you're a
Amanda" said he, firmly, sis as dull
l took off my reading glasses and glared
at him. "She's the brightest little crea-
ture i'll the world,' l asserted, resolutely.
| ne loon long draw at the cigar and
blew smoke rings-a thing 1 never could
manage. Amanda" he continued, in
mnattter:-of,fact tone, lis dull-because
l let my pipe drop OH the floor with a
crash. With whom?' My voice sound
ed strange to me.
why, with you, of course. Man alive!
You must be blind! You're pretending
that you don't care for her and breaking
her poor little heart"
l looked at him in silence for a few Sec
onds; then l got up and fetched nv hat.
I'm going out told him; and went. :.
When l arrived at their drawing room
Amanda was sitting OH the rug. with her
back against the sofa. She had dropped
her book on the floor, and was looking in
to the fire with: her cheek on her hand,
and l could see tears in her eyes.
She jumped up to meet me, with an
eager little laugh. what! deserted the
Hang the 'Convolutions,' 1 said.
THE fact is they're awfuIly uninteresting
compared with you, Mandy
Are they? They then must be stupid.''
put my arm round her waist and drew
her close to me. Mandy" l said, pas
sionately, my dear little girl, we've been
playing at sweethearts long enough: shall
| we begin iii earncst?"
Amanda said nothing-only laid her
head down on my shoulder with a happy
little sob.-J. A. Flynn in The Madame.