The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-11-10

Did man l was willin'. And then.
| bless me ii 'e didn't take me by the
arm an drag me to the parler!
"'Loo's ere by 'erself,' e ses. Go in
an settle it at once, and there was
nothin' for it but to do as 'e said, an
when [ came out of that parler was
engaged to two girls.
| pretty pickle, wasn't it? An made
up my mind I'd be out of it as soon as l
could, for if old Flint got to know l
knew ed cut up rough.
| well, | soon found this wasn't so
easy. In the first place, Loo was one of
the jealous sort, an grew suspicious if
| couldn't spend every evenin' with 'er
which was impossible when there was
Polly to see. 1t was a queer game l
carried on for bit. used to send
Polly notes, sayin' l was workin' late,
an on Sundays l said I'd to see huncle
who was very bad.
This acted all right for awhile, but,
of course, there soon came time when
Polly got suspicious, an one day gets
a note from 'er, askin' me to come up
on Sunday night. She said she'd some
thing particular to say to me, an that
| if l didn't come she should come for
me. Well, l told Loo the story about
the uncle who was bad this time, an
| wrote to Polly tellin' 'er I'd be sure
to turn up, an decided I'd settle the
affair one way or another for 1 was on
quicksilver, as you might say.
| Polly opened the door an led the
way into the parler. l couldn't 'elp
wishin' that she 'ad the tin instead of
Loo, for when it came to looks Loo
wasn't in it. On this particular night
she looked better than ever, an /
couldn't 'elp kissin' 'er, though I'd
meant not to. ;Owever, she soon stopped
| me at that.
| ''' Ere, don't be a kissin' me-, she
ses. L want an explanation, I do. What
about this Miss Flint you're a-mashin'?'
"'Who told you l was mashin' 'er?' l
ses.
| "'Oh, come. Joe, that won't do she
ses. L know all about it. You can't
deceive me. I suppose it's FER money
you're after?"
| "'Well, POLL I ses, I'll be plain with
you. 1t is FER money. You see, I've
been thinkin' matters over bit lately,
an I've come to the conclusion that
I'm doin' wrong in asllin' you to wait
for me, seem that 'aven't no reason
able prospects of gettin' married, an
you can so much better for yourself.
'ope you'll see this in proper light,
an let us part friends
I'D found it jolly ard work to say
this, I'll tell you, for 1 was afraid
| there'd be scene, but to my surprise
she took it better than I thought.
81 don't want to spoil your chances
in life, joe she ses, only tell me one
thing: you don't care for 'er as you
do for me, do your
"'Care for 'er as I do for you'll I ses.
| You wouldn't ask that if you could see
| 'er. 'Er airs the color of carrots, an
she's as freckled as a butterwoman.'
''As I spoke there was curious noise
in the corner behind screen.
".It's only the cat,' Poll ses. She's
| after mouse. See, 'ere's all your let
ters an presents; you'd better take
| 'em with you, and she landed me little
parcel ready done up.
"'You seem to ave known what I
| was comm about ses.
81 'ad an idea,' ses she, 'an' there's
nothin' like bein' in time. 1 think
you'll find 'em all right. An now 1
won't keep you any longer
well, to say that 'er GOODNESS stag
gered me is to put it mildly, but did
my best to carry it off in the same fash
| ion.
"'Youre sensible lass, Poll ses,
am I'm glad to see you look at this
matter in proper light.
"'It'sno use cryin' over split milk, she
ses. "Aveyou got your at? I'll let you
out, am she led the way an opened the
door, just for all the world as if She been
lettin' out some ordinary visitor in
stead of the man she loved an might
never see again. AS l shook lands | was
about to kiss 'er, but she wasn't 'avin'
any.
"I can ear the cat she ses; i be-
| lieve she's caught that mouse an she
slams the door to, an 1 walked off,
feeling trifie puzzled, as you may say,
for never imagined Polly 'u'd give me
up so coolly.
"'Owever, it was some satisfaction to
know I'd settled it. After all, girl
with prospects like Loo's was better
than joiner's daughter any day. When
l reached the shop next mornin' the old
man asked me if I'd step into the par
| Ter a minnit or two. l followed i'm,
| wonderin, what was wrong, an | won
dered more when / found Loo there
with look on 'er face that made me
stare.
whats to do?' [ ses.
'Well, then she began, and what she
said fair took my breath away. She
knew all about Polly. In fact, she'd
been present at our interview the pre-
vious evenin'. When she said that,
stared at 'er like one moonstruck.
"'You was there?' I ses.
eyes ses she; I was the cat. 'eard
everythin', an thank goodness I did,
81 didn't say nothin'. 1t seemed as
| if there wasn't nothin'.I could say. /
| ca lilo Il