Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-05-16
:" You don't mean that q asked in

"You don't mean that % asked in
surprise.
"Yes; the things broken off, as
people say. It's hard job, and I'm
sorry for it, but it can't be helped"
Had the lady resented his serenity
and discharged him, | asked myself.
AS though he had heard the question:
he went on: cts the mans doings. /
hope he is satisfied now. He's the most
unreasonable and disagreeable old fel-
tow ] ever had the misfortune to meet.
"But what did he do?"
We f. II ont about the settlement
that was where the hitch arose. Tn
sure / did all / could to please him.
gave up condition after condition quite
in opposition to the advice of my solici-
tor | told him to settle what money
he proposed to settle on his daughter
it wasn't much after adjust as he
plcased-I didn't want to touch half
penny of it. He might settle it, / told
him, just as strictly as ever he pleased,
or he might settle nothing at all upon
her, if he liked that better. 1t was his
daughter l wanted, and not his money.
And for my part, I'd take care my wife
never came to want. | undertook to
insure my life for large amount, and
assign the policy to trustees for her
benefit, in case of my death, covenant
ing, of course, to the premiums regu
larly, and to pay up the insurance in
the regular way. thought that fair
arrangement, but it did not content
him.
"H He wanted to tie my hands com
pletely. He hadn't hap 'p'oth of con-
fdence in me- He gave me credit for
no sort of affection for his daughter
He insisted that any money that | in
future might become possessed of |
should covenant into a settlement. 1t
is absurd. OF course | couldn't consent
to it. | had business to consider. OF
course my wife and children-if | had
any-would reap the benefit as much as
] shall. | told Georgiana exactly how
the matter stood. She's of age. [
asked her whether she'd mary me with
out the old mans consent. Poor girl
she was in an awful way. But she did
not care to do that She shrank from
offending her father. so there's no help
for 1.-THE things broken off, and I'm
not to be married it seems-this time
at any rate.
He spoke rather sorrowfully. but still
without the slightest trace of ill-temper.
I endeavored to console him in COM
mon sort of way
He opened small packet he had been
holding in his hand.
"This is pleasant" he said quietly
"here are all my letters to Georgiana.
All and here is Il little present | gave
her, sent back to me"
There were not many letters. Their
contents l could guess little enough
like conventional love letters, probably
very unecstatic compositions, yet ample
and to the purpose. and practical
enough. The present was ring-a
large diamond, heavily set in pure gold,
just the valuable. SIMPLE, substantial
present which | could have fancied Ned
Stone selected for his betrothed.
81 suppose they'll expect me to send
back Georgiana's letters to herr"
Undoubtedly
cts the usual way when engage
ments come to an end %
Certainly y; it's the usual way
He rubbed his chin and seemed to
reflect little.
Have a cigar" he said, presently,
'and let's talk about something else.
This is not the most agreeable subject
i'll the world. Tell me what you have
been doing with yourself"
We fell to talking about this, that and
the other Presently ] went away. AS
| went away he said, quietly 4" l think
| shall try to see Georgiana once more,
for particular reason"
! did not ask what the particular rea-
son was, and he did not tell me-
\ few nights afterward l saw him
again He was at 10 time subject to
much change of mood, or at any rate
seldom betrayed any variation of that
kind Yet it struck me that, ii anything,
he was in better spirits than usual.
"You did not MENTION" he said,
"wbat | told you the other night-that
my engagement was broken OFF,"
| explained that | had not mentioned
it for particular good reason. [ had
not seen any any person whom it would
interest to be informed of the fact.
ITS just as well, " he said, "because
the engagement isn't broken off, or
rather it's on again.
" Indeed! I'm very glad to hear it. v
81 told you | should try and see
Georgiana again. Well, / knew that
she often went with her father and
other relations to the geological Gar
dens, on Sunday. So | went to the
| Geological | soon discovered her with
Warren and lot OF other people. She
saw me, and understood by my sign
that | wanted to speak on the quiet.
Well, she fingered behind little, and
when the rest of the party went to look
at the kangnroos she slipped with me
into the snake-house. She looked
little frightened, and the tears were
standing i'll her eyes.
$50 l put my arms around her-it
didn't matter to me who saw, you
know-and told her there was nothing
to be alarmed at, and that l only wanted
to say word or two. | told her that |
was sorry had not sent back her let
ters, rs ! ought to have done, but the
plain fact of the matter was, couldn't
do it."
"' You love me still then, Ned?' she
said.
"' OF course I do, Georgia, said,
who's been telling you [ don't?'
"She began crying bitterly.
Come, Georgie, / said, let us get
married whether papa likes it OF not :;
only say the word.
"She didn't say word. Poor child (!
She could not speak for CRYING, and
ste looked at me and gave me such Il