"
"Well, Charlie," said she, jerking the words out with an effort, "Mr.--Mr.
Walters has asked me to marry him!"
"Phew--gemini! that is news!" exclaimed Charlie. "And are you going to
accept him Ess?"
"I don't know," she answered.
"Don't know!" repeated Charlie, in a tone of surprise. "Why, Ess, I'm
astonished at you--such a capital fellow as he is! Half the girls of our
acquaintance would give an eye for the chance."
"But he is so rich!" responded Esther.
"Well, now, that's a great objection, ain't it! I should say, all the
better on that account," rejoined Charlie.
"The money is the great stumbling-block," continued she; "everybody would
say I married him for that."
"Then _everybody_ would lie, _as_ everybody very often does! If I was you,
Ess, and loved him, I shouldn't let his fortune stand in the way. I wish,"
continued he, pulling up his shirt-collar, "that some amiable young girl
with a fortune of a hundred thousand dollars, would make me an offer--I'd
like to catch myself refusing her!"
The idea of a youth of his tender years marrying any one, seemed so
ludicrous to Esther, that she burst into a hearty fit of laughter, to the
great chagrin of our hero, who seemed decidedly of the opinion that his
sister had not a proper appreciation of his years and inches.
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