HELPING DAD PROPOSE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1675, 6 April 1904, Page 11

HELPING DAD PROPOSE

(By Susan F. Burbank.)

It was Jack's doing. But as Jack liad been responsible for every unusual thing that had happened in the neighbourhood ever since the diary he was born, twelve years before, no one ever thought of giving him the credit for it. He began it by capturing a nestful of young adders arid letting them loose in echo-oil while the superintendent wa.s making a tour of inspection. Miss Brown, the new teacher, sent a note to the culprit's father, asking him to call at the schoolhouse after .school hours. Mr Munroe grumbled and went. Hei stayed an hour, and when he went away said that he would like to call occasionally and talk over Jack’s welfare. But J aclc must have deteriorated sadly, !for .it was only a short time before his aunt, who kept house for tliem, hadl to invited Miss Brown In dinner once or twice '.J. a week. After it was over Miss Brown V and his father would sit in thie parlour and talk about him in tones so low that he couldn't hear what they were saying. |of course, they had to sit very close to each other to do this, and it was about this time that Mr Munroe’s iery.es began to trouble him so that he couldn't bear to have the gas lighted. But even this did not prove sufficient to insure his son's well-being, and they began to take long rides in the evening. They both went around looking so happy that Jack thought they must have selected! some grand profession for him—driving the ash teaimi, perhaps. As for Miss Brown, the boys said she •r W as a good looker and a regular briok. An'd you can depend; upon the judgment of a boy every time. Jack had finally decided that she was to be . trusted and .had consigned to her without reserve the direction of bis actions. It was the first time in his life that he had been oontmually obedient to anyone except his father. ' Then' eoane two or three days when Mr Munroe couldn't sit still, but wandered aimlessly about the house and scolded everyone that spoke to him. The next morning ai little yellow letter came, to

him. After he had read it lie locked himself into the library, and Jack’s aunt would’t let anyone go near him all day. The next morning he told Jack that the menagerie 'had gotten away and eaten up all liis money. At least Jack supposed it was a menagerie, as there were bulls and bears in it. The great house and its contents were sold, and they went to Boston to live in a flat. Jack had forgotten all about Miss Brown amid the novelty of his new surroundings until one evening when he found his father sitting disconsolately by his desk, holding her photograph in liis hand. “Wouldn’t it be sport to have Miss Brown here now, pa?” he inquired. “Did you love her, too, Jack?” his father asked sadly.

"Sure! She’s a daisy.” "Well, Jack I’ll tell you a secret. I was going to ask her to marry me, and bo your mamma. But I can’t now, when everything we have is what I can earn.”

Jack pondered the situation over unlc-il the next day. After his father had gone to work he posted! the following letter to his former school teacher, having laboured long and valiantly in its composition : Dear Miss Brown:

v - "Pa wants -to know if you will be my mamma. He says he can’t ask you bncause, he lost his money. I ehoulcl think it would be a good: time to aisle you because you could earn some for him. And I should think you would be happy enough to be my mamma and not, have any money. Pa looks as if lie had the stomach, ache all the time, and peppermint don’t do> him anj' good. Maybe if you come you could cure him. I could beg after school. Lots of nice people in Boston do. Your friend —"Jack.” Soane days- later Jack’s father came Lome from the office and handed Jack the letter he had written. “Did you write that. Jack?” ■ “Ye- 1 . Where did you get ic? "Miss Brown, sent it to me. What possessed you to do such a thing?” "Why, she can do interest and I can t. She’d be a great help to me. just now. ’ Mr Munro went away on Saturday and when he- came home the next week lie brought a lady witlii him that he sat'd was not Miss Brown, but Jack s new mamma.