Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-02-17
From Hearth and Home.
4 GEkNlWY I.0XE
And How 1t Prov ed Real.

It was too early for the train, yet it
occurred to me that there had been at
least forty-eight hours in the day, and,
as I neared the station, was sure that
my watch was slow, and hurried at last.
So it happened that [ now found myself
heated and out of breath, setting down
my valise. before the still closed ticket
Office. and the great clock boldly assert
ing the hour to be 10. The train didn't
leave till Il. I sat down on my valise
opposite the clock, and, taking from my
breast-pocket a note, occupied myself
with reading it and thinking it over. I
will not be rash enough to say how
many times I had read it before, nor
how many interpretations I had put up
on it's simple words:
s'Your letter came to me yesterday.
My only surprise was that it found me
unable to give you an answer. What
shall [ say? Perhaps face to face with
the difficulty would seem less. lido not
understand myself. Can you have pa
thence with me and forgive me if in the
end hurt one who has been my true
friend -
That was all. There was no begin
ming nor end; no signature. There was
rush Of people, and [ was half con-
scious Of being dragged and shouldered,
pushed into car, while I held ticket
in one hand and my valise in the other.
There was an empty seat neara window,
toward which a weighty old lady in SPEC
tacles and green veil drove me, and oc-
eupied it with me. The even beat OF
the moving cars seemed saying the
words Of the note over and over, chop
ping them up, and changing the punctu.
alton. The monotony of this had 6
soothing effect on my excited nerves
and for the first time since the writing
of the letter which had brought this
note in answer to me [ was able to look
back upon the whole story OF my love
Quite as If it were tale in book,
began at the time when [ accepted Mr.
Delancey's invitation to his country
seat for fortnight's trout fishing, as {
recreation and rest from nay scientific
studies before / went abroad. [ do not
know what relation Mr.. Delancey'S
late wife had been to me. It was one
of these distracting problems of gene
alogy chiefly concerning great-great
grandmothers; but she had always
treated me as cousin, which, as she
was very charming woman, was
pleasing to me. It was little dull.
without her there, for my host was not
an intellectual man, and very worldly,
and Julia, his only child, was but fif
teen, innocent, Ignorant, pretty, but toe
plump. She used to accompany me
sometimes when I fshed, but was toe
shy to talk. Her chief powers seemed
to lie In walking, SO that really [ had
thought very little about her till one
dav when | found her crying, and in
quired the cause of her misery.
"Papa IS going to make me marry
that silly, ugly Mr.. Norris, and go away
with him to his big town-house."
What for ?''
" don't know
"Does be love you %
She dried her tears, looked up at me,
then blushing, laughed and covered he,
face with her plump hands: +" [ sup
posed he does.
And You don't like him in spite OF
his fine town-house 70
Size didn't answer, but ran away.
Poor child Tt was evident that the
going TO the great town-house' con
yeyed far more terror to her mind than
marrying her rich sutton.
In an interview, an hour later, with
Mr.. Delaney, found that he was In
some money difficulty, and this offer OF
marriage from Norris seemed to him
too good an opportunity to be lost. He
put it very delicately, rs a gentleman of
his breeding should. and after mo-
n2ent of silence, during which [ master
ed my Indignation enough to cover it,
offered him a loan, which should assist
him at this trying moment more secuer-