The Van Buren press., 1875-10-12
MISCELLANY.
Royal Drummonds S Caution
By ELLA WHEELER.

Il don't like the risk soliloquizcd
Royal Drummond banker and bachelor
of Laurence. No, don'i dare to run
the risk, though she is deuccd fine wo-
man, and quite to my taste
Royal Drummopd was thirty. five years
DID, bachelor, good looking, and veal
thy. His life had been spent in deter
mined effort to acquire competence, lie
had not been a rnscr, but he had been a
close calculator, a cautious expendcr,
and had resolutely shut away all subjects
but business from his mind and heart.
Hence his snug fortune and handsome
residence.
Now he was resolved to marry. He
had money enough for his-and his life
was growing Iaonotonens and just as
he began to realize the need of a change
in his situation, Lisle Morgan came to
Laurence. She was an artist, and came
with excellent recommendations from
Canada, to fill vacancy in Laurence
seminary, She was pretty, ripe, attrae
tive woman, with large, dreamy, dark
eyes, and a fine rounded form. Accom-
plshcd cultured and thoughtful.
She attracted many lovers, and Roya
Drummond looked upon her comely face
with eyes of favor out Royal Drum
mond prided himself upon being yer,
cautious man. 1t was his caution wnict
had brought him his fine property u'
never did anything rashly. He weighel
all things carefully before he came to :
conclusion. Caution, caution. Gol
can't be too cautious Ths@vas his mot
to. That was always the advice he gave
in business matters Having been sc lons
business man, and confined his every
thought to practical matters, he coulc
not shake off the habit Of years in mo
ment He looked upon this affair of mar
riage from very practical stan ipolnt
albeit he had wartn, loving and tende,
heart to give some woman, Il heart brim
ful of love aad kindness
But marriage Is matter concerning
one future lie, he reasoned. wan
wife whom can love, respect and trust
Trust, ah, yes There the rub Miss
Msrgan is charming woman But wha
do know about her? She is 4 stranger
to all our people here She comes well
recommended as an artist, nut what dt
we know about her AS woman I Sht
may he Miss NJ gan-she may not be
She is somewhat reticent, and does no.
seem Inclined to converse on her own af
fairs Very likely there are things in heI
past life she wishes to conceal Sac may
be an adventures 1t would certainly
be rash, very rash, to ask her to be m,
wife, and always live in doubt and suspi
cion. Caution has always been my mot
to. Caution shall be my motto still, Nc
1 will not make my advances toward Miss
Morgan. Her very name has mysterl
ous sound-Lisle Morgan decidedly
like romance hcroines. l will run nc
risk
That decided. once for ALL Mr.. Drum
mond gave no more thought to LIST,
Morgan, in this direction, but began tc
look about him. He did not have to lool
far His next door neighbor was Doc
tor Winters, a widower, with two daugh
ters-Patience, a splnster OF forty, anc
Hope, lovely girl of twenty three
whose life had caused her mothers s death
They had lived in Laurence for twenty
five years, and Hope had almost grown
up in the shadow of Royal Drummond'
residence He had seen her almost dah,
since he could remember, but he had beer
too busy to note how very lovely she was
before. Now, quite suddenly she stood
before him as she was, graceful, pretty
creature, in all the bloom and glow Of hel
ripe young womanhood. She was medi
nm. sized, 1.-the formed, oval faced, amhe
eyed and sunny haired, Her mouth haC
an almost childish droop, and a pretty
baby fashion of quiverins at times. She
was domestic girl; boasted some few
accomplishments, and would grace hi
home charmingly, She had lived in Lau
renee all her sweet life, save few months
fifty miles distant spent in boarding
school, returning even then twice every
month. Was she not then in every res
pect woman fitted TO be his wife? 81
Roy al Drummond reasoned, aud straight
way began to pay court to Hope Winters
She received his attentions shyly anC
sweetly; and when, at last, he proposed
astonshed him by bursting iHto tears.
why bless me! what is The matter
cried poor Royal, at loss to know wha
to do. He had never had woman ii
tears before thrown upon his hands
Now, what hare | done, Miss Hope Z
But Miss Hope was, by this time sml
4 ling through her tears.
Il am very silly she sighed, shut whe'
Won asked me outright to he your wife
! though, OF course, she continued archly
= / knew you were geing to do it. yet /
seemed to he all so strange and new, AM
/ hv saving ves-as ! meant to say
would pass out forever from th"old swee
lilc into somrt'i = unknown AMI mNsll
the life nf a ife and a motNer-an i-s'
il made ne cry, thinking what 1t all meant