The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-12-29
BERTHA'S TRIAL.
"And so you are going to Califo

And so you are gong to Calitor-
MIA, are you, PHILIP
"Yes, I'm off next week"
/ "You are foolish fellow, in my
| opinion, Phil Travers. With a good
/, situation here, in first-class bank. a
good reputation, and first rate chance
to rise, you are going to throw it
up for mere lottery game, with the
added risk of beng scalped by the
Indians
Yes; but Richards, what is a fell
low going to do? l might manage
very we'll rs single man; but you see
I'm in love and want to marry"
"Then why in the name of common
sense, don't you marry? You could
keep house decently enough on three
hundred year. And il your lady,
love is made of the right kind of ma.
terial and loves you, she would much
prefer to do SO, to having you run
such risks in California"
so she would, bless her loving
hearti But am not going to permit
her to do any such thing. She has
been used to comparative Injuries,
her father has nothing but his good
income, every penny of which is alb
sorbed in his style of living. No, no!
Bertha Clark is to be my wiie-not
my maid-of-all work, nurse, ,seamstress
and washer-woman--so long as have
health and strength"
but suppose you don't succeed?"
II shall succeed. feel sure of it.
And ! shall not he scalped. but shall
come home before long in good health
aud the possessor OF "a fortnre.n
"Well, I'm glad you feel SO san
guine, old fellow. l wouldn't trust a
| girl in sach a matter. ! should ex-
pect her TO accept the FIRST good offer
! that came TO hand
"SuTe OF her rs | am of myself"
"May be you are right; but |
wouldn't trust girl in such matter. "
Phil Travers had never had doub,
of Bertha Clark's love for him, nor
any reason TO doubt her cons,ancy -
but still, that remark oil Richards dis
tarbed him.
What right had he to expect wo-
man 10 wait for him, when his fortune
and even his life. were so uncertain
Could he blame her, if, after reason.
able time, she should accept the first
good offer that came TO hand?'
Bertha have you not heard from
Phil lately:'
NO, papa"
"And what do you expect TO do?-
i ou have now waited for him three
years, and none of his letters have
been at all encouraging
Bertha twirled her empty tea-cup
in her hand, TO charm the tea leaves
into the right position TO tell her for
tune.
1.-The world was not made in day +,
you know, paoa."
But, Bertha; you don't know what
you are talking about. Girls are right.
Here you are past twenty-three years
old, with less and less prospect of
marrying. Constancy is very well.
but there may be too much Of good
thing. Remember how many good
chances you have thrown away since
Phil left you on that wild goose chase
of his; and now you do not even know
| whether he is alive or not"
There is Col. Granger now who
would be glad TO marry you and put
you in better position than either oi
your sisters are in. A most respccta.
BILE man, too, if he is not young. He
spoke to me on the subject yesterday
said he would have offered himself
before this, if you had not been so
shy and cold. 1t would be shame
for you to refuse him, if he did ask
YOU"
II certainly shall refuse him, papa
A pretty husband he would make foi
ine-fifiy years old at least! and g
pretty wife / should make him-rnar
rying him for nothing but his money
I'm not afraid of being an old maid.
you're fool, Bertha Clark"
"Dear papa you don't compliment
yourself when you call me fool, ey
erybody says | resemble you"
And the saucy girl imprinted kisl
upon her irate fathers cheek, and LEI
the room.
"Well, Peter, what is it?"
"a gen'lman in the parlor, miss
asking for YOU"
"Who is it Peter?"
"Tbat oldish gen'l'man, miss, what
his name now? Oh, Col. Granger
And Peter backed out of the room
with many spinal curvitures and den
tai displays.
"Col. Granger? What a boor!
know papa has encouraged him il
this" SAID Bertha Il, herself, much an
noyed. But, after all, the man is en-
titled to decent treatment, / suppose
I'll go down, and ii be asks me an.
| questions, / can but answer them ant
put an end to this suspense"
SO she tripped down to the Tarlo
where she found the visitor alone
She had never found herself alon
before. She had never noticed how
gentlemanly and even winning he wa
in his manners. She should lik
him extremely well, she though
but for the fact he had proposed TO
her to her father. He talked GOO
while upon different subjects, display
ed much tact and good sense as we
as general information.
Bertha began to hope that tn
dreaded question was not to be aske
her. Tn the course of his coIvers;
ton, he alluded to San Francisco
AS he spoke the name, a slight blus
came to her face which he eyidentl
noticed. ,ss
aBy the way" he said, II know