Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1901-01-10
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: Mr.. 0ddie'S Courtship. :
Z By lheela z. Braine. z
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MIR. MARKHAM ODDIE was model
lyl lodgvr an old bachelor. and
heart-wlClc man. That is TO say, he
was all three until the dny-consider-
ably past his fortieth birthday--that
special fate took him in hand. and
brought him face to face with the
younger OF two ladies who had recent
ly come to live in one Of the houses op-
posite.
They were evidently mother and
daughter; both were comely and the
last-named Of the two had one OF the
sweetest faces it had ever been Mr..
Oddie's luck to behold. She happened
TO drop Il small parcel whilst walking
along their mutual road. and be hurried
after her with IL. The smile with which
she received IL went straight through
Mr. Oddie's somewhat an tiquated waist
coat.
All the evening he thought Of that
smile. When he went TO bed, he en-
deavored, with the aid Of three candles,
TO get an impartial view OF that region
on the top OF his head where the hair
ought 10 have been. but now, alas, was
not. That bald spot had not troubled
him much up to that time; now he re-
garded IL with mistrust.
Mr.. Oddie lad led an amiable, pune
tual, uneventful existence, going TO and
returning from the city every week day
with regularity and dispatch--the kind
Of person who is never asked for his
season ticket. He was comfortably off,
and had no one dependent upon him;
the few relatives he possessed lived in
the shires.
Mr.. Oddie had remainedla bachelor all
these years possibly because nobody
had set to work 10 marry him. 1t was
not that he objected to women; on the
contrary, he admired the fair sex, as
whole, quite unreseryedly. But he had
never given his heart to any one par
ticulur woman, and his landlady looked
upon him rs a fixture.
The returning OF that apparently in
nocent looking parcel marked an epoch,
Life was never the same again to the
little old bachelor. He had not watched
Miss IIexham's gentle face and we'll
developed but graceful figure for ten
days before be became convinced that
II was not good for a corn dealer to live
alone.
"a man wanted softening influences
about him"-here he hurled piece of
fried ham to the cat--"he needed gen.
tie hand to guide and restrain him."
Mr.. Oddie at this point discovered that
he had forgotten to wind his watch up
the night before.
The truth was, he was in love, and
with n young woman with whom he had
never exchanged syllable. He learned
her name from fis landlady, an austere
person, whose mind was set upon
curious form OF religion, and who did
not take much thought about frivolous
worldly matters.
Questioned discreetly by her lodger,
this worthy but depressing person
coudtell him little regarding the two
ladies who were now the object Of such
tender interest to him. They were a
Mrs. and Miss Hexham, so she had
heard, and Mrs. Hexham was either
deaf or dumb, or IL might be both, for
her daughter talked on her fingers to
her, and she answered. back in the same
way.
Mr.. Oddie's courtship was a very de-
corous affair. In Spain, despite his
years, he would doubtless have adopted
q D.. ..1. .f fha
youth who goes counting under his
lady.loye's balcony is styled.
but in sober, unromantis England,
the suitor does not eat iron. or sercnade
the queen Of his heart on the guitar.
lie has to be properly introduced. and
the little corn dealer, knowing this re-
spectacle custom. would have given
any thing for an introduction which
would have allowed him 10 call and
establish friendly relations.
The months passed, and still he could
not get that thin but necessary end Of
the wedge in. The mother and daugh-
ter seemed to have very few friends,
ard never went out, probably on &C
count OF Mrs. HeNham's aiiliction. II
was bard upon the daughter, Mr., 0ddie
thought, hut he admired her all the
more for her self-sncrihce.
Miss llexhnm became aware OF his
devotion. Of that Mr. 0ddie was con-
viuced. When they met-aud be took
care that they did meet pretty often--'
he ventured 10 raise his hat. and smiles
were exchanged. But there the affair
hal,ed, to The poor little mans frequent
despair, lie could get no "forrader."
Once, when he attempted to speak,
Miss lleNhnm turned the color OF red
rose, and promptly hurried away.
81 have never been properly intro
ducsd, that is why" was Mr.. 0ddie's
Hngmshed reflection. "Sbe must have
been cxquisitely brought up; the very
pink uf uropriely."
"Somr,hug will have TO be DONE"
cried the poor man, desperately, on the
day tha; he went to the city without a
tie and an unfeeling acquaintance
jeered al him and inquired II his liver
were out OF order. His liverl Perish
the thought 1t was his heart.
He decided at length that, like Heze-
kiah he would ask for sign from
heaven. He would send the object Of
his alteration a bouquet, an anonymous
bouquet OF the choicest; she would
surely guess from whom it came. II
she placed 1t In the window he would
write to Mrs, HeXhnm, explain himself
and his intentions, and request per
mission TO call.
MIR, Oddie took a holiday the day the
bouquet WAS sent on from Covent gar
den; to sit ,till in his Office was thing
impossible. lie went for long walk,
but where his neat little legs took him
he was never able TO say
The next day the agony increased; /;