The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-09-06
HOW HERMAN WON HIS WIFE.

at his uncle in silence, as the old man
spoke with angry vehemence. He
was tall, stalwart young man of
twenty-four, with fresh, handsome
face now deeply clouded. His uncle
was not over fifty, but an appearance
of i'll health aud feebleness made him
seem much older. His usual pallor
crept once more over his flushed, ex-
cited face. before he spoke again to
Herman, and his angry voice was gen.
tie as its wont, as he said:
II was hasty, Herman, hurt and
surprised. Tell me now, how did it
hapPen?"
Il scarcely know how to tell you,
sir" said his nephew, respectfully.
"Where did you meet this girl p
"Miss Miller" said Herman, flush
ing little at his uncle's designation,
.was very intimate with Mr.. Grey's
daughters. / met her there. Mr..
Grey made me welcome in his home
as soon l became his clerk"
"You met her at Grey's. Well!"
II loved her. That is ALL"
"All! Enough, should think
And she loves you, l suppose, or l
should not have heard all this?"
"She loves me-" said the young man
with pardouable pride.
"Oh, Herman, why couldn't you
have fallen in love with one of Greys
girls. Nice, domestic, home like
girls, that would have made home
for you. l know this is an idle, stuck
up girl, If she is not iooling you
Il think you misjudge her, uncle"
Don't tell me this" was the an
swer, at once sad and inpatient
"Sbe is John Miller's daughter. l can
never welcome her here. Neverp
Il hope you will not hold TO that
resolution, Uncle James"
Il suppose you were influenced
some by the thirty thousand dollars
her mother left herr"
Il didn't know she had one cent"
"Her mother kept that safely, and
left it to the daughter. / knew that
at the time she died. Oh, my lad,
think better OF it. Money is not
ever, thing"
Il tell you l never heard of her
money till this minute. i wish you
would see her."
IL see herl Neverl If you
marry John Miller's daughter, you
may take leave of me and the farm
I'll have none of that blood around
me John Miler's daughterm
But, uncle, you would not turn me
away from here-from the only home
| have known since my parents died:"
bah! you won't care for that
You've been living on Tourney year
now, and you say Mr. Grey makes
you good offer if you stay with him.
Then your wife will be rich, SO you
need not care for the farm"
For be it known, James Wilson had
had sore heart ever since his nephew
had left the farm and gone TO be a
clerk in the town near by. He did
not like farming. he said, and could
make more money in town. But as
his uncle spoke now, Herman sudden
ly remembered the years spent in this
| his only home, the kind, iathorly love
OF bis relative, and spoke with earnest
warmth.
II do care for the farm, Uncle
James, and | care still more for your
love. No matter how much money l
make or hold, l can never have anoth-
er such home or father"
"Well, boy, why don't you stay
here then? Oh, if it was anybody
else but John Miller's grill"
"But, Uncle James, it is John Mil
ler's girl Will you tell me why one
of Mr.. Grey's daughters would have
suited you better z"
There was a dead silence in the
room for some minutes after this
Uncle James spoke at last, in low
tone, as if he was reading instead of
! conversing.
"When was a young man, Herman,
not older than you are now, | was
working on the farm of old Squire
Hayward, who was very fond of me
even then"
ale left you the farm, did he not y
eyes, but there was no talk Of that
then. L was only a farmland, though
the old squire always chose me to
drive him out, or to Go any business
that required trusty person. He
had no family, so it made quite stir
when his sister died in New York,
and her daughter came to live on the
farm. She was the handsomest woman
ever saw in my life, quite young,
about seventeen, but with all the self
possession and coquetry OF woman
of thirty. l was, as | said, often
about her father, and met Arabella-
that was her name-frequently. She
was SO kind to ME, so gracious, had SO
many winning ways, that she had nay
heart in her grasp in less than a week.
My love was fairly worshipping, and
when she would give me smiles and
words Of encouragement, how was l,
a poor country boy, to know it was
all skillful coquetry, the sport OF a
hard-hearted fiirt? Then John Mil
ler came, and he too loved her. He
was young lawyer, who settled in
town, but came over here very often,
sometimes for weeks visit at one
time. Arabella played her part SO
well, that never suspected the truth
till l summoned up courage to ask her
to be my wife in the future, when she
/ told she was engaged to John Miller.
While We were talking Miller came in
and she told him my cherished hope
and secret as good joke. Together
they ate the country pumpkin, and
John made sneering remarks that
almost drove me mad. l think l