Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-12-29

q luiutt aa you nave before you.
Why, Nj. Bletherwyte How can
ycu say have any future to uope for9
You have never seen any OF my work
that ainoUaJed to anything, Nothing,
at Least, so good as what l have done
lately.
No but have seen you--er--that
is to say--l--'
You pitied and wished to encour-
age me.
oh, no, didn't mean that at all,
only intended that is-the idea
wanted TO convey s-er----"
You were simply poking iun at any
girlish ambitions, All, that was not
kind in you
Indeed, | didn't think OF such
thing at all. Upon my honor, / didn
| couldn't be such a brute. Really,
felt that your departure would leave
void in my-in the art school,
NO; not at all Another student
would take my easel and my absence
merely remarked and then forgot
ten" she spoke with an intonation
of sadness. but in her eyes-whieh
We're turned away from his gaze
there was merry twinkle, for She
had an intuitive perception OF the real
reason for his verbal hounderiugs
and enjoyed his growing confusion.
"Well-yes in the school maybe,
but here in our home-I-we would
miss you very much from our-ah-
er-family circle.
oh Mr.. Bletherwyte! How can
you call a boarding house a home
and a family circle?
you are right. 1t isn't" exploded
the young man, who had become des-
perate, and should not be, for you.
| recognize that fully. Your goodness,
womanly grace and beauty are jewels
that merit the setting of real home
sheltered by love from all cares;
where the chill demon Loneliness
should ever find the door barred
against him by the radiant fairy Do
mestic Happiness. Such home /
Happy new year!" shriled at the
door the sharp voice of an old maid,
who was just entering,
Happy new year, Miss Mari, re-
sponded the young folks together, but
Adolphus mentally added: "EXecra
BILE old woman! I'd like to see your
skinny neck wrung, good heavens!
| have her TO thank that my new
years resolution isn't knocked to
flinders already"
And Mily thought: Mean old
thing Why couldn't she have stayed
away just a little longer? I'm sure he
was going to propose.
And so he was The idea Of Millys
going away startled him into con
seriousness that he loved her far more
than he had before realized and in
two seconds he would have asked her
to be his wife-and she would have
said "Yes"-had not his guardian
angel. mindful of his resolution, sent
the old maid in the nick OF time 10
stop him He tried to think he was
thankful for the escape, but really he
was not His resolution irked him al
ready Nevertheless. now that he re-
membered it, he vowed to be firm and
as soo0 as possible after breakfast
fed temptation by starting out on his
round Of calls.
Adolphus was little in the habit OF
using intoxlcants. Even light Wines
went to his head" and could he nave
done so without seeming singular
would gladly have refrained from &C.
cepting the beverages pressed upcu
him by fair entertainers at every
house wher he made a call. But every
body else took something" and he
followed the fashion, so II is not to be
wondered at that by the time he
bowed before the brilliant and hand
some heiress. MISS Cornelia Craesop,
wishing her the compliments Of the
season, he saw her, If not exactly
doub O. at least with twice her ordi-
nary charm. Her brother Ned had,
before going out that morning, con-
cocted for his sisters table fiendish
" mellinuous, seductive and potent
punch. one to be feared even by those
mighty in contention with strong
drink. and she took a mischeyious de-
light In commencing It to the expert
mental interest of such callers as were
already visibly ION the ragged edge"
of sobriety. Uohappilv for Adolphus,
he was one of those Not having yet
outgrown that common delusion Of the
young that the sherry Of commerce IS
a mild and innocuous drink he had nm
consciously accumulated quite an i'm
posing yet still controllable Gag"
when he encountered Ned Craesop's
wicked punch. One glass OF it--and
Cornelia insisted upon his taking II,
because he must be cold"-played the
mischief with him. He had TO close
one eye 10 see her singly. and reason
rested while speech played out the
game. She was amused and smilingly
encouraged him to be funny. And ne
was When what seemed TO him an
opposite quotation Of a poetical line
suggested itself in the course Of his
fluent remarks. he chanted II in the
tone he was speaking and 70 any air It
selected for Itself