The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-12-22


herself to do that which, no doubt, all
her friends would commend her for do
ing. OF course, it was clear enough to
the mind of the girl that she had her
fortune to make, and that her
beauty and youth were the capital on
which she had to found it. She had not
lived so far from all faint of corruption
as to feel any actual horror at the idea
of girl giving herself to a man,-not
because the man had already, by his own
capacities in that direction, forced her
heart from her,-but because he was one
likely to be at all points a good hus-
band. Had all this affair concerned any
other girl, any friend of her own, and
had she known all the circumstance oil
the case, she would have had no hesita
tion in recommending that other girl 20
marry Mr.. Glascock. A girl thrown
out upon the. world without shililn9
must make her hay while tue sun
shines. But, nevertheless, there was
something within her bosom which
made her long for better thing than
tbis- She had dreamed, if she had not
thorobt of being able to worship a
man. Init she could hardly worship Mr..
GIascock. She had dreamed, if she had
NOT thought, of leaning upon man oil
through life with her whole weight, as
tbough that man had been specially
made to be her staff, her prop, her sup
port, her wall of comfort and protection.
She knew that if she were to Earry Mr..
Glascock and become Lady Peterbor-
ough, in due course she must stand a
good deal of her own strength, and live
without that comfortable leaning. New
ertheless, when she found herself alone
with the man, she by 10 means knew
whether she would refuse him or not.
But she knew that she must pluck up
courage for an important moment; and
collected herself, braced her muscles, as
it were, for a fight, and threw her mind
into an attitude of contests.
Mr.. Glascock, as soon as the door was
shut behind Mrs. Trevelyan's back, took
a chair and placed it close beside the
head of the sofa on which Nora was Sit
ting.
"Miss Rowley," he said, "you and /
have known each other now for some
and hope you have learned to
regard mo as friend"
40 yes, indeed, said Nora, with some
spirit.
at has seemed to me that we have
met as friends, aud can most truly say
for myself, that have taken the great
est possible pleasure in your acquaint-
ance. 1t is not only that / admire You
very much, "-he looked straight before
him as he said this, and moved about
the point of the stick which he was
holding in both his hands,-"it is not
only that,-perhaps not chiefly that,
though / do admire you very much; but
the truth is, that | like everything
about you"
Nora smiled, but she said nothing.
1t was better, she thought, to let him
tell his story; but his mode of telling
it was not without its efficacy. 1t was
not the simple praise which made its
way with her; but a certain tone in the
words which seemed to convince her
that they were true. If he had really
found her, or fancied her to be what
he said, there was a manliness III his
telling her so in the plainest words that
pleased her much.
81 know" continued he, THAT this is a
very bald way of telling-of pleading
nay cause; but / don't know whether
bald way may not be the best, if it can
only make itself understood to be
true. OF course, Miss Rowley, you
know what mean. AS said before,
you have all these things which
not only make me love you, but which
make me like you also. If you think
that YOU can love me, say SO; and, as
long as live, L will do my best to make
you happy as my wife"
There was clearness of expression in
this, and a downright surrender of him
self, which so lattered her and so Hut
tered her that she was almost reduced
to the giving OF herself up because she
could not reply to such an appeal III
language less courteous than that of
agreement. After moment OF two she
found herself remaining silent, with
growing feeling that silence would be
taken as conveying consent. There
hoIted quickly across her brain an idea
of the hardness of wOman's lot, IN
that she should be called upos to de-
eide her future fate for life in half
minute. lie had had weeks to think of
weeks in which it would have
been almost unmaidenly in her so to
think of it a. to have made up her mind
to accept the man. Had she SO made up
her mind, aud had he not come to her,
where would she have been then Bus
he had come to her. There he was,
still poking about with his stick, wait
ing for her, aud she must answer him.
And he was the eldest son of peer,-an
enormous match for her, very proper in
Ill respects; such man that, if she |
should accept him, everybody around
nor would regard her fortune In life as
successful. He was not
such man that any one would point
1t her and say, "There; see another of
hem who has sold herself for money |
md titlew Mr.. Glascock was not an
inollo, not an Admirable Crichton, but
10 was q man whom any girl might have
earned TO love. Now he had asked her |
10 be his wife, aud it was necessary that
she should auswer him. He sat there
for her very patiently, still |
Doking about the point of his stick.
ITO be Continued
-<c
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