The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-05-10

my hOnOred relative into the parlOr and
presented to him my newly claimed
soffsnring. H. {
q So fart had succeededHin decetying
my uncle, but the worst. IL feared was
that when Mrs. Kingsley returned she
might object to my claiming ownership
in her child. Besides, to carry out my
deception must find a wife as we'll as
an infant, and Mrs. Kingsley was the
only one I could conveniently claim.
The only difficulty was to get her con,
sent to the deception, and this might
be. donesif.I could secure a private con-
versation with her before / introduced
her to my uncle.
I watched my opportunity, and gain;
ed an interview with her before she
entered the-room- told her, in a few
brief, hurried words, the extent of my
difficulty, and how I had taken the lib:
erty of acting as papa for her little one.
I then told her must find a wife some.
where, and begged her to allow me to
introduce her to my uncle in that ca:
pacitS. She laughed heartily lat the
suggestion, said: she could comprehend
my difficulty, and consented to my pro,
posal, but warned me roguishly not to
presume upon the occurrence.
We entered the parlor, and intro
duced her as my better half. My uncle
was much pleased with her, and COM
plimented me upon my good choice in
the selection of wife. Mrs. Kingsley
colored most charmingly at this com
pliment, and could see she could
scarcely refrain from laughing.
A short time afterward Mrs. Kings.
ley came to me, when I was alone, in
an adjoining room, and I saw imme-
diately something very humorous must
have happened, for the corners Of her
lips were breaking out into beaming
smiles.
do you know, sir, into what an
awkward predicament you have gotten
me?' she inquired.
whats the matter?" I asked.
"Why, your uncle came to me short
time ago and asked to see my marriage
certificate, as he said he had some
money to settle upon us Immediately,
but wanted to be sure everything was
right first"
"Did you expose me?' inquired anx-
iously.
mo, sir, did not, for I never enter
into deception or anything else by
halves"
'Then we must lose no time" 1 re-
piled; III my uncle is 50 anxious to
have our marriage certificate, let us
put no obstacles in his way"
We lost no time, l assure you. I
don't think Mrs. Kingsley ever got into
her Sunday clothes in such hurry in
her life before, while I spoiled two
pairs of suspenders in my frantic en-
deayors to be ION time" We quite as
tonished the parson by our haste, and
at the conclusion of the ceremony l
would have forgotten to give him the
usual fee if he had not reminded me
of 1t.
We had secured the coveted marriage
certificate, signed and sealed, and were
LII" oIAACAy Jul VI Jul rs we
thought. We had omitted one precau-
ton, as we found when we had pre-
sented the certificate to my uncle. The
date was too modern.
"Why, how is this?" said my uncle,
II thought you were married over a
year ago."
$50 we were, uncle" said. solemnly.
"How comes it, then. the certificate
is dated to-day" he asked in a voice
Of thunder.
We were both struck speeches..
Come" said my uncle II see there
has been some trickery here. Own up
to 1t. or will never forgive you"
l did own up to it, and told him the
whole story. expected it would make
him angry, but it didn't, for he laughed
heartily, and said 1 was clever rascal
and he was proud Of me.-Indianapolis
Sun.