Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-09-06
THE HOUSEHOLD.
STONE'S LOVE AFFAIP.
A CHARMING STORY.

d
sty. He had been very poor at one time in hil
Hfe. and had had to work very hard His indus.
zly had in the end, however, met its due reward
ii middle age he was comfortably circumstance
III. Whom he announced to his friends, there.
pre- that he thought of taking unto himself g
Alfe, it was thought generally that the step he
Facilitated was prudent and proper one. And
Ahen lie further stated that he had made an Of
n Of his hand to one Georgians Warren, the
aaughter Of wealthy merchant aud that his
stfer had been accepted by the lady, we, of
seurHe, fastened to tender our heartfelt con-
sratulations on the occasion.
Ned Stone spoke of the matter in his own
ample, sober way;
welt you know, I'm getting on" he said
aand n I'm ever to marry it's about time L
zhould think Of setting about it. You've been
zery kind. think shall be very happy-iu
hct I've no doubt about it-as happy as a fell
I'm has a right to expect TO be- One has not a
4ght to expect too much OF course But I'm
butte fond In my way OF this Georgiana Warren,
Ind think that she In her way, is fond OF me;
she Is not too young nor too old not too good
boxing nor yet 100 plain she is sensible and
scclmplished enough; and don't nee why she
ahOndn't make good sort of a wife, and SINH
hrly, | don't zee why shouldn't make a good
n old Warren, the father, and perhaps he isn't
sery fond Of me. But don't know as that may
matter very much dare say we shall under
atand each other better by and by meantime l
hust try and make the best of the old mans
Anmor and not run counter to him more than l
an ay nd. And 1t seems to me that the old fel-
bw would be no fonder of anybody else who
ng want to marry his daughter than he is of
n, You zee it's our affair-Georgianas and
Ams-and not his though it's bard 10 make
"a i At..lI .l.k n..NT IA IA
eme right in the end. That's what l tell
Georgana when she takes up with rather
gloomy views about her fathers temper She
fas good sense, and, l think, looks at the mat
IL very much as l do-only, OF course. she cant
help feeling that he Is her father, whereas,
hank goodness, he amt mine +"
4 1t will be seen that Ned Stone was not lover
d "sigh like a furnace" As for writinga woe
hi balled to hir mistress eyebrows. don't fancy
b. could have accomplished such a feat, even il
Biz life depended on doing 30. The thermone-
b Of his love stood at temperate, with no ten
apncy toward an upward rise. The marks OF
bve =" AZ they are generally understood, were
nD discernlble upon him.
Ilo never said word az to the agtated state
d his breast, nor to the excitement to his feel
bgs He did not regard Miss Warren as an an
II or a goddess. Probably he would have
hen the first to contradict any allegation that
night ave been made to the effect that she
~As anything of the kind. Miss Warren APP
Heared to him what she seemed to everybody
Ae-a nice, Ben-ible English girl | called
d on stone one evening. He was alone. He
Boxed little grave and held q small, sealed
u tkst. We DISCUSSED various Indifferent sub
Rcts, then inquired concerning Miss Georg
isnlA.
"Oh, haven't you heard?" he answered. "Bur
II course You couldn't have heard. The affair is
ub Our engagement has come to an end"
i''lOu don't moan that" asked in surprise" |
Yes; the things broken Off, as people say.
'1+ bad job, and I'm sorry for it, but it can't
H. helped"
ilad the lady resented his serinity and dis.
.fhared himl asked myself.
A. though lie had heard the question, he went |
Fl It's the old mans doings. hope he's sat |
zhted now. He's the most unreasonable and dis !
sEseesbe old fellow ever had the misfortune
ID meet" |
But what did he do ?"
fWell, We fell out about the settlement; that |
~ where the hitch arose I'm sure did all |
4anll to please him. / gave up condition after
Hpiton, quite in opposition to the advice OF |
III solicitor. told him to settle what money /
h proposed to settle on his daughter-it wasn't |
Hach after ADJUST as he pleased didn't want /
ptouch penny OF ii. He might settle 1t, |
EaEd INN, just as strictly as ever he pleased, or
q might settle nothing at all upon her. II he |
Led that better 1t was his daughter wanted, |
nd not his money. Aud for my part, I'd take |
eze my wife never came to want. undertook /
ts Insure my life for a large amount and to as /
Asn the policy to trustees for her benefit, in /
tase OF my death, covenanting OF course. to pay |
ehe premiums regularly, and to pay up the ill |
H1rance i'll the regular way. thought that
MI argument, but 1t did not content him.
He wanted to tie my hands completely. He i
h=ln't ha'porth OF confidence in me. He gave /
sHe credit Tor no sort Of affection for his daugh
vi. He insisted that any money that in future /
zIight become possessed of | should covenant |
into the settlement. 1t was Rbsurb. or course /
1 euuldnt consent to it, had my businees To- /
eonslder. OF course my wife and children--lf /
Ashe anv-will reap the benefit az much as | /
sAAl However he wouldn't listen to me- told /
uenrgana exactly how the matter stood. She's /
ii age. | asked her whether she'd marry me /
shout the old mans consent. Poor girl she /
Pc i'll an awful way BIT sha did not care to do /
shAt She shrank from offending her father, 30 |
Fheres no help for 1.-THE things broken of
And am not to be married, it seems-thls time |
- any rate"
Iie spoke rather sorrowfully, but still without
ine slightest trace OF temper l underworld to |
pohsoe him in commonplace sort Of way.
he opened the small packet he had been hold |
inB u Ills hand.
This is pleasant" he said quietly "here are
q my letters to Georgiana. All, aud here is lit
~ present gave her. sent back to me.
There were not many letters Their contents
could guess little enough like conventional
leFe letters, probably very unecstatic compost
tpns, yet simple aud to the purpose, and unec-
AAtic enough. The present WIS q riDg-R large
alhmond, heavily set in pure gold, just the valu
ape, simple, substantial present which l could
Rya fancied Ned Stone selected for his betroth-
a
Il suppose they'll expect me TO send back
uetrgana's letters to her."
/ Undoubtedly"
1t ls the usual way when engagements come
e All end "
nCerlainly; it's the usual way"
lie rubbed his chin and seemed to reflect q lit |
~
Have cigar" he said presently. land let us |
~ about sonnet hing else This il not the most |
Breesble subject in the world. Tell me what |
ipu have been doing with yourself lately"
30 We fell into talking about this, that, and /
ine other, Presently went away. As l went /
way he said quietly Il think | shall try to i
70 deorgiana once more, for particular rea-
On"
did not ask what the particular reason was,
@'d lie did not tell me.
few nights afterWard / saw him again. He /
~ at no time subject to much change of mood, |
q any rate seldom betrayed any variation of that /
4nd Yet it struck me that, II anything, lie was
z better spirits than usual.
Il You did not mention" he said, what told /
~ the other night-that my engagement was
Token off ?"
explained that had not mentioned it for
pArtlcularly good reason. l had not seen any /
#rson whom it would interest to be informed OF /
PC fact
Its just as WE'LL" he said "because the en-
Rgement isn't broken OF, or rather, it's on
aln."
Indeed I'm very glad to hear of it,
u told you should try and see Georgiana
gam. Well, l knew that she often, with her
fther and other relations and friends, went to
Lnp l.. O. II -