The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-02-04


"You shall marry her,"
Impossible" E"
"Why?"
Thus brought TO the point, Robert
confessed bis engagement to Mrs
Morrow
How oldis sheg' asked Mr.. An
son.
Thirty"
"And you are twenty 'six-how alb
surd People will laugh at you
Clara is young, pretty and | know she
will love YOU"
But | love the widow"
Nonsense"
Fat ler!"
There, my boy, don't take offence.
/ only mean you have mistaken ad-
miration for love. That you really
love woman four years your senior,
and a widow at that IS absurd You
think you do, but YOU don't. Now
I'll tell yo what I'll do. Not anoth-
er word shall be said on the subject
for a month. At the end Of that
time, if you persist in marrying Mrs.
Morrow, | shall marry Clara NY
self"
Il agree,n replied Robert.
The month passed quickly, and at
its close the situation was about like
this: Robert was fenced between
love for Clara and his duty to the
widow; Clara was deeply in love
with Robert; Mrs Morrow was
troubled by a certain falling of in her
lovers ardor; and Mr.. Anson, who
had steadily refused to see the
widow, hoped for the best for his plan. |
The father and son met after sup
per.
well, Robert" said the former,
''the month is up. What have you
decided upon doing!"
I'VE have always made confdents
Of each other" began Robert.
Certainly ?"
And | will not hide anything
/ from you now. | love Clara and be-
/ licve she loves me: bat / am engag-
ed to Mrs Morrow, and cannot hon
orably break the engagement.
Then leave the matter entirely to
me-
What will you do ?"
Il viii secure your release by the
widow"
by fair means ?"
by her free consent"
and so the interview closed
On the following day Mr.. Anson
sought the homo OF the widow. She
was in, and upon learning who he
was, welcomed him cordially. She
asked him to be seated on the sofa,
on which she also gracefully sank.
Mr.. inson had made up his mind to
be b-ief and business like; bnt the
gorgeous widow quite upset him be-
fore he had even broached the sub
ject cf his son's engagement They
came to speak of him naturally at
last, however, and the widow saw
her opportunity. "a.
You love my sonp' he began.
"What question, Mr.. Anson."
she replied, showing her perfect
teeth in bewitching smile ''am |
going to marry ?"
Il hope not"
Sir" and even the widows pret-
ty smile captivated him.
II beg your pardon" he added,
crestfallen, Il mean that / cane to
talk the matter over with YOU. Do
YOU think the match is altogether 4
good one ?"
Il see, and her eyes dropped ap-
propriateIy, you object because,
because | am comparatively poor"
Indeed | do not. The financial
aspect Of the affair has never been
considered by me-"
The widow here pierced him with
look CT gratitude.
1T was the difference in-"he
stammered.
I'm social position?" suggested the
widow.
"No-no-"
"Ah! | see-y0u mean in age?"
"Ues," he replied sheepishly, "you
have OWNED the reason, and | will
be perfectly frank with you. My son
is very dear to me, and it has been
the dream of my life to see him hap
PLY married to some beautiful and
loving woman"
Here the widow turned her glori-
Gus eyes full upon Mr.. Anson, and
managed to show her arm, which hap
pened to be encased in loose sleeve.
1t was a particularly round smooth
arm. and as white as possible.
81 beg your pardon" hastily con-
,iuued Mr.. Anson, 81 know that YOU
are good. beautiful and lovcable,
but ="
"But am too old | am thirty.
Not SO very old either, although | do
feel older than Robert. My love for
him has been largely Of the guardian
sort have pctted and admired
him as a mother might. And he
loves me"
But not exactly as he should
wife. He loves another woman-not
q handsomer and better one, my dear
madam-but one younger and better I
suited to be his wife"
The widow burst into tears-pre-
sumably, at least, as she buried her !
ewes in her handkerchief, and her
bosom rose and fell unanimously. !
The widower's courage quite forsook
him at this to him unexpected crisis {
4 pretty woman in tears is melting O
object, and the effect upon the widow t
er was all that Mrs. Morrow could
have desired. She sank down on the
sofa in her grief, very close to him, t
He wanted to console her, and so he
took her hand. 1t was white, soft |
aud. warm.
please don't cry" he said: al /
have offended and grieved you Pray :
forgive me-
There don't pity me-" said the
widow, in a trembling but musical
voice; Il can bear it, | have only
Roberts welfare and happiness at
heart-if he can be happy ought to I
be contented."
"Then you release him? $
aCar,oinly - c