The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-11-25

Quite. Old Thompson is good prac.
tice. We must have a settlement. you
know; but that II be all right. Ratheryou
have her than an earl God bless you !
I am proud to call you son. I've spoken
to her. She loves you, my boy-]oves
you dearly, she says, and has done so
long. And now that you are ore of the
family, | may as well tell you a secret
My youngest daughter is engaged, too.
Yes, Alice and my nephew William are
going to make match of it. Dom look
SO aston.shed. She'll make him a good
wife: for though she is year younger
than dear Hetty, she looks older, you
know. and is more steady and sedate.
But Hetty's dear girl, and will, m
sure, make you happy. Don't speak,
don't speak! There, ii send her in. =
And off the lawyer bolted In his usual
jerky way before / could speak word.
| Was I mad? Was / dreaming?-
Alice the younger! Alice engaged
Hetty loving me dearly! Hetty coming
to me! Ye powers what on earth Is it all
about? How could have been such a
fool? A thousand little hitherto unnoticed
facts crowded on my brain concerning the
statement. How could [ have trusted
appearances so utterly, and taken her
for the eldest without being certain
She engaged; and wild, merry sweet
Hetty loving me? 1t still would not enter
my BRAIN What should [ do? Get up,
bolt, and explain afterward?
[ sprang up to obey my impulse. AS
| did so the door opened. and with down
cast eyes and rosy bushes Hetty came in.
| rushed eagerly toward her and grasped
her hands. [ would confess all thought
:'Hetty-' I began. She mistook my
action, my words, for affection. She
came nearer to me, responded to my
warm clasp, aud then, overcome by shy
ness, hid her pretty curly head on my
shoulder. My embarrassment momentarl.
ly increased-"Oh Hetty Hetty-" ]
began oncemore.
Dear Phillip" she whispered in
reply to what she deemed affection Il
What could I do? Tell her that it was
mistake and thus blight the bright
young life and heart forever? In that
one second [ made great decision. My
chances of happiness had fled. | would
sacrifice myself and marry her, and she
would never know the truth.
| bent down and whispered "God bless
you Hetty; [ will try and make you
happy" and | kissed the wild, teasing,
merry girl, now so gentle, so winning, so
sweet. I could not rudely break her
heart r-..
She looked up and then hid her face
again on my shoulder, and clung to me
to hide her emotion. Was it not posi-
BILE to love her? Ought [ not to be thank
ful Had [ married Aice-no, [ mean
proposed to her-I should only have
been rejected and gone away miserable !; |
now | had real true heart to love me-
Surely, surely, III time | might return
her affection
''Can you be happy with me, Hetty?"
| asked.
"Oh Phillip, indeed I can,' she re-
piled.
II always feared you laughed at me"
[ said. - h#
II only laughed to hide my feelings"
said Hetty.
II am not rich, Hetty" I continued
II will be careful little wife, Phil |
lip," she said
''I am net worthy of you," said.
eyes you are, she exclaimed Il am
not worthy of you.
There was. no escape for me. She
wouldn' see me In my worst light. She
would love me. LLtst<L 54EE
We sat down side by side She pratt
tied to me how Alice and Willie had long
loved each other, but that it had never
been settled thing till now, for his posi-
ton had never been such that he could
marry.
'sAnd Alice is so glad for me-" went
on Hetty little thinking what my feelings
were. ''She says your C just the kind
Of man she would like for a BROTHER
You know it would not do for us both to
want you for a husband-eh Philip?'
''No dearest [ stammered," it would
not
| could not talk to her, but she seemed
not to mind my silence We sat hand in
hand. dreaming, thinking. Inwaldly l
was repeating my letter to Charlie Sum-
ers, tell him about my love for Alice.
Now must hasten to tell him that it was
Hetty | meant OH dear, what whirl
my poor brain is in.
At last to my great relief, Mr.. and Mrs,
Gordon entered. Mrs. Gordon shook
me warmly by the hand, and said Dear
Mr.. Gwynne, there is no one | would
rather give my wild young birdie to than
you. Alice though yonger, is SO quiet
and steady, she is far more capable of
acting for herself; but you'll always be
kind and tender to Hetty, won't you?''
''Of course he will-of course he will
cried Mr.. Gordon. Come Gwynne and
wash your hands, Ir -7 TfTn
Deeply grateful for the chance(n that
my hands were dirty, but because | felt
should burst out crying or do some
thing equally absurd if | stopped), I fol-
lowed him.
"What time do you dine, Mr.. Gordon?'
[ asked. sv
Six he replied. 1T is now quar-
'HAh, shall have just time l said
II have forgotten to leave orders about
certain medicine. If you'll allow me.
TIljust run down to the surgery, for it
will not do to be careless about physic. y
Certainly not, certainly not, said
Mr.. Gordon; g though very excusable
under the circumstances; make haste-siA
sharp"
I almost ran off, let myself into the
surgery by my latch-key. Oh joy it was
empty. Locking the door, | sank into a
chair and paused to think. What should
[ do? The only time for escape was now.
Should [ send up note to say | was
suddenly called out, and see what to-
morrow would do? Should [ pack up
my things, throw my character and pro
| fession to the winds, and bolt ? They
were not tempting alternatives. [ almost
did the first But was [ not mean
coward-was not going to act unworthy
gentleman? After. plighting my troth
and received her shy kisses, could now
| explain? And yet-and yet, was it right
to marry one sister, loving the other !?
WHY had they not seen loved Alice, and
/ told mo at once my case was hopeless Z
/ Why did aot1 open my eyes and see that
contrary to appearances she was the