The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-12-16

q never heard you mention him.
said Mrs. Murray doubtfully. -
II think I mentioned him" SAID
Katherine. But there wasn't any use
tn talking OF him because you didn',
know him.. s.5 Or, -. S'' 800
Mr.: Murray eyed his daughter curl,
ously. p - ~ I ~
But" questioned Katherine, grow.
ing FESTIVE under her fathers 1nspec.
ton, about the picture; though
mother said 1t was given YOU by Mr.
Butler?"" r. E.::>Es = ~
It was Mr.. Murray who would hay.
this time CLOSED things over, but hi,
wife, having come around to the ides
of confession, proceeded to tell the ex.
act circumstances Of the way the pict.
ure came irto their possession, and
their subsequent turmoil of. spirit
Katherine appeared interested, but SHIT
looked intently out of the window.
"Here he is now,"' announced Kath.
crime, flutteringly. -
''Who?" demanded the other two il
the same breath.
"Theodore-Mr Butler! He said HI
would call this afternoon sometime
but didn't expect him so early, and
everything is going wrong! You won't
understand, and yet you keep talking
about him-and I'm engaged to him
that is. he is engaged to me; mean
we're engaged, if you don't mind
please; only" and Katherine burst
into tears and flung herself into .
corner of the couch. "Only-we were
going to do it all so differently, you
know; we had seen each other so Of
ten at Sally's and at Thanksgiving
too; he came up to the school-and ]
couldn't help caring-but, of course
you didn't know him or anything, sc
we thought it would be better not tc
say anything yet; but he would call:
list as an acquaintance, and maybe
you would like him and invite him
again during the holidays, and then
when you knew him little he would
talk to you about tall proper-and
everything!"
BY this time Katherine was weeping
convulsively, and through her incoher-
ent recitation her astonished parents
heard the soft opening of the front
door, the low-toned inquiry for mother
and daughter, and the pushing aside
Of the portiere. Mr.. and Mrs. Murray
rose simultaneously and faced the
newcomer, who proved to be sturdy
sort of fellow, with pleasing grey
eyes and freckled nose. He stood
silent moment; then, as he realized
that Katherine was sobbing, he walked
across the room. lifted her head from
the cushions, and sat down beside her,
saying cheerily:
what is it all about, dear girl!
Come; tell me-"
But his lady-love only collapsed in
moist heap on his coat collar, while
her mother found sufficient voice to
remark:
Henry; are you aware of the fact
that man you never saw before is
over there with his arms around your
daughter?"
"You forget" said Henry feebly, my
friend, Mr.. Butler!" E fns
Mrs. Murray burst into shrieks OF
hysterical laughter. After moment
Mr.. Murray Joined in, and Katherine
changed her imbecile tears Of grief
into equally imbecile tears of mirth;
while Theodore E. Butler eyed first
one and then another as though fear
full for their sanity.
A couple of hours later Mr.. Murray
was saying to the younger man, with
all the pride of collector:
eyes, my dear fellow; we bought
that study Of yours at an auction
for fifty cents.''
"You don't mean it," exclaimed the
disguised artist. tits worth more
than that anyway; though admit i:
is not worth much. 1t is one Of a 10:
left on the coast when l broke up
my study in Frisco and went over to
Paris nine years ago; but I'm glad to
see it again, am indeed, and I'm glad
you have it. sir. Same old redwood
frame, too"
eyes, I bought it because Of" be-
gan Mrs. Murray, and then stopped
short.
ut is very good thing. I always
said so," Mr.. Murray maintained
stOutlV.-PearsOn'g Magazine.