Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-01-26

Replies were to be sent to letter OF the
alphabet at the office of the paper.
Tim was not middle-aged, but he con-
sidered that, if anything, that should tell
in his favor. He read and reread the ad-
vertisement till from feeling tempted to
answer it just to test the probability of
Ted Merrow's story, he began to sue
cumb to fresh fears for his future, and
became anxious to answer it for his own
sake.
There's no harm in writing" he ar
gued. eff [ change my mind or it doesn
seem good enough I can drop it."
And while the impulse was upon him
he wrote. He wrote vaguely of his in
come and said nothing of his age, but
craved an interview. If he explained his
precise position, he feared she might fancy
it was too insecure to render him eligible;
but if he could see her. he fattered him.
self that the charm of his conversation
and personal presence would dazzle her
and divert her attention from his less
pronounced monetary qualifications. He
signed his own name, ST. Cottle," be-
cause, if the negotiations came to any
thing, it might shake her confidence when
he had to acknowledge that he had APP
preached her under a false name; at
the same time, as she had withheld her
surname and address. he felt justified in
requesting her to direct her reply, in the
first instance, to the postofice in Bayswa-
ter road, to be left till called for.
81 can look in for it the next time | &c
to see UNCLE" he reflected. eff it turns
out a frost, 1 needn't tell Merrows any
thing; he'd only grin about it. I'll get
the letter before he gets in"
And he ran out and posted it at once.
He half regretted his impetuosity when
he contemplated what he had done in the
cold light of the next morning.
Nevertheless, a couple of evenings later
he journeyed to Bayswater and inquired
at the pOstoffice for his letter, but it
hadn't arrived. So he walked on to see
Uncle Cottle, but as his uncle was not at
home, he told them to say that he had
called, and wouldn't wait.
His interest in his rash matrimonial
project had cooled considerably; but going
to see his uncle on the following Satur-
day afternoon, he inquired casually at
the postoffice again, and was not alto
letter for him. He decided that his
epistle had not created a satisfactory i'm
preston, and that he should hear no more
Of it.
Turning the corner a little beyond the
postoffice, he was surprised to run into
Uncle Cottle, gorgeous in a new white
waistcoat and with a flower in his but
tonhole.
Tim, my boy" he calculated, eve
been expecting you daily. Sorry l was
out when you called last-I was out on
particular business"
"Ohr
Tim had dim premonitions Of disaster;
he inly upbraided himself for neglecting
the affairs of Miss Holt.
"Yes."
Uncle Cottle winked his left eye and
smacked his nephew on the shoulder ex-
uberantly.
Il was arranging to get married"
ITO Miss Holt?' faltered Tim
NO" laughed Uncle Cottle. "You'll
never guess. It's the widoN-Mrs. Net
ley. You remember, we wrote to her
She answered my letter that evening, an
hour before you called"
Tim was too confused to grasp what
he heard.
But you said" he stammered, ''that if
Miss Holt rejected you you'd know there
was curse on you, and
Il haven't asked Miss Holt-besides,
it's, three months since I wrote to the
widow, so, IN any case, she has a sort of
prior claim over the
THE other CURSE" suggested Tim, bit
terly.
Here's her letter." said Uncle Cottle,
disregarding his Interpolation. Read it
for yourself
He thrust the missive into Tins hands,
and he read it dazedly, as they walked on
together.
Dear Sir: If you care to call on me shall
give me your own address, as 1 should have
thought it implied either a want of conf
dence in me or candor in yourself, had it
not oeen that we are almost neighbors, and
L had the pleasure of meeting you a few
months ago, and 1 know you by reputation
Under the circumstances you will appreciate
address, which I have taken from the di-
Thats ali right right, rim nau ain ff'if iy?''
chuckled Uncle Cottle.
Tim realized in a flash that this was his
Maud, and it was his letter she was
answering, not his uncle's; but he could
not see his way to saying so.
What does she mean about your adj
dress?" he said.
why, L was nervous when I wrote
that letter, and / must have forgotten to
put my address in; that's why she didn't
answer before; she couldn't And it's lust
occurred to her to look in the directory
See? l meant to have asked her about it,
but she was so nice and amiable and
smiling, and l was So-so-Well. I hardly
know how l was-but there didn't seem
any need to apologize, and, in fact, I new
er thought about it till I was coming
away"
rs she young" asked Tim, for the
sake of saying something.
Il thought at first she was nearly 40
but she's only 29-she told me so herself
l showed her my bank book and a list of
my securities.
"'Oh, that's ali right she says, laugh
ing.
Then when's it to be?" says I.
And it's going to be next month"
Next
Month. I'm going around to the vi
cars now to put up the banns-you come
with me. And / say! she an orphan, SO
we want you, my boy-age don't matter;
it's only matter of form-to be father
to her at the wedding, and give her
away"
Tim was gloomy and reckless, and said
he would. Why shouldn't he? He had
given away his prospects; he had given
away his uncle; he might just as well dc
the thing thoroughly and give away the
widow as WE'LL then he would have moth
ing and nobody left to keep-but himself
-Tit-Bits.
A MOUNTAIN OF COAL.
1t is Said TO be Particularly Suited foi
Coking Purposes.
hOut eight months 400 q IT, HOlIad q Z