The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-06-29

can't help feeling that he is her father; whereas
thank goodness, he is not mine. I'm much
Obliged to you for your good wishes, ! say
again.
1t will be seen that Ned Stone was not lover
to ''sigh like fnrnance.". As for writing a
woful ballad to his mistress eyebrow" don't
fancy he could have accomplished such feat,
even if lhis life had depended ON his doing so.
His pulse beat ever steadily and punctually.
The thermometer of his love stood at temperate,
with no tendency towards rise, Let Cupid do
all he could, it did not seem that he was able to
work very vital changes in these respects. Stone,
it was evident persisted in contemplating love
and marriage from the prosaic and practical
point of view. Notions of poetry and sentiment
on those or any other subjects were not possible
to him. His constitutional serenity refused to
be disturbed at all by the quotidian of love-"
There was nothing about demonstrating care
less desolation. The g marks of love-" as they
are ordinarily understood, We're not discernible
upon him. He was indeed a great disappoint-
ment to conventional ideas in relation to lover.
Many, perhaps, would be inclined to think that
ne was not to be regarded as lover at all that
he was simply going to be married, which char
| acter does not necessarily involve the former
more attractive and snowy roe. Certainly he
did not attudinze or speechify or behave in the
eccentric way which is popularity expected OF a
lover. He affected no particular raptures at his
proposed change in life, though he looked for
ward to it with sort of a calm satisfaction.
He never said q word as to the agitated state OF
his breast or the excitement of his feelings. He
did not regard Miss Warren as angel or a
goddess; probably he would have been the first
to contradict any allegation that she was any
| thing of the kind. Passion did not perplex or
discomposc his vision. Miss Warren seemed to
him what she seemed to everybody elsa nice
looking, sensible girl. If he was to be consid-
cred as lover at all, why, then, it was as. a.
lover with large infusion of the man OF busi-
ness. AT the same time it should be strictly
noted that, as man of business, Ned Stone was
a strictly honorable and thorough-going gentle
man. 4ra'I -4. .r..t . lafp- l.- ..f
Stones love affair might not be very interest
ing to looker-on; if it could be called a
romance at all, it was unquestionably dull one.
Yet there was something respectable about it,
too. His affection was not at all for display, but
wholly for use; a solid and endurable looking
article, and, in that light, commanding attention.
1t was not wine that sparkled and etfervesced,
bubbling over the glass brim in rose-tinted
foam; yet it might, for all that, be of sound,
still and potent vintage. Possibly, too, it would
be found to keep better than its more dashing
and sumptuous rival ~ ....,-. -.r
D 1 liked the man. His worthiness indeed,
commanded the regard of all. Moreover, ne was
a staunch, generous fellow, a most trusty and
resolute friend. To me the progress of his love
affair was matter of curious study. was
often considering the question Would it change
him much? would his practicability ultimately
succumb? was his philosophy wholly proof
against passion would he not rather, like most
other men, however coolly he might enter upon
| the matter, find at last an unexpected fire
kindling and cracking in his breast
called upon him one evening. he was alone.
TJo 1nnlo1 n E<t1o ,,rayo an1 ba hold in his hand
small sealed packet We discussed various
Indifferent topics; then I inquired concerning
Miss Georgiana Warren.
40, haven't you heard?" he said quietly.
" But of course you couldn't have heard. The
affairs off; our engagement has come to an end
You don't mean that?"
"Yes the things broken off, as people say.
It's bad job and I'm sorry about it, but it
can't be helped"
Had the lady resented his serenity, and dis
Iuissed hims I asked myself. As though he
heard the question he won't on:
"It's the old mans dcings. l hope he's salts
fed now. He's the most unreasonable and disa-
greeable old fellow I ever had the misfortune to
meet with" i-
"We fell out about the settlements; that was
where the hitch arose. l am sure that did all
that could to please him. l gave up condition
after condition, quite in opposition to the advice
of my solicitor. 1 told him to settle what
money he proposed to settle upon his daughter
| it wasn't much after adjust as he pleased;
didn't want to touch halfpenny Of it. He
might settle it, told him, just as strictly as
ever he pleased; or he might settle nothing at
all upon her, if he liked that better. 1t was his
daughter l wanted, and not his money. And
for my part, I'd take care that my wife didn't
come to want. I undertook to insure my life
| for large sum and to assign the policy to trus-
| tees for her benefit in case of my death, cove
nanting Of course to pay the premiums regularly,
! and to keep up the insurance in the usual way.
| ! thought that fair arrangement enough but
it didn't content him. He wanted to tie my
hands completely. He hadn't a bit OF conf
dence in me- He gave me credit for no sort of
affection for his daughter. He insisted that any
money l might in future become possessed of
should covenant to bring into the settlement.
1t was most absurd. Of course couldn't con-
sent to it had my business to consider. 1t
may be very desirable by and by to invest further
capital in it. Why should be hindered from
investing my own money in the way l might
deem best. Of course, my wife and my children
If ever have any-will reap the benefit of it
Just as much as shall. However, he wouldn't
listen to me; so there was nothing more to be
said He wouldn't give in and / wouldn't.
told GeOrgiana exactly how the matter stood.
She's of age. / asked her whether she would
marry me without the old mans consent. Poor
girl, she was in dreadful way. But she didn't
dare to do that She shrunk from offending her
father; SO there's no help for it-the thing is
broken off, and I'm not to be married, it seeing
this time, at any rate '1u. nor. .
He spoke rather sorrowfully, but still without
the slightest trace of temper. I endeavored he
console him in commonplace sort of way. II
was a difficult matter to know what to say upon
such an occasion, and consolation at all times i.
apt to run into rather commonplace forms.