Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-10-24
II VERY
PROPER
WOMAN
By C. B. Lerpis
caDm-'S'a, 1906, ss Homer sDraoue

more proper still As young lady,
even her very proper father, Deacon
Wray. and her very proper mother. his
wife, never had to criticise or caution.
As Hannah kept adding years to her
age and was finally spoken of as an
old maid her proper father and mother
died. ami he went to live with her
brother Dan
Dan was hard headed and hard
working and not at all proper person
from So points Of view, but that did
not affect Hannah any. She haG been
left SS.09o in cash. had never had a
beau nor rctG a love story, and she felt
that all She had to DO in this world was
to keep right on being proper.
One Gay aaOther proper young WON
an came to call on Hannah. She wasn't
quite as proper as Miss wray. for she
had once permitted a young man to
walk home from church with her, but
she was trying her best to be forgiven
by society for that sin.
When she departed she left circular
on the fo5-. aud Hannah picked 1t up
and gave it careless look. A moment
later she was turning pale and gasplng
for breath. Two minutes later she WIS
upstairs in her room and hlushing as
she read Ii was a circular from u
matrimonial bureau.
Hannah had heard of such things, but
only to be Eorrihed. She was Mortified
now. She was also interested. She was
Mortified that her caller should be in re-
ceipt of such literature and interested
to know II men and women did really
get married through such agencies.
For five minutes she refused TO read
further than the heading. Then she
looked all around her room. gave a
shudder and proceeded 10 devour every
word She even read the circular twice
over. IT was call to all those In love
TO send ON 80 cents and receive the
names of three persons, with whom
they might correspond. On the books
of the agency. so 1t was stated. were
the names Of heiresses and wealthy
widows pining for husbands, as well
rs widowers with millions and young
men needing wives to help them take
care of inheritances. The reader was
assured that there were governors. sen
ators and railroad presidents making
use of the agency.
Hannah Wray found her heart beat
Ing faster as she read, and when she
glanced at the glass she found that she
was blushing. Her first thought was
to rush after her friend and restore the
circular and cut her acquaintance for
everrnore. Her second WAS TO keep the
circular and read 1t over again. OF
course she acted on second thought.
She did more than that. She allowed
her mind TO dwell on IL and romance
TO creep over her unromantic soul, and
after two or three days she could read
it without biushing.
That should be the end. however
Never, never would she permit herself
to send away so cents and receive the
names. She stuck to this resolution
for three days. and then she sent of
the money. 1t was the first letter she
had ever written to any one except n
relative. 1t was the first time In two
years she had visited the village post
Office. The day the letter was mailed
Dan Wray's wife said to him as he
was milking the cow in the barn:
Say. Dan, something is wrong with
Hannah
What do you meanf'' he asked.
shes got something on her mind.
Two or three times today I've caught
her looking In the glass and acting
girly. I'm not quite sure Of 1t. but
have feeling that when she went
downtown it was to post a letter
What do you think 1t is?"
II know she had mumps. measles
and the chicken pox the same time I
did" replied Dan after thinking things
over, ''and she can't be coming down
with any OF those"
''of course not Didn't say caught
her acting girly?"
"And what's that?'
''Why, twisting herself and shipper
ing ana trying TO blush.
.'Well, what's that the sign OFF,
Dan Wray. you don't know beans
when the bags united Ii means that
Hannah is in love. Yes, sir: old as she
IS. she's either in love or wants to be.
and it's our duty to keep an eye on
her"
well, let her love-" answered Dan
as he turned TO his milking. and that
settled matters as far as he was con-
cerned, for little while.
In due time Hannah received reply
to her letter. She had described herself
as single. moderately wealthy and good
tempered, aud the agency had sent her
the names of three rich men who want
ed just such wife as she would make
II the old maid hadn't been so proper
she would have opened correspondence
with all three of them. As ii was. she
decided that one was enough. She
didn't even decide that until she had
struggled with her feelings for three
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