Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-11-21
MISS PRISCILLA'S PROPOSAL
By Evelyn Glover.

SOidleF VINO mas gwen MS DtSC years &c
his queen and country but can offer you
an uldailing and respectful DEVOTION
Miss Priscilla Bentley dropped a letter
into her lap and covered two smooth
prettily pink checks with her thin hands
The man with whom she had played
when her soft gray hair stuck straight
out from her head in a stiff little brown
plat had been back in the old home just
month now. and they had met after a
lapse Of forty years, and he had-remem-
bered
Thank You!" she whispered very
/ shyly, and as if even this tacit admission
of satisfied want was thing unmaid-
emily and blameworthy "Oh, God, thank
You"
! And then she crossed the room to an
old fashioned bureau and took up pen
holder with a shaking hand.
You've been overtirin' yourself, / can
see" said one Betsy Briggs, as her mis-
tress walked into her little hall an hour
on so later.
Not at all, Betsy" said Miss Priscilla,
1 may pc u btillG Hu5ncO Win
the heat, perhaps. II had an impor-
tant letter to post, and / always feel
more satisfied if letter is posted at the
general office than in pillar box"
"Humph!" said the privileged old sew
ant. "There has been a boy botherin'
here for letter he said he'd left for you
this afternoon, instead of at No. 80. ]
said | could give no answer till you come
in. I'm sure there's been more muddles
since that there young Miss Bentley set
tied ten doors lower down than you could
count in a month of Sundays! She ate
your bit of sole last Thursday week, and
never a--you'll go and sit down, mum,
and I'll take your boots off,"
Miss Priscilla, white suddenly to the
very lips, was staring incredulously at
the keen-eyed old woman before her.
"A note-delivered by hand, Betsy {?
But it wasn't mistake. lit can't
bew
Betsy shifted.
Well the boy said he'd got orders to
take it on to No. 81, immediate, and
scoldin' from his master into the bar
gain! | told 'im--bless me, I'll make
you a cup of tea in two minutes, Miss
Prissie!7
Miss Priscillas cropping hand had
gripped hard horny one as though to
save herself from falling.
I'm all right, Bets" there was
strange, piteous expression in her blue
eyes-"quite right. Yes, I'll go and sit
down. But don't want any tea, or-or
to be disturbed for half an hour, please
Betsy"
She passed on into her small sun.
bathed sitting room, and closed its door
behind her.
Miss Bentley! Why, of course! She
had seen Maj. Duff walking with her
after church on Sunday. Such a young,
pretty woman, too-Aiiss Priscilla put
out her hands with an odd, involuntary
gesture, as though she We're avoiding a
blow. And then she remembered the let
ter she had posted an hour before, and
they flew to her face, and sine covered
in her chair with the shame and the hurt
of it ala little, shrunken old woman
who had told man, wanting none of her,
that she loved him.
That evening the somewhat unwilling
Betsy set out to deliver a letter which
had been penned three times over before
its characters We're firm enough to salts
fly the writer.
Dear Mai. Duff" it ran
Il have sent on your letter, which was
left here by mistake, to Miss Penelope
Bentley. was always the mischievous
one in the old days, dear friend, but by
this time you will just be having a good
laugh over the joke which a naughty old
woman could not resist playing upon you
in pretending that she had applied its
contents to herself 1t really was too
bad of her! Please forgive her, and ac-
cept very warm wishes for your happi-
ness, from your sincere old friend,
PRISCILLA BENTLEY"
Miss Priscilla peered between the laths
of her blind with dim, scared eyes until
Betsy's thickset figure passed out by the
garden gate And then she got down on
to her knees. She had told her first lie
but somehow there was very much i'll
connection with it to explain to God.
"But-bless my soul, Priscillal-I may
say Priscilla now, | suppose?" An ex-
| citable, white haired man was tramping
Miss Bentley's sitting room blowing his
nose violently the while. I'm ashamed
of you! And that girls n jewel! I've
good mind"-he shot out a protecting
arm which gave the lie to his words
toto marry her after all, except that
she wouldn't look at me!n
Are you-are you sure?" faltered
Miss Priscilla. She was smiling. crying.
apologizing in one fluttering, cmbar-
raised breath
| Am | sure? When she's Just told me
/ that she's promised to a strapping Young
/ fellow i'll the guards! Look what YOU let
me IN fer | went this morning TO apollo.
/ glzc and explain Ike n man, though I've
/ faced less unpleasant things on Il battle
/ held, Priscilla, and somehow-well. out
! 1t came about your little Joke, ma'am!
! And She held her tongue, and stood look.
/ ing out of the window for a minute or
/ two, and then round she turned with her
+ eyes all wet-though I'm not hatterinc
myself, mind you, that it was mt the
thought of losing me-aud Go and tell
her YOU hold her to her ioke,' saws She"
"Oh, major Ii mean Alexander! She
must be "a very Miss Priscilla's
gentle little voice broke suddenly before
an adjective came
Not a word against her. Priscilla -