“Oh, how could you be so cruel, Aunt ‘Liza?” asked Sally.
“Please go on, Mrs. Willis,” said Alta.
“Well, Jerusha finally jumped up and cried, ‘Girls, I have it! Do you want to hear a real proposal?’
“We danced with delight at the suggestion.
“‘Well, I’ll tell you. When my lord comes to-night, you be on hand and I’ll manage the rest. Slip down by the old apple tree.’”
“Mother, you surely didn’t!” said Mary.
“I’m afraid I must confess, child, that I did.”
“And did he propose?”
“Now, don’t crowd my story. We waited a long time before they got through rehearsing, and then, just as we had decided that Jerusha was fooling us, here they came sauntering down to the bench by the apple tree. We didn’t know where else to hide, so we climbed the tree, and sat there giggling. But we managed to hold quiet enough until he began to make love in dead earnest.”
“Huh! the old softy!” inserted Aunt ‘Liza; “jest like him!”