The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-12-20
HOW TILLY GOT A HUSBAND
BY Herman Won sehul. eueh.

mann gave private lessons In English
Ind French to young girls In their
loincR
They had met IN n street car when II
1ad accidentally ran into biz furni-
,ure van. and all the passengers found
themselves in "A heap on the noor. Aft
r. that time they met often. and Alfred
invited Tilly 10 the theaters with him.
'ollowed by suppcrs OF becfstcnk and
bnions In n small restaurant. Tilly
Sncw nothing better than steak with
Hmothcred onions. washed down with "A
stein OF foaming Munich beer.
IL WAS useless To try to conceal IL.
bui Tiily was not ms young as she had
)een. She was "a rose which must be
clicked soon or Il would begin to lose
IL charm. Aud often she asked her
sclf: II wonder " he " going to ask
me TO marry him." Her mother ut
home always busy knitting stockings
Without number. was even more inter-
estcd In this vital question. and had
40 higher wish than To become N moth
cr-in-lnw.
But Alfred Buercn had never even
thought OF such "a thing. He loved his
golden liberty too much. The idea OF
having "A wife whom he would have to
inform az everything he did and who
would keep tab on the time of his re-
rccmed most dreadful To him.
And so the two had been going to-
gethcr for more than n year. and there
was no sign OF an engagement ring on
Tilly's finger
Then came the time OF summer vaca-
tions. and Alfred decided tn spend the
three weeks allotted TO him at Her
ingsiorf. ON the Baltic coast. IL was
rather hard to bid Tilly goodby. but he
felt sure OF her faithfulncss. And Tilly
herself promised that she would think
of no one clse--but how could she help
II that AN elegantly dressed gentleman
picked up her books which she hap
pcncd tn drop In the street one evening
IN she was hurrytng home? or course
ah. had IN thank him, and the way
was open for due acquaintance.
Fritz Mueller. ns the gentleman In
troduccd himself was u widower. and
At present rather lonesome Ia Berlin.
~ his old aunt who otherwise KEEP;
house for him. was spending the sum-
iner months ON Ruegen.
Fritz often Invited Tilly To "A rather
pr"icntious restaurant. where they had
lobster and old RuCdcsheimcr. n treat
which she had never before dared to
dream OF and the evenings fairly fiew
In his company.
The end OF Alfrod's vacation came.
on. evening he arrived. tanned as an
received him cordially enough. but he
noticed that her checks were pale and
her eyes had "A dreaming. PARKWAY cx-
preston. Even the usual bccfstcalS.
with AN extra stein. did not seem To-
cheer her up. Full of pity. he asked
her " there was anything the matter
with her.
oh. NO. Fritz. nothing at all"
lie looked at her In surprise.
Why do you call me Fritz"
She blushed and stamincred an un-
Ineligible excuse. but after n little
while she called him Fritz once more.
What tho deuce do you mean" he
cried. Who IN this Fritz ! never
heard you mention any Fritz before to-
night"
She tried To- find some explanation.
but nothing suggested itself
Well. Alfred. l will be quite honest
with you. While you were away I met
another gentleman, and he
And he ?"---askcd Alfred. I'm "A rath-
cr pointed manner.
He wants To marry me-" she said.
with u blush.
lie jumped from his scat AZ 10 he had
sat down OH n tack. Walter" he
roared. my bill"
When they were outside he gave her
n terrible lecture. so that the poor girl
was glad when they finally parted.
rather coolly at her door
Alfred did not sleep "A wink that
night. and there seemed To- bc mo- end
tn the next day I'm the store In every
male customer he imagined To see Til
ly's future husband. The very idea OF
her marrying somebody else was cN-
aspcrating. Al soon as the store was
closed he rushed out and visited every
path Ia tho park where he had talked
with THY and the grinning face OF the
mysterious Fritz WAS everywhere be-
fore him. What should hc do
Mad plans of shooting Tilly. Fritz
and then himself coursed through his
brain. Hut he had never had revolt
yer In his hand and he did not like
the idea of leaving this world for an
other which might not b" more pleas
ant. va he soon gave UP his murderous
plans
II was quite late when he rang tho
bell AT Tilly's door She opened IL her
self and faint smile played around
the corners or her mouth when she
saw that hc WAS dressed In his best
Prince Albert coat and shining silk
hat Instinctivelv Shc felt that tho de-
cisive moment had come.
"Tilly." he said. almost inaudibly.
don't YOU think that you could forget
Fritz and marry me instead?'
with "a cry she threw herself tn hts
manly bosom.
A little later. when shc had nestled
down In his arms In the corner OF the
Iitti. pnrlor. she whispered
do you know that Fritz never pro-
posed Ia me- IL was only "a rusc TO
make you jealous. Fritz does not cx-
list Ut all"
"oh. you little rascal" no said.
threatening her with his finger. and
kissed her immensely relieved. But
I am not going tn take any chances:
ne might come some day. Let us go
To your mother and ask her for her
blessing
The honest old lady was moved 10
tears of Joy So Tilly was not going
To- be an old maid. after all: and as
she gave her blessing she already made
up her mind TO begin knitting little
stockings for coming grandchildren.
Three weeks later they We're mar
ricd. and at the wedding luncheon Til
Is once more had lobster and Rcudcs-
, helmer GA memory of Fritz, who had
made II possible for her To become
Mrs. Alfred Bucrcn. But this she
never told her husband.
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