Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1917-10-04
M nAHH R N ~ mHm
ssPEGGY'S PROPOSAL
M n
BY Z. HOLLAND.


garet Randall Joined them.
"Offer OF what7"
"Oh, gracious. girls, tell heri"
why, the captain has offered"
began one OF the damsels.
you mistake. my dear young LADY,
interrupted the captain. Il offer moth.
ing. But have sIgnlhed my willing
mess to~eanssder nmy or Nh oners1nade
me. You see. Miss Peggy" said he,
turning toward the late arrival, who.
although far from being beautiful,
ruled them by right Of brightness. her
wit and her inexhnustible resources as
an entertainer. Il am disguised with
the way you young ladies' are neglect
ing your leap year advantages. and I
VIII wager that not one OF You has
made an offer Of marriage this year.
Have you nowT"
Nothing but the awful dread Of be-
Ing refused has deferred US, captain. -
answered Miss Randall. Think Of our
feelings. when after laying our hearts
and fortunes at your feet you refuse TO
listen"
That's just the contingency I have
been providing for. The very point we
were discussing when you Joined us
and ! said that TO every girl refused
this ycur | would give a Jersey cow.
I've fne drove OF them. you know,
and It's no more than right that there
should be some little consolation prize
offered"
That's not 90 bad but great heav.
ems, cnptalnt" exclaimed one OF the
younger men. "Hnve you tho least idea
Of what you are liable TO get IntoT'
The group on the veranda broke up
and Peggy. together with n half dozen
Of the young people. went outside to
arrange for the theatrieais leaving TO
the rest the discussion OF the eccentric
bachelors latest.
The end ~ the season came and
found the captain still open 10 engage.
neBta and he conflded to one Of the
young indies that he was thinking Sc
rlonsly Of settling down lest he might
make the mistake u wniking ciear
through the wood and then az last pick
inE % a crooked stick
"You accept whatever offers tonight,
cnpiain.H said siir ulinehiev0usiy. It
was the night Of the last dance Of the
season.
Captain Nicely. who was not dane
ing man. promenaded the veranda with
combination of blonde hair aud pink
muslin on his arm.
well Peggy, why don't you begin /,
surely you have heard this thing done
times enough 20 know howT'
She Mad dropped bis arm and the
Joke AZ soon as they were out Of sight
ii the group on the yeranda. but he tn
sisted on keeping up the conversation
~ Il bad started out
Miss Randall WINS generally regarded
M q young woman without n vulner.
able point stone hearted Ia fact. In
reality she was girl Of unusually high
idenIs aud probably because she had
50 much 20 give she expected much In
return. Not perfection but her ideal
81 manhood was n noble one and Cap
tain Neeiy nj tinrs seemed 10 her TO
fui0u Il more than any iran she had
yet known
II always seemed 10 her that she
never appeared 10 such poor advantage
as when with him. for then ell the
ability as cosversationalIat. with
which she WAS credited. seemed 20 de.
seri her and she felt That TO him she
must appear a most embarrassing per.
son.
Now she dared not let him see that
she was afraid to 20 ON with the farce.
30 In tho gnyest manner she began
again just ~ they came upon seat
among the trees into which the cap
tain deliberately threw himself, leay.
Ing her standing MY adorable James
Isn't that the way they usually be-
ginT'
every good" was the answer. "but l
positively refuse 10 listen 10 any pro-
posnl unless the sultor gets down on
his knees"
"Yon base man. you evidently mean
10 luxurlate IN the situation, but can't
10 down on my knees here. I'll soil
my dress"
Captain Nicely gravely spread HIS
pocket handkerchief on the ground In
front Of him and imperntiyely mo-
toned her TO kneei. and that she did.
aud IN the most approved voice OF sup.
pressed emotion began;
MY adorable James; while deeply
conscious Of my great unworthtness-"
Don't mention Il"
~ must utter the words that have
80 long trembled upon my lIps--T--I--."
swell, utter them"
MAY dare believe that the feel
Ing entertain for you Is In a measure
reclprocnted. and that at no distant
time may have tho unutterable hap
pineas Of calling my own one whose
welfare SO entirely fills my soul and
whose slightest wish win ever be nay
law"
"You may" gravely answered the be-
loved one aud he bent forward TO raise
the accepted sutton from her knees.
"oh, you promised you would re-
fuse and Peggy looked as though a
cold shower bath had suddenly de.
scended upon her
promised l promised nothing Of
the kind merely said what would
DO In case / refused. But, you see,
do not refuse. accept"
Copyright, 1877, BY W. @. Chapman.)