The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-12-28

hTUDEGARDE, that's a nice look
ing young man going in the
house across the street; who is hep
asked the southern girl of her north
ern friend Oh the day of her arrival in
Brooklyn.
"Oh, isn't he stunning. He's Miss
Montague's fiance. They've only been
engaged two weeks and he comes every
night and every morning on his way
TO business"
But it cant be he, for ! saw him
let himself in with latch-key. Has
she brother?" persisted the southern
girl.
"Of course that's her tiance, and of
course he has key. You don't suppose
he wants to ring the bell every time he
comes, do you? Don't the southern
| fellows have latch-keys when they are
engaged?" Miss Hildegarde Heights
asked, in surprise.
Certainly not" the southern girl
answered, very positively. Il never
heard of such a remarkab BILE idea in my
| life"
well, my dear, you know they are
awfully old-fashioned down south"
Miss Heights began, when her younger
sister broke in
"Hildegarle, | really believe Marie is
almost engaged. All of the girls think
SO, and she certainly acts very strange
ly."
almost engaged" said the southern
girl, in bewilderment. 81 don't under
stand what you mean. How can there
be any almost in such case?'
why, Lucy, you ask such funny
questions. Jessie means that there is
ore special fellow who goes with Marie
all the time. taxes her places and does
everything for her and they will be en-
gagged as soon as he proposes. OF
course, they can't be really engaged till
he asks her, can they? You wou.dn' I
have her announce it until he says
something would you?"
NO, J would not" Lucy Grey an
swered II didn't know the northern
custom in these matters before. Tell
me some more
What do you want to know, Lucy?
l thought engagements were the same
everywhere. How soon do they an
nounce them down SOUTH" Miss
| Heights asked, curiously.
Not at all. Both of my sisters mar
ried at 20, after being engaged three
or four years apiece, and not "a human
| being knew it till two weeks before
| hand. when the invitations were sent
| out. OF course, people had their own
ideas and suspicious, but we all ienied
| it up to the very last. Neither of them
ever told mother and father till the day
was positively set and everything de-
cided, and then the young man asked
| fathers permission"
asked his permission ," the Brook
lyn cir! interrupted. MY dear, how
terribly od-fashioned. thought that
had gone out long ago"
"Why. Hildegarde, what do you
! mean? Doesn't the father have any
say in the matter?" the southern girl
| said. horror-struck.
'Of course the girl generally tells
him before il is announced, and he is
as glad as she is. But sometimes she
doesn't even let him know till ii is in
all the papers. Don't you remember
Laura Greene, Jessie? Her papa was
about the last person to find it out, and
he was so surprised and tickled."
MY Oldest sister was engaged four
years to man from Charleston, and
of course. nobody at home dreamed Of
his existence. When he came on to
see her she passed han off as her cousin
and family friend, and she never spoke
to him or noticed him if any third per-
son was present. He gave her beauti-
ful ring the year before they were mar
ried. and she kept it locked up in the
bureau drawer till the cards were out
/ Mother caught her looking at il one
day, and she nearly died of embarrass-
ment."
TOM Miss Heights announced, vehe-
menfly. why. there's no fun in be
ing engaged i .,ou keep il TO yourle}f
A chum of mine told several of MS giriS
she expected 10 be enga ged soon, and
at last. when It really happened. she
ielephoned 10 rs all that same night
| thought it was awfully dear OF her
OF course, we helped her to spread il
as fast as we could. aud it was in II