St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-08-15
A LUCKY BLUNDER.
The Story of how j ohn Hobbs was
kept from Marrying the Wrong Girl
and led to Marry the Right One.

and led to Marry the Right One.
1t was just $3.50 by the dusty clock
that did duty in the editors Office Of
The Daily Telegram, when John
Hobbs, manager and general factotum
for that enterprising paper, from which
he derived snug little income, sud-
denly remembered the day of the week.
1t was Thursday and on the following
evening the most select concert of the
season would take place, where the
social set of Wrensville would be in
evidence.
Now for nearly a year John had been
a frequent and more or less regular
caller on Miss Mabelle Whitney, the
very pretty daughter of a very rich
merchant.
He had intended to invite her all
along, but this delay in his invitation
might mean disappointment. He
would soon know and why not embody
in his note declaration Of his affec-
tons, and so put to the test whether
she returned his love or not. This
seemed a happy thought, so he began:
My Dear Friend-May hope for the pleasure Of
your company at the concert tomorrow evening
by the Singers club2 l have a question to ask
you, the answer to which will make me either the
most miserable or happiest of men. II you accept
my invitation to the concert, l shall understand
your answer will not be "No'' to the more mo-
mentous question, and a refusal Of my invitation
l shall consider as a refusal of yours with deepest
regard, JOHN ELLIOTT HOBBS.
For a man of so brilliant mind this
was really very lame proposal, but
John signed his name with a conscious
ness of having said just enough and
not too much, feeling quite sure in the
depths of his honest devotion to her
that her answer would be what he
hoped. With this load off his mind he
turned to the perusal Of his afternoon
mail, with which his desk was Uttered.
Another story from the pen Of Miss
Davenport. Well this one he had bet
ter reject, for she was really getting
beyond her depth, or so it seemed to
him. To be sure, she sketched her
characters with an artists skill and
was decidedly original in plot and &C.
ton, but the public, his public, must
be amused, and her heroines never
seemed happy, and, what was more,
never married the heroes, nor any one
else, for that matter. He did not
want to personally say mo" to this
girl, in whom unconsciously he had be-
come so interested and whom he recog-
nized as a clever writer, sure to win
for herself name in the world. But
he had already made up his mind not
to accept more Of her work, and so
taking up the stub pen which had GER
tainly seen better days, he dashed off
as follows:
My Dear Observation-Disclosures our appre-
citation OF and admiration for your style we find
we must discontinue acceptance for the present.
Trusting to be of service at some future date,
am, yours very truly, JOHN ELLIOTT HOBBS.
II fatter myself that is neatly DONE"
thought John, so hastily placing the
notes in their respective envelopes and
addressing the same he rang for the
office boy.
Friday morning dawned dull and
rainy, with little prospect of clearing
weather, and as John sat in his office
his courage and spirits were at ebb
tide. 1t was all owing to the weather,
he thought, and not premonition of
failure. Anyway he had stopped at the
florists and ordered box Of gorgeous
violets sent his love. and they must be
received by this time.
Just then the postman opened the
door. Not line from her in this mail,
only some advertisements, a bill or two,
three cards of invitation, a check,