The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-29
AN AsrUTE AUNT.
And How She Brought a Bashful
Sutton to Proposal.


80. Kate, you are going to be mar
rled2" said Mrs, witherS to her niece
inquiringly.
who said 30, Aunt Nary" asked
Kate Harding. blushlnE deeply.
Everybody have met since / came
speaks Of It, and a number have asked
Il ] had come down to the wedding,
When is 1t to be. Kate? Surely you can
trust me to keep the secret. even IL you
do not wish others to know"
Kate looked uncomfortable. heslta-
ted moment and then said:
Aunt Mary, know can trust you.
and viii tell you what 1 would not
tell any other person. The truth is. Mr..
Severance has never asked me to marry
him"
What" calculated her aunt, In sur
prise. Although you have accepted
no attentions except his for two years
and he waits on you constantly. do you
mean to say you are not engaged?"
81 hardly know. aunt" Kate answer
ed with little break in her voice you
see, tits customary In our village when
young people keep company, us they
call 1t, to consider It the same as an
engagement. 1t nearly always ends in
marriage. Now. Mr.. Severance has Of
ten spoken about our future as II we
were to spend 1t together. but he has
never said: WIN you marry me, KateY
or When viii you marry meg"
"Kate." said her aunt sharply, do
you love hln?" Kate hung her head
without speaking.
Answer me, Kate, A great deal de-
ponds upon your answer"
I'm afraid do" said Kate, in low
voice.
very well. then, Mr.. Severance will
not only ask you to marry him. but
will also beg you to set the day inside OF
a fortnight. or he is not worthy OF your
love, Kate. In fact, doubt very much
whether he is half worthy OF you"
Dear aunt. please. please don't say
anything to him. 1t would kill me to
have you do 1t, and for him to suspect
that have been criticIsIns him"
"well! II you never critIcise him
any more sharply he'll live on bed of
roses without thorns," responded Mrs.
Withers. But you needn't fear, my
child, will not say thing to Mr.. Sew
rance In regard to his intentions. !
have better way than that for bring
ing him to the point All ask Of you
is to do exactly what bid you and not
to lose your proper pride, and you may
be sure Mr.. Severance will never know
that we have talked about the matter"
but what do you propose dOing?"
Kate asked, doubtfully.
sometimes when men have been
hesltntlng and dallyIng about getting
murried It only takes u little thing to
bring them to a decision pretty quick"
replied Mrs. wlthers.
with this vague and unsatIsfying an
swer she walked away. leaving Kate
greatly puzzled. Nothing more was
said on the subject and Mr. Severance
still maintained silence in regard to his
Intentions.
One morning. about y week after the
conversation between Kate and her
aunt, the latter, who was visiting at
Rates home. informed her that her
husbands nephew. Percy Hall, would
spend a few days with her. He ar
rived the next day and Kate found him
very pleasant young fellow. That
night an entertainment was to be given
at the town hall and Mrs. WIthers sug-
gested that Kate and Percy attend 1t.
Have you any other engagement
queried her aunt who had already dis
covered that Mr.. Severance had pleas
ant habit OF taking 1t for granted that
Kate would reserve her company for
himself, and often came for her with
out previously inviting her.
Not any positive engagement aunt
but"
"Then be good enough to go with
Percy" saId Mrs. WIthers, rather per-
emptorIly and she managed so well
that Percy and Kate had already gone
when Mr.. Severance came to accom-
pany Kate to the hall. That gentleman
could scarcely believe his ears when he
heard that Kate had gone with some
other man. He was inclined TO be an
CRY and the sight of Percy Hall bend
ing over Kate in n most devoted way
nt the entertainment did not improve
his temper.
The next evening he called and found
that Kate and Mr. Hall went out call
ing. The following night when he
came he interrupted a duet which the
two young people, whose voices blend
ed tremendously, were singing.
He tried In vain to get word with
Kate alone. but Mrs. wIthers rnonopo-
lIzed him. She told him that she was
so charmed with her niece that she
hoped to take her home with her. "And
I am sure" she added. glanclng archly
Mt the two, who were again at the
plano, that Percy will second my et-
forts to secure visit from her"
Mr.. Severance Thought MRS winners
was a dlSagreeabIe old woman, What
right had she to come and Interfere
with his rights? What business had
she to throw this handsome young fell
low in his Kntc's society so freely?
"His Kate"
Suddenly he remembered that she
was not his Kute.-he had never asked
her to marry him; although he fnlly IN