Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-08-24
> sseesseseeoseseese I
Mr.. NUBB|NS' PROPOSAL

. eeseeseee . . Q . . 20 ooo .
1t lacked five minutes of the time for
the departure of the Montreal express
from the Grand Central station, and
the cars We're rapidly filing up. Ma
thaniel Nubbins. well dressed. meek
looking little gentleman, had just got
comfortably settled down in corner
seat of the car next to the smoker.
when he heard a familiar voice adj
dressing him:
why. hello, Nubblns. How are you?
looking for some one to take charge Of
Aunt AbigaiPs bundles and assist her
off the train with them when she
reaches Troy. You're going through,
of courseF'
"Y-yes." answered Nubbins family
as he glanced up and recognized his
friend Travers with his arms full Of
bundles of all shapes and sizes and
Aunt Abigail" grimly looking up in an
aisle behind him like one of Napoleon's
grenadiers.
Now, Nathaniel NubbIns was Of de-
cidedly shy and retiring disposition, be-
sides being a dyed in the wool old
bachelor (Nubbins was 80. still single.
and not only willing, but anxious to re-
main sol. and if he could have had his
choice he would sooner lead bayonet
charge, face gang of mutineers or a
midnight burglar or encounter most
any other trifie in that line rather than
take charge of woman and her lug
gage for a 100 mile railroad journey.
Therefore the reader will kindly imag-
Inc the remarks they will hardly do
for print that Nubbins made under his
breath as he got up and with forced
politeness bowed the waiting female to
the seat next to the window.
Thank you" said Travers as he be-
gan piling bundles on Nubbins' feet
and into his lap. whichever came the
handiest. II knew you'd just as soon
do ME the favor to take charge of Aunt
Abigail as not and I'm glad happen
ed to run across you. She is trifie
hard of hearing. and-er-a little &C.
(ChNA ~ III oOtAlC lCCBC(Ncs D0t lOu IA Ahl
her first rate company when you get
acquainted with her. By the way. l
came near forgetting to Introduce you
to each other. Mr.. Nubbins, this is
nay aunt. Miss Abigail DooiittIe"
Then, raising his voice. he shouted.
"Aunt Abigail, allow me to present
my bachelor friend. Mr. Nubbins. who
will look after you and see you safely
of the train with your baggage when
you reach Troy"
$50 good of him, I'm sure. Happy
to meet you, Mr.. Nubbins." responded
Miss Doolittle, with what was meant
to be a winsome smile in Nubbins di-
rectiOn.
At this moment the starters bell
rang, the train began slowly moving
out of the station, and with a hurried
goodby Travers dashed out of the car,
leaving Nubbins alone to face the re-
sponsibIlity of delivering Miss Do0lit-
tie and her collection of baggage safe
ly at the Troy station, a responsibility
which even the bravest of Nubbins'
sex might well have hesitated 10 face.
Now, Nubbins, as | have previously
intimated, was not cast In a heroic
mold. He was a tlmid little gentle
man. measuring probably 5 feet 2
inches in his patent feathers. and his
great aim In life, so far as the so call
ed gentIer sex was concerned, was to
leave them severely alone and quietly
flock by himself. as Lord Dundreary
used to express 1t.
Miss Abigail Doolittle, on the con-
trary, though she had chiefly hocked
by herself through five and forty sim
mering summers and the same number
of dreary winters, had done SO unwill-
ingIy and under protest, as it were.
For a full quarter of a century the
tall and stately Miss Doolittle. who
loomed nearly a foot above Nubblns
and looked every inch grenadier, as
believe | have before limited. had been
on the matrimonial bargain counter
she had snug little fortune in her
own right waiting patiently for some
enterprIsing and appreciative gentle
man to appear ON the scene and take
| pOSSeSStOD Vi DeF WiitiAS uefTt anu
other personal property. But alas!
Thus far her waiting had been In vain.
Among her list of acquaintances other
maidens. young and old. attractive or
otherwise. some with fortunes and
some without had been taken. and she
alone had been left to mourn over tie
perverseness of mankind.
Much brooding OH the subject. cOu,
pied with her infrmity of hearing. had
at last resulted In the harmless delu-
sion that every man who treated her al
all politely was desperately in love
with her. and as Nubbins had not been
warned of this fact it can readily be
surmised that bis present position was
one of extreme peril that is. so far as
his peace of mind was concerned. al
| east
After the Forty-second street tunnel
had been passed and the train had
emerged once more into daylight Nub.
bins transferred the most of the bun
dies from his lap to the rack overhead
and presently yenturcd upon the re
mark that II was a fine day.
sBeg pardon. slr!' said the female
sxwoundfar ox1d.1aplx cS,.afsvl,<nefv.ex ,4~