Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-05-11

out Of onler. his liver. Perish the
thought. 10 was his heart.
lie decided M length that. like Heze-
klah, he would nsk for n sign from
heaven. lie would send the object OF
his alteration a bouquet. au anonymous
bouuurt Of the choicest. She would
surely guess FROM whom II came. IL
she placed II In the window. he would
write 10 Mrs. Hickman. explain him
self and his Intentions and request
permission 20 call.
Mr.. eddie tOoh n holiday the day the
bouqhpt was sent of from Covent Gar
den. TO sit s;lll in his office was n
thing impossible. He went for u long
walk. hut where his neat little legs
took him be was never able to say.
The next day the agony Increased.
There was no sign. MIR. Oddle fell
plump into the depths Of despair and
was convinced that Le had offended
bis lndylove. lie had not been proper
~ Introduced. The phrase became a
perfect nightmare 10 him.
Hut the second day there was the
houuuct In the window In all Its glory.
and. moreover. Miss Iiexham was
bending over H.. lnhallng Its perfume.
She was n beautiful woman. not too
young FOR q mnn-ahcm-in his prime.
The wonder was tint such n treasure
had not been snapped up before.
Markham Oddie wrote 10 Mrs. Hex
ham. II took him hours and hours to
compose the letter. and 1t was the most
dcliciouslt old fashioned cpistle ever
pennpd in n practical century. Two
whole days elapsed before q little note
came In reply:
Mrs Hcxham presents her compll-
ments TO Mr.. Markham eddie and
would be pleased TO see him II he
could make II convenient to caf this
evening between 8 and o o'clock"
The uotr was n formal one. but when
the agltntrd little old bachelor was
shown into the sitting room ut Holm
wood Mrs. IleXham. who was alone.
received him with q very kindly smile.
Her eyes looked rs II she had been
crying.
"Plrnse take n scat" she said. at
has been very close all day. has 1t
not1'
Terribly" answered the visitor.
do you feel the heat muchT'
AYES. | am afraid | do" was the re-
ply. and Mr.. OddIc suddenly recollect-
ed that Ills future mother-in-lnw was
said to be deaf and dumb. This lady
was certainly neither.
ssNN- V,,.-fs. - .,tV 49,. Hn-...
after n pause. desired me to tell you
how very. very grateful she Is to you
for your letter and the flowers. She
has gone away for n short time to stay
with friends. She-she thought Il
best"
Mr.. Oddle sat there. enable 10 utter .
word. she tad gone awny bccau Use
she thought 1t best" That meant that
there was no hope for him.
Mrs. Hrxham's eyes filed with tears
as she looked nj him. oh" she cried
II am 10 sorry-so very sorry! You
are such n good. kind hearted man.
am sure. or curse you did not know
or you would not have thought of IT,"
Thought OF WHAT asked MFR. Cd
die heavily.
"Of marrying my poor Agatha. Yol
did not know that she IL deaf ant
dumb?'
Mr.. Oddle stared at the speaker II
blank amazemcnt. II was fully q min
ute before he grasped the slgnifr" nc
OF what she was saying. II vas TN
daughter. not the mother. who wa
afflicted" as Mrs. Roper would hay,
phrased It. He was silent, ana Mrs
HeXham continued:
my poor girl Is very sensitive, an,
your kindness went TO her heart. | car
assure you"
Mr.. Od1!e pulled himself togethe
and rose 10 his feet. At this momcn
there was something almost mob!
about his rather tubby little figure.
MADAM" he said firmly. you
daughter II an angel. and | love her
VIII you have the goodness to give m,
her address-tEat Is. II you will sane
ton my asking her TO do Inc the homo
to be my wlfeT'
at seems rather unconventional
she said. but II Is not exactly an ordl
nary cas- Is III And I am sure yol
are a good man. Mr.. Sedley. the vicar
was talking about you only the othe
day and saying how charitable 30,
were. Agatha hos the sweetest dlspo
sltion. and she Is 20 quick you hardl,
realize that she Is not like other PEG
pie. Indeed. ! think you would be yer.
happy together"
81 think we three would be very hap
by together" answered Mr.. Oddle. EN-
phasizlng the three" lie took tn
widows hand md kissed It with oil,
fashioned gnllantry.
II is unnecessary to mention at wha
~unearthly hour Mr.. Oddie required hi
breakfast the next morning or to stat
that he hardly ate a mouthful Of II.
In the afternoon Of the same ia!
Mrs. Hexham might have been seeI
reading a telegram with a beaminl
face. II was not a long one, for II con
talned only Ave words. Love iron
Agatha aud Markham. Sketch.