The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-05-15

terests? This offer is one in thousand, and
it is perfect folly in you to refuse"
But, mother, do not love him 70
''Not love him Nonsense, Helen what
romantic fancy is this What could you de
sire in husband more than Fred Stanley
possesses Is he not from one of the first
families talented, agreeable, rich And
certainly every one acknowledges him 10 be
handsome-you do yourself. And what are
you? A poor penniless girl, with nothing
but your poor dover of beauty. And here
you propose to reject the hand of this man,
who has honored you far more than you de-
serve by the unselfsh offer of his love-
Helen Irving, you are mad to refuse him ;
only consider what you are doing. You
know your fathers embarrassments are
thrkening every day, and how we are to live,
| am sure | cannot see. Frankly must be
taken out of school, which is sure "a pity,
now he is doing so nicely; and we must part
with Sarah, and YOU will have to do fifty lit
tie thinks that | am sure you will find very
annoying"
'Dear mother, Frankly mustn't be taken
from school You know have long wished
to give up my music lessons as an unneces-
5ary expense, and we can do very well with
out Sarah. should like little more to do
myself"
"Nonsense, Helen, how absurdly you talk!
Give up your music, and spoil your beautiful
hands with housework Never Besides,
what would that avail On you depends
your fathers future ruin or success. You
know Fred Stanley is one Of his principal
creditors. If you reject him, Of course we
have no further claims on his generosity; if
you accept, he viii consider the debt as can
celled.o
'But, oh, mother, it would be wicked in
me to marry him without love -
pray, what is necessary, Helen, to make
you love ~
Perfect sympathy between us, dear moth
err"
And what is there to prevent this per-
feet sympathy between you and Fred Stan
ley 2"
81 do not know, mother.o
"No, of course YOU do not there is no
reason but some romantic folly of your own;
and where did you learn this new theory of
yours, Helen Has George Merryl been
filling your head with this romantic non
sense29
sob, mother, pray don't speak Of it''
said Helen, dnrting up, the color quickly
flushing her check and brow. She walked
hastily TO the window and began impatiently
the cool pane How wildly her heart throb-
bed with the fierce struggle going on within
her. 1t seemed ready to burst It's narrow
bounds: she felt suffocated by its passionate
hutterings. She turned and hurried from he
room, and, snatchDg her bonnet-the little
white sun-bonnet hanging in the cool back
entry-She passed quickly out into the clear
fresh air, and on, she scarcely knew whittier,
down the little garden path, and through the
open gate into the shady grove beyond. A
murmurlng brook ran through the grove
with low sweet music; here she paused.
and, sitting down on the soft grass, pushed
back her bonnet and let the wind blow on her
flushed cheeks and pull out her long curls.
while she tried to sec where lay the path Of
duty. Ii was kind, and noble, and generous
IN Fred Stanley thus TO stoop to wed her,
the simple country maiden and why could
she not be happy in his beautiful home, sur
rounded By all those Injuries she could so
well appreciated But pair Of calm sad
eyes seemed looking into hers with such a
world Of reproof in their earnest gaze, that
She shuddered, and burying her face in her
hands, she murmured, ooh, ! caunot | can
not! Oh, George, If you would only speak
II you would but help met If you only knewi'
Hut again her fathers anxious care-worn
face was before her, her mothers restless
nervous anxiety, and Frankly, dear little
Frankly, her precious only brother 50 studi-
Gus, SO ambitious, how could she bear to see
his high hopes brought low, his bright pros
poets for the future darkened, when with
her lay the power to give him every advan
tage Of education, and to see him rise as he
one day must TO be bright star in the lite
rary world !? There was the light sound Of
IN approaching footstep, and turning her
head, Helen saw smiling down upon her the
handsome face Of Fred Stanley. lie sat
down beside her on the soft grass under the
old trees, and drew her half-resisting hand in
his.