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A Proper Arrangement

A Proper Arrangement image
Parent Issue
Day
14
Month
October
Year
1887
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

"Engaged, Kate! Really engaed?" cried Miss TJaviland, with sparkling eyes. '■Oh, yrsn said Kate Marcy; "t's real enough, I sup.O80." "And is he youn?? Is he handsomp." Is he very much in love. "He is neither youiig nor handsoiiK-," said Kate. briefly, "HbíbCO, at least, titholigh I must confesa that hu is toleiabiy well presevved. He is Gen. Grenvilie. We are to be married in February or March. Now, you know all about it." "Kale, you will let meask one ques. tion rnore," coaxed Belle. Do you love liini?" 'Jt s iikely?" retorted Kate, with a ehrug of her shoulders. Miss Haviland clasped her hands. "Kate! Kate!" shfl cried. "I see it all. You are ao'rng to seil yourself lor rank and goldl" "Pon't be a goose!" said Kate, crimsoning to the roots of her hair. "One can't be a sentimentalist all one's lifo." Kale Marcy went home from the theater matinee that afternoon, and Hung her (loves one way und her bouqnet the other. "My dear, what is the matter?" said Sirs. Marcy, apale, pretty little widow. '■Mamma, i am eo tired!" cried Kate, lettine herselfdrop into a chair, utterly ïearilless of flounces, sashdraperies, und seal-skin sacque. '■Tired of what, my dariin;?" "Of everytliir!" said Kate. "Of my engagement to that dreadful old man mot of all!" Mr?. Marcy, with diplomatic promp'nera, opened a blue vel vet case tnat lay on tho table. "See what he has sent you," said "Vour favorito iewels- sapphires - all set, aror.nd with diamonds. Arn they not boautiful, dear?" Ka'e's cheeka ilushed; hereyes sparkled at t!ie fight of the gems. "lf I coi d oiily have the pretty things without haring hmi!" said she. Mrs. Marcy took Gen. Grenvilie into confidence that eveniug, when he was waitin; for Kate. "My dear General," eaid she- she was bout fifteen ycars younaer than her intended son-in-law - "this matter must be sutf.led at once." 'What matter?" said the General, blandly. "The matter of yourmarriace." "Nothing could make mo happier," said the callant General, "lf Kate will came the dr.y- " "Oh, that, of course," said Mrs. Marcy. "Shall we say the tenth of next moiith? ' "Wil 1 t he greatestof pleasure," eaid Gen. Grenvilie. Mrs. Marcy liunied up ptairs, ; tensbiy to expedita her daughter's toilet, actually to teil her that tho dn y was fixed. "Oh, pshawl" said Kato. "Why is he in ttnch a dreadful horry?" When they were drivTna along in tho clenr December moonlight Kate bold'y proposed a plan wliich had been for dome time afiitatins her inind. "Gen. Grenvilie, said ehe, in her gtreetest vojee. "My Princesa," said the old gentleman. "Do- do you object to skating?" "Xot hl the least," said Gen. Gren■])!. "Wlioa Spider- gent ly, Beetle! ;.!ea!iy these borsea are particulafly gay to-night." "Beca use," eaid Kate, "Mr. Lever■naton lms inviled me 10 co to the riiik next Tuesday evening, when - " Biif the dentnce never was linished. A fuU-loaded (urniture van, einerziii unexpeetediy, likea movingniount.iiii from a side st.'eet, lipset the i eqtianimity of Spider and Bet-tle; they guA'e asudden plunee, and the next moment Kate, tlie General, and the ; I heels of Spider and Beetle were j led in one disHiifcuishable mass. The nsnal crowd assembled - the lire rallied- and presently it transpired tliat Miss Marcy was unhort, that Lhe General, who had been Hung asainst a post, was unconscioua, that Beijt!e was only slihtly hurt, and that it would be necessary to shoot Spider on the spot. Poor Kate! lier firotthonght - oh, most ■ ful of all Katee!- was, "Well, this j settii'S the question. We can't ba married on the lOth of j uary now. And if the poor dear General should be faially injured, 1 1 vonder if mamma would expect me ! to wear crape!" Gen. Grenvilie, however, was not ín' nl'y injured, as it happened. His i shoulder was dislocated, his ankle was broken, and ho had receive.i a ] formidable-looking cut on the liead; but a supeib constitution rendeied hun able to la.u2.I1 at these trilles when the first shork was over. "Kate," paid Mrs. Marcy, "you must go and mirse him." "Mamma, J uhan't do anythin? of the sort," waid Kate. "He has pot his valat and an old muid sijter, Imen't he?" "But, Kate, reither of these can take your pince." "Oh, mamma, how ridiculons you are!" paid Kute, pettishly. "If it's necessary for any one lo holdhishea'i and bathe bis temple3 with cologne, '■ yon can do t." "Yes, but, Katp," ventured Mr8. Í Marcy, "I can hardly think it riaht that while your encraed husband is lying at the point of death.youshould be dininc, dancing and skating with Mr. Ijeverington." "Nonsense. mamma!" cried Kate. "He. isn't any where near the point of deat'n. lie's as far from it as possible. And one must amuse one's self. Even a reprieved prisoner is alloved to do l'iat!" Aljout a week afterward Jirs. Marcy went, to visit Gen. Grenvilie. In her hand sho carried a bun eb of winter violets. and in her heart she bore a thousand-pound weiaht. "Oh, how ehall I teil him?" said I she, tragically. "Eh?" sni.i old Mi?s Grenvilie, who was very deaf. "1'wi so glad you came. Gerald is so nervous and reítless, thera is no livine with him. He has liei-n COUntiog the iiiinutBS until your arrival." Gen. Grenvilie rose courteously to receive Mra Marcy. "Mjr dear madam." he said, "you have been my guardián angel all these weary weeks. And your kindness embohiens me to speak out what is in my miiid. and - " "Oh, dou'i!' said Mrs. Marcy, hysterically. "Pray don't! Let me speiik iirst." 'Place aux dames," pallantly quoted the old gentleman, with a bow. "I don't know how to break it to vou," faltered Mrs. Marcy; "but- but-" "Is nny onedead?" eald the general, approhensively. "Oh, no. no! But - Kate war mar: ried this morning to Mr. Leverington! ■ And 1 never heanl of it until they carne beek from church." ''indeedl' said the General. 'Pray give em my conyratu!ntion." Mr.". Maioy's face bnalitened. '0h," t'ue ei i-d, with a long fish of I rïlie!, "it ia so good of you not to bu angry!" "i had juBt bseu writing a note to Kate," said Gen. Grenville. "I had bevn askinj her to release me from my troth." "Oh, üen. Grenville!" easped Mrs. Marcjr, "Uut it is unnecessnry to scnd it now," went on the General. "There is no lonpor ivny reasou why I sliould not ask you, dear madam, to bo my wife." Mrs. Marcy blushed like a youn? '■ girl. "Me!" she repeated. "The fnll-blon-n roso, in niy opinión," said the General, "is far fairer than the bud. Madam, ] have learned to love you. Will you be my wife?" 'If - ïf you think I can mako you bappy," wbispered Mrs. Marcjr. "1 am so glad," said Kate, when ahe was told of her mothcr's engftaement. "I would a yreaf. deal rather have him for a father than a husband, for ho is au oid darling, after a!l," Mr. Leverinaton looWed admiringly at his bloomiiii! youiif; bride. "It you talk in tlmt way, Kate," said iie, "I ahall be niadly jaalous."

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Democrat