The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-06-05
FRED'S PROBATION.
BY WILLIAM IL. MAnER.


al believe in him."
swell, you are As big fool as he Is"
.Thank you, sir.
She did not finch under her guardian s
scornful gaze. but looked at him as Sc
renely AS ii her doing so was necessary TO
show that her faith was strong.
Mary Ellison was not a girl TO give her
faith lightly. as her guardian. Doctor Bur-
CESS, well knew and il was this knowl-
edge that made the present Intelligence
all the more aggravating. lie had brought
her to Swampscott against her lnclinarion:
had rejoiced 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 idlest OF all idle young
men; he was foppish in his manner of
dressing he was somewhat loud in his
conversation: i'm 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 !;
well educated; gentle hammered; posses
sed OF good taste very unseliish: and with
a temper that nothing could rluile.
Fred. answering for himself. would un-
doubtedly assure You that he was equal in
all respects 10 the average young man OF
society. His family was among the best !;
he had "A comfortable fortune; he did not
drink or gamble; and he had graduated at
Harvard.
But. with all these things in his favor
Doctor Burgess did not think him worthy
OF his niece and ward, Mary Ellison.
Z" You say you love himg' he continued.
{" Yes. SIR"
And what DO you know about him?"
= IL Is not necessary TO 20 into that. Tn
Gle. have learned to love him. and have
nearly told him so.'
= But, my dear, am as sure that he j.
unworthy of you as | am that am sitting
here"
- Have you any grounds for that opin.
ion.'
Il have grounds oritin my knowledge
of human nature. You fancy him we'll
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 mt college
have left him no real knowledge. and that
he has nothing in his head but froth."
II do not ink you understand or do
him justice"
- am sure that do him more than jus
tee
Il can not see il as you do, Uncle. find
his habits are good. his family equal to
ours"
A fig for his family." broke in the doe
tor. " care nothing for any such non
sense as family never yet knew fam
lily TO provide food or keep a man from
IN I,,u 1.
want 10 see man with some fixed prin.
ciples to govern his life. and with some
ambition to fill the place in the world that
God has given him To ILL.,"
" And you think that Fred does not pos
sess these qualities z"
:" do. II he did would not say a word
against him."
'lf can prove to you that you are mis-
taken, you will not refuse your consent to
our marriage?"
"Prove that | am wrong, and will be as
happy as you are"
Very well. sir; | will do it,
A couple OF hours afterward Fred called
upon the doctor TO learn his decision. and
WAS much surprised to have his proposal,
quietly rejected. To tell the truth. such
an ending had never occurred TO him as
being possible. He looked up with amaze
mcnt.
T" Does not Miss Ellison love me. sir?-
My niece has commissioned me 10 say
that she might have loved you. but that she
could not consent To marry you.n
7" And what is there in me or in my life
that would make marriage so undesirable.
siry" the young man asked with some par
donablc pride.
|" can be frank with you, young man. if
you really desire me to be-"
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 i'm the world. Don't
start do not mean to insult you, but |
DO wish TO point out to you that your life
"a frittered away i'm bathrooms and under
lamp-llght, and in worshipinp the life of
society man. instead of filling a place in
the world that God sent you here to oc-
cupy."
What would you have me do? have
money and do not need TO work: then
why should work? and what ought /
DOR
That Is not for me To say. Every man.
who IL man. seeks out work for himself
or takes the first best thing that comes to
hand. /, too, was born with money. but
would be afraid To die if had done moth
ing but simply live on my income"
on are very severe, and am not pre-
parcel 70 say that YOU are not right Can
SCI Miss Ellison ~
=, The doctor touched the hell and asked
.he servant 70 request Mary's presence. and
then ne went out of the room. that tie two
might feel uaembarrassed.