The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-10-08
SELECT STORY.


and had to work very hard. His indus
try had in the end, however, met its due
reward. Al middle age be was comfort
ably circumstaneed. When he annonnced
to his friends therefore, that he thought Of
taking TO himself wife, il was though;
generally that the step he meditated was
a prudent one. And when he further
stated that he had made an offer of his
hand to one Georgiana Warren, the
daughter of a wealthy merchant, and
that his offer had been accepted by the
lady, we, of course, FASTENED TO tender
our heartieat cOngratulation on that oe-
casion.
''WeH, you know I'm getting on" he
said, "and IL I'm to marry, it's about
time ] should think Of setting about IT,
You're very kind. / think shall be
very happy--in fact, have no doubt Of
it-as happy as fellow has right TO
expect to be. One has no right to ex-
pect too much, of course. But I'm quite
tond in my way of this Georgiana War
rem, and think that she, in her way, is
fond Of me. She is not too young nor
too old; not too good looking nor yet too
plain; she is sensible and accomplished
enough; and don't see why | shouldn't
make a very good sort Of a husband.
Perhaps Pm not very fond of old War
rem, the father, and perhaps he isn't very
fond of me- But don't know as that
matters much. dare say we shall un-
derstand each other better by and by;
meantime, must try and make the best
of the old mans hHmor, and not run
counter to him more than can avoid.
And it seems that the old fellow would
be no fonder Of anybody else than he is
of me. You see its our affair-Georgi-
ana's and mine-and not his; though it's
hard to make him see il in that light.
But dare say il will come right in the
end. That's what tell Georgiana when
she takes up with rather gloomy views
about her fathers temper. She has
good sense, and, 1 think, looks at the
matter very much as ! do--oniy, Of
course, she can't help feeling that he il
her father, whereas, thank goodness,
he aint mine."
II will be seen that Ned Stone was not
lover to "sigh like . furnace" As to
writing a woeful ballad to his mistress's
eyebrows, don't fancy he could have
accomplished such feat, even If his life
depended on his doing 80. The ther-
mometer of his love stood MT temperate,
with no tendency toward an upward rise
The marks of love, as they are generally
understood, were not discernible upon
him.
He never said a word as to the agita-
ted state of his breast, nor to the excite
nIent of his feelings. He did not tregard
Miss Warren as an angel or goddess.
Probably he would have been the first to
contradict any assertion that might have
been made'to the effect that she was any
thing of this kind. Miss Warren ap
peared to him what she seemed to every
body else-a nice, sensible English girl
called upon Stone one evening. He
was alone. He looked a little grave,
and held a small sealed packet. We
discussed various Indifferent subjects;
then inquired concerning Miss Georgi
lana.
30, haven't you heard?'' he answered.
"But Of course you couldn't have heard.
The affair is of. Our affair haseome to
an end"
"You don't really mean that?" I asked
in surprise.
eyes; the things broken off, as peo-
pie say. It's a hard job, and I'm sorry
for il, but il can't be helped"
Had the lady resented his serenity and
discharged him? I asked myself.
As though he had heard the question,
he went on: "it's the old mans doings.
/ hope he is satisfied now. He's the
most unreasonable and disagreeable old
fellow l ever had the misfortune to
meet"
"But what did he do?"
"We fell out about the settlement
that was where the hitch arose. I'm
sure did all i could to please him. ]
gave up condition after condition, quite
in opposition to the advice of my solic-
tor. told him to settle what money
he proposed to settle on his daughter
il wasn't much, after all-just rs he
pleased II 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 ut all upon
her, If he liked that better. 1t WAS his
daughter ] wanted, and not his money.
And for my part I'd take care my wife
never came to want. ] undertook to in
sure my life for large amount, and to
assign the policy to trustees for her ben
it, in case of my death, covenanting, of
course, to have the premiums regularly
paid to keep up the insurance in the reg
ular way. thought that a fair arrange
ment, but it did not content HIM.
"He wanted to tie my hands com
pletely. He hadn't hap'p'orth of con-
6dence in me. He gave me credit for
no sort of affection for his daughter.
He insisted that any money that IN fu
ture might become possessed of should
covenant into settlement. It ia 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 ] should.
told GeoFgiana exactly how the matter
stood. She's of age. asked her wheth-
er she'd marry me without the old mans
consent. Poor grill she was in an awful
way. But she didn't care to do that
She shrank from offending her father, &c
there's no help for 1.-THE things broker
of, and Pm not to be married, it seemi
this time, at any rate"
He spoke rather sorrowfully, but still
without the slightest trace of i'll temper
Iendeavored to console him in a common
sort of a way.