Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-08-07
rIr. Nubbins' Proposal.

4 4
IF lacked five minutes of the time Tor
the departure of the Montreal express
from the Grand Central station, anu
the cars were filing up. Nathanlel
Nubbins, a well-dressed, meek-looKlns
little gentleman, had just got com
fortab!y settled down in corner seat
of the car next to the smoker when ne
heard a familiar voice addressing
him.
seWhv. hello, Nubbins; how are you!
I'm right in luck today. l was look.
ing for some one to take charge OF
Aunt Abigail's bundles and ASSIST ner
off the train with them when she
reaches Troy. You're going through, Oh
.course?'
s.Y-ves. answered Nubbins, family
as he glanced up and recognized MS
friend Travers with his arms full OF
bundles of all shapes and sizes ana
sAunt Abigail" grimly looking up IN
an aisle behind him like one Oh Ma
poIeon's grenadiers.
Now. Nathaniel Nubbins was OF a
decidedly shy and retiring dlsposlClon,
besides being a dyed-in-the-Wool ola
bachelor CNubbins was so, still single
and not only willing, but anxious TO
remain sol. and if he could have had
his choice he would sooner lead a
bayonet charge, face gang OF mutt
neers or a midnight burglar, or en-
counter most any other tri1e in that
line rather than take charge of a wo-
man and her luggage for a l5O-mlle
railroad journey. Therefore, the
reader will kindly imagine 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
began piling bundles on Nubb1ns'
feet and into his lap, whichever came
the handiest; 81 knew you'd just as
soon do me the favor to take charge
of Aunt Abigail as not, and I'm glad
happened to run across you. she is
trifie hard of hearing, and-er-a lit
file eccentric in some respects, but
you'll find her first rate company
when YOU get acquainted with her.
BY the way, came near forgetting to
introduce you to each other. Mr.
Nubbins, this is my aunt, Miss
Abigail Doolittle" Then, raising his
voice. he shouted: "Aunt Abigail, al
Cow me to present my bachelor friend,
Mr.. Nubbins, who will look after you
and see you safely off 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'
direction.
AT this moment the starters bell
rang. the train began slowly moving
out of the station, and with hur-
ried goodbye" Travers dashed out of
the car, leaving Nubbins alone to face
the responsibility of delivering Miss
Doolittle and her collection OF baggage
safely at the Troy statiOn-a response
bilitv which even the bravest of Nub-
bins sex might we'll have hesitated to
face.
NOW NuDDluS, DIS nave PAO'AO
intimated, was not cast in heroic
mold. He was timid little gentle
man, measuring probably feet z IN
his patent feathers and his great aim
in life. so far as the gentler sex was
concerned, was to leave them severely
alone and quietly flock by himself, as
Lord Dundreary used to express it.
Miss Abigail Doolittle, on the con-
trary thought she had chiefly f1ocked
by herself through fve-and-forty sim
mering summers and the same number
of dreary winters, had done so unwill-
ingly and under protest, as it were.
For a full quarter of century the
TALL and stately Miss Doolittle (who
doomed nearly a foot above Nubbins
and looked every inch grenadier, as
[ believe I have before hinteO had
been on the matrimonial bargain
counter-she had a snug little fortune
in her own right-waiting patiently
for some enterprising and apprecia-
tive gentleman to appear on the
scene and take possession of her will
ing heart and other personal property
But alas! Thus far her waiting had