Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-09-19

3ngulShed renectlOn. she must nave
been exquisitely brought up; the very
pink of propriety."
He grew quite thin and lost his appe-
tite, which made Mrs. Roper regard him
with concern, for he was a jewel of 4
lodger, and she did not want to lose him.
She suggested a tonic. but MIR. Oddle
knew that no tonic would help hlm-at
least no medicine so called. He wanted
a draught of the magic elixir Of love to
cure his complaint.
Something will have to be done,
cried the poor man, desperately, on the
day that he went to the city without q
tie, and an unfeeling acquaintance Jeered
at him and inquired if his liver were ont
of order. His liver. Perish the thought
1t was his heart. He did not know that
the aforementioned organ was considered
by the ancients to be the seat of the al
fections. Mr.. Oddie would have con-
suited a friend had he owned one who
would have sympathized with Loves
elderly dream and not laughed at it. But
he decided at length that, like Hezekiah
he would ask for sign from heaven.
He would send the object of his adora
ton bouquet; an anonymous bouquet OF
the choicest; she would surely guess from
whom it came. II she placed it in the
window, be would write to Mrs. Hex
ham, explain himself and his intentions,
and request permission to call.
Mr.. Oddie took holiday the day the
den; to sit still in his office was thing
impossible. He went for Il long walk.
but where his neat little legs took him
he was never able to say.
The next day the agony increased;
there was no sign. Mr.. Oddie fell plump
vinced that he had offended his lady love.
He had not been properly introduced; the
phrase became perfect nightmare 70
him.
But the second day there was the bou-
quet in the window in all its glory, and,
moreover, Miss Hexham was bending
over it, inhaling its perfume. Mr.. Oddie
could see her wavy chestnut hair and
white forehead. She was a beautiful
woman; not too young for a man-ahem!
in his prime. The wonder was that
such treasure had not been snapped up
before!
Markham Oddie wrote to Mrs Hex
ham; it took him hours and hours to COM
pose the letter, and it was the most de-
liciously old-fashioned epistle ever penned
in a practical century. No nice woman
could have read it without being touched.
Two whole days elapsed before Il little
note came in reply:
Mrs. Hexham presents her compliments
to Mr.. Markham Oddie, and would be
pleased to see him, if he could make it
convenient to call this evening between
and 9 o'clock.
the agitated little old bachelor was shown
into the sitting room at HOLLYWOOD, Mrs
Hexham, who was alone received him
with a very kindly smile. Her eyes looked
as if she had been crying.
please take a seat" she said. 1T has
been very close all day. has it not!'
Terribly" answered the visitor. do
you feel the heat much?"
Yes, ] am afraid | do was the re-
ply. and Mr.. Oddie suddenly recollected
that his future mother-in-law was said
to be deaf and dumb. This lady was GER
tainly neither.
after pause. desired me to tell you
| how very, very grateful she is to you for
YOUR letter and the flowers. She has
gone away for a short time to stay with
friends She-she thought it best"
Mr. Oddie sat there, unable to utter, a
word. ''She had gone away, because she
was no hope for him.
Mrs. Hexnam's eyes filled with tears
as she looked at him. oh she cried,
Il am so sorry-so very sorry. You
are such good, kind-hearted man, |
am sure Of course, you did not know,
or you would not have thought of it
Thought of what?' asked Mr.. Oddie,
heavily.
"Of marrying my poor Agatha. You
did not know that she is deaf and
! dumb?"
Mr.. Oddie stared at the speaker in
blank amazement; it was fully minute
before he grasped the significance of
what she was saying. 1t was the daugh-
ter, not the mother who was afflicted y
as Mrs. Roper would have phrased 1t.
/ Never once had this possibility entered
Mr.. Oddie's head. He was SILENT and
| Mrs. HeXham continued:
My poor girl is very sensitive, and
your kindness went to her heart, | can
assure you. | Was to be sure and say
that she would always keep the most
grateful remembrance of YOU
| Mr.. Oddie pulled himself together, and
rose to his feet. At this moment there
was something almost noble about his
rather tubby little figure.
Madam" he said firmly, ''your daugh-
ter is an angel, and l love her. VIII
you have the goodness to give me her
address-that is, if you will sanction my
asking her to do me the honor to be my
wife,
Mrs. Hexham wiped her eyes and be-
gan to smile in an April-like fashion.
1T seems rather unconventional" she
said; ''but it is not exactly an ordinary
case, is it? And 1 am sure you are q
good man. Mr.. Sedley. the vicar, was
talking about you only the other day,
and saying how charitable you were.
Agatha has the sweetest disposition, and
she is so quick you hardly realize that
she is not like other people, Indeed, I
think you would be very happy togeth-
err
Il think we three would be very happy
together" answered Mr. Oddie, empha-
sizing the three" He took the widow S
hand and kissed it with old-fasioned
courtesy.
Now" he said, ''you must tell me
where Miss Agatha is and let me 60
and try my luck
It is unnecessary to mention at what
unearthly hour Mr.. Odde required his
breakfast the next morning, or to state
that he hardly ate a mOuthful of it
Mrs. Roper began to wonder whether her
ledger were under conviction of sin, and
mournfully to hope that the brand might
be snatched from the burning, even at
the eleventh hour.
In the afternoon of the same day Mrs
| HeXham might have been seen reading
a telegram, with a beaming face 1t was
not long one, for it contained only five
words: Love from Agatha and Mark
l ham,
Home Remedies.
An excellent remedy for cough is
/ nv OilinU of in