The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-03-08
HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
BY ANTHONY TROILOPE.
Continued
CHAPTER XXXIV.
PRIsCILLA's WISDOM.

On the night after the dinner-party u
the Close, Dorothy was not the only
person in the house who laid awake
thinking of what had taken place. Miss
Stanbury also was full of anxiety, and
for hour after hour could not sleep as
she remembered the fruitlessness of her
efforts Oh behalf of her nephew and
niece.
II had never occurred to her, when
she had first proposed to herself thai
Dorothy sheuld become Mrs. Gibson,
that Dorothy herself would have any
obiectisu to such step IN lie. her
fear had been that Dorothy would have
become over-radiant with triumph at
the idea Of having q husband, and GO
inc TO that husband with fortune OF
her own. That Mr.. Gibson might hes.
itate she had thought very likely. 1t Is
thus, in general, that women regard the
feelings, desires, and aspirations OF other
women. You will hardly ever meet an
elderly lady who will not speak OF her
juniors as living in state of breathless
anxiety TO catch husbands. And the
elder lady will speak of the younger as
tuougn any kind OF choice In such
catching was quite disreSarded. The
northumberland there must be bread.
Let these things be given, and what
girl won't jump into what mans armsi
Female reader, is it not thus that the
elders of your sex speak of the youngerS
When old Mrs. Staubury heard that
Nora Rowley had refused Mr.. Glsscock,
the thing was to her uninteiligible; and
it was now quite unintelligible TO Miss
Stanbury that Dorothy should prefer
single life to matrimOny with Mr.. Glib
son.
1t must be acknowledged, on Aunt
Stanbury's behalf, that Dorothy was
one of those yielding, hesitating, sub
missiye young women, trusting others
but doubling ever of themselves, as to
whom it is natural that their stronger
friends should find it expedient to de-
eide for them. Miss Stanbury was al
most justified in thinking that, unless
she were to find husband for her niece,
her niece would never find one for her
self. Dorothy would drift into being an
old maid, like Priscilla, simply because
she would never assert herself,-never
put her best foot foremost. Aunt Stan
bury had therefore taken upon herself
TO put out a foot; and, having carefully
found that Mr.. Gibson was "willing,"
had conceived that all difficulties were
over. She wonld he enabled to do her
duty by her niece, and establish com
fortably in life, at any rate, one of her
brothers children. And now Dorothy
was taking upon herself to say that ste
did not like the gentleman Such con
duct was almost equal to writing for a
penny newspaper.
On the following morning, after
breakfast, when Brooke Burgess was
gone out to call upon his unclo-which
he insisted upon doing openly, and not
under the rose, in spite of Miss Stan
bury's great gravity on the Occasion,-I
there was q very serious conversation,
and poor Dorothy had found herself tn
be almost silenced. She did argue for
time; but her arguments seemed, even
to herself, TO amount tOsO little Why
shouldn't she love Mr. Gibsoni That !
was question which she found it i'm. |
possible to answer. And though she did |
not actually yield, thoIgh she did not |
say that she would accept the man, still, |
when she was told that three DAYS were
to be allowed to her for consideration, |
and that then the offer would be- made |
to Der in form, she felt that. as regarded
the anti-GjbSOn interest, she had not a !
leg to stand upon. Why should not
such an insignificant creature as was
she love Mr.. GibsOn,-or any other
man. who had bread to give her, and
was in some degree like @ gentleman
On that night, she wrote the following
letter to her sister,
"THE CLOSE, Tuesday.
DEAREST PRISCILLA,-
II do so wish that you could be with
me, so that could talk to you again.
Aunt StaDbury is the most affectionate
and kiDdest friend in the world; but she
has always been so able to have her own
way, because she is both clever aud good,
that / ind myself almest like baby
with her. She has been talking to nue.
again about Mr.. Gibson; and it seems
thar Mr.. Gibson really does mean
it. 1t is certainly very strange; but
do think now tha5 il is true. He is to |
come on Friday. L. seems very edd |
that 1t should all be settled for him in |
>nat way; but then Aunt Stanbury is so
clever at Sc Ting things
ne sat next to inc almost all the |
evening YESTERDAY; but he didn't saw
anything about 1t, except that he hoped
l agreed with him abont goi,,o to
church, and all that. | supnose I do.
and am quite sure that. if wero =. he
clergyman's wife, l should endeavor
to do what ever my husband thongbt
right about religion. One ought to try to
do so, even if the Clergyman is not ones
husband. Mr.. Burgess has come, and
he was so very amusing all the evening,
that perhaps that was the reason Mr.
Gibson said so little. He is a very nice
man, and think Aunt Stanbury is more
fond Of him than of anybody. He is
not at all the sort ofperson that / expect
"But if Mr.. Gibson does come on Fri
day' and does really mean il, what am
j to saw tn him - cL.aL.-- .