Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-11
FRED'S PROBATION.
BY WILLIAM H. -MAHER.


:" | believe in him"
Well, you are as big fool as he is"
Thank you, sir"
She did not finch under her guardians
scornful gaze, but looked at him as Sc
renely as if her doing so was necessary to
show that her faith was strong.
Mary Ellison was not a girl to give her
faith lightly, az her guardian, Dr.
Burgess, well knew; and it was this
knowledge that made the present intelli-
gence all the more aggravating. He had
brought her to SwampscOtt against her
inclinatiOn; had reiOiced when he saw
her enjoying herself among the young
people; and had even been glad when
Fred Seward began to devote himself to
her. Yet here he was now in fury with
himself and every one else because Fred
had asked for Mary's hand.
What was there against Fred?
Everything, the doctor would have told
you; he was the idest of all idle young
men; he was foppish in his manner of
dressing; he was somewhat loud in his
conversation; in a word, he was of no
use to himself or any other living being
Mary would have told you that he was
the best companion she had ever met; at
all times her beau-ideal of a gentleman /;
welleducated; gentle-mannered; pos
sessed of good taste; very Unselfsh; and
with a temper that nothing could ruffle.
Fred answering for himself, would un-
doubleday assure you that he was equal in
all respects to the average young man of
society His family was among the best;
he had comfortable fortune; he did not
drink or gamble, and he had graduated
at Harvard
But, with all these things in his favor,
~ n n l. Inv
of his neice and ward, Mary Ellison.
"You say you love him?" he con-
tinued.
Yes, sir"
"And what do you know about him ?"
{" 1t is not necessary to go into that,
uncle | have learned to love him, and |
have nearly told him So"
" But, my dear, | am as sure that he is
unworthy of you as l am that am sitting
here"
Have you any grounds for that opin-
ion?p
:" have grounds for it in my knowl-
edge Of human nature. You fancy him
a weli.educated, brilliant man because he
can talk in glib manner of the thousand
and one nothings that make up society
talk; but | can see that his five years at
college have left him no real knowledge,
and that he has nothing in his head but
frOth"
Z do not think you understand or do
him Justice"
Il am sure that 1 do him more than
Justice"
II cannot see it as you do, uncle. l
find his habits are good, his family equal
to ours"
"A fig for his familyy' broke in the
doctor q care nothing for any such
nonsense as family | never yet knew
family to provide food or keep man
from neglecting or abusing his own house
hold. | want to see a man with some
fixed principles to govern his life, and
with some ambition to fill the place in
the world that God has given him to fill"
And you think that Fred does not
possess the qualities?"
4 do 1t he did | would not say a
word against him. "
" If can prove to you that you are
mistaken you will not refuse your con-
sent to our MARRIAGE"
prove that | am wrong and l Will be
as happy as you are"
Every WELL sir; | will do it."
couple of hours afterward Fred
called upon the doctor to learn his de-
cision, and was much surprised to have
his proposals quietly rejected. To tell
the truth, such an ending had never Oc-
Cured to him as being possible. He
looked up with amaZement.
docs not Miss Ellison love me, sir?"
"My niece has commissioned me to
say that she might have loved you, but
that she could not consent to marry
you"
"And what is there in me or in my
life that would make marriage so unde-
sirable, sir?" the young man asked, with
some pardonable pride.
. / can be frank with you, young man,
if you really desire me to be.''
9 will be thankful to you if you will
be very plain with me-"
"Then, what my niece objects to, and
what | object to much more strongly, is,
that you are OF no use in the world
Don't start; | do not mean to insult YOU
but | wish to point out to you that your
life is trittered away in bathrooms and
under lamplight, and in worshiping the
life of a society man, instead of filling a
place in the world that God sent you here
to occupy
"What would you have medo? l have
money and do not need to work; then
why should l work? and what ought |
do?''
"That is not for me to say. Every
man, WHO Is q uldL, SEEKS out WOrk LOT
himself or takes the first best thing that
comes to hand. |, too, was born with
money, but l would be afraid to die if l
had done nothing but simply live on my
income"
You are very severe, and I am not
prepared to say that you are not right.
Can see Miss Ellison?"
The doctor touched the bell aud asked
the servant to request Mary's presence,
End then he went out of the room, that
the two might feel unembarrassed.
ct wanted to know if your uncle's de-
cision is the same as yours"
ct is" she said, in low voice, and
with face averted.
and you object to me because / am a
good for nothing?"
4 think my uncie's idea of what man
should be in the world is correct one"
And you do not love me?"
| cannot--marry you"
Then you do love me"
might have loved you had 1t been
different with US; but | do not dare to
say moren
And if | were to make myself worthy
OF your" he asked.
one dld not answer, but her silence
was more expressive than words would
have been.