Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1875-12-16
known each other for a century.


shook her faxen head, and said,
gravely.
. ooh, Aunt Hester, 1 can't, il
would be cruel.
at would be the best thing ever
happened him." said Hester Oakley.
"But what would George say?'
The little woman in such deep
mourning looked down at her black
robes in a perplexed way.
Never mind what anybody says,
smiled Hester, "but let things take
their own course
Millie promised; but repented OF
her promise when she entered Hes
ter's parlor and met Mark, whose
face looked so frank and handsome,
and whose manners were as gentle as
a woman's. He was vain and egotis-
tical. however, and Millie found, as
they fingered over their dainty tea,
that Hester's fears were not un-
founded.
His love of self, will ruin him"
she said to herself, quoting Hesters S
words. For he lacked manliness,
and that honest Difference of manner
that appeals to every true woman's
heart, and the noble self reliance and
unselfishness that was Hester Oak
ley's greatest charm, found no coun-
terpart in the mind of the man, who
gloried in his handsome face as lit
tie child might glory in some rare
and costly toy.
Mark had made beautiful women
the study of his life. Few men as
young in wears could as readily de
tect flaw in face others considered
perfect.
Millie Gray's serene face, although
it lacked the roundness and delicate
sea-shell tints that had characterized
it when the portrait above the parlor
mantel was painted, was one that he
could have feasted his eyes on for
ever. There vas pureness, noble
ness born of patient suffering and pa
tient sorrow about her that appealed
to his better nature, and almost un-
consciously led him into better paths
that hitherto his feet had trod light
". He had found women-womcn
in all ranks of life-handsome or
plain, who, carried away by his
matches beauty and winning pow
ers, were ready to drop into his
mouth like ripe cherries. But Mil
lie Gray was different from other
women. Her cheek never flushed
when he spoke tenderly to her, or
her blue eyes droop beneath his CLAN
ces. She was kind, courteous, even
gracious, but the thought of her
heart, like her past life, were as a
sealed book to him. She was deaf to
all his tender phrases, blind to all
his tender glances, and as the days
drifted into weeks Mark began to
think he had found woman who
could resist the witchery of i hand
some face.
He was to leave home in day or
two, and instead of rejoicing at the
prospect, rs he had hitherto done,
the thought Of leaving the old home
stead gave him pain indescl liable
He could not leave Millie-Millie,
who was probably his senior in years,
and Il widow, He smiled bitterly
when he though OF handsome Mark
Oakley losing his heart to a widow !!
And to be in doubt of her affections,
too. 1t exasperated him to think Of
it.
lie entered the parlor one evening
and found Mrs. Gray seated before
the fire, a look of serene content IN
her beautiful eyes. She was pleas
ant, and more disposed to be talka-
tive than usual, and almost before
he vas ware of the fact, Mark had
burst out into 4 passionate declara-
ton.
Mrs. Gray rose to her feet, grow
ing very white and sorrowtui.
Chester warned me of this" she
murmured, holding tightly to the
back of chair for supper.
"Warned you of what eXclaim'
ed Mark, flushing to the roots Of his
curly brown hair.
That you-thought-I was 4 wild
ow," blurted out Mile, half inclined
to cry.
What are you, then? Not a
wife, surely?" Mark fine eyes lit
with sudden hope. What if she was
not married. "Oh, Mile, he broke
out again, "don' say you're married.
Indeed | am; and to as good a
man as ever lived" cried Millie.-
ITS all mistake; | have no right
to listen to an avowal of love from
any man. Ny sister Alice married
my husbands brother. She is wild
ow not i-and, oh, Mr.. Oakley, I'm
80 sorry" Mile held out her hand
in a spirit of contrition, for the real
sorrow in Marks face grieved her.
But Mark refused to take il, and
strobe out of the room, very sore at
heart, muttering:
a wife, And Hester knew it all
the time.
He left home next morning, and
Mile Gray looked after him with
pitying eyes.
I'm sorry l ever came, Hester"
Nonsense :" snapped heartless
Hester. "it will do him good
And it did. For Mark gave up
iirting, and came out OF college a
nan worth winning.
Five wears after, he proposed to
widow Alice Gray, who did not al
,wer that she was already 4 wife. but