The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-03-30

/ form OF PLAIN speaking.
"Of course it was piece of imperti-
nence, and, of course, she couldn't
think of me" he said. . " 1 was crazy to
think of it. But some day-some day
will be rich, and have name of some
kind"
Fortune making is very slow. Evan
was prosperous, but at first only moder-
ately SO; and months rolled by, and
years, and he grew to be tall, broad
shouldered man, with a great brown
beard, before he was half rich enough to
go back to Farmingdale.
The time came at last, however. He
knew his success had become known in
his native place; he knew also that Miss
Burt had married and was widow; and
when he left China it was with the full
intention of establishing himself as a
merchant in London, and marrying
Matte, if she were to be won. Such an
image as he carried with him, and over
the ocean, of guileless beauty and love-
! illness no artists pencil ever painted,
and he took it with him to Farming
dale.
There it vanished.
Before he had been in the place three
days he had seen Matte, now Mrs. Fay,
and talked with her. She was pretty
still, but years had brought her charac-
ter into her face, and she was decidedly
coarse. He saw now that she was igno-
rant and vulgar, and that only his own
youthful ignorance had caused him to
overlook the fact in those old times
when he had fancied her perfection, and
the dream of 90 many years was over.
Now that Evan Ware had returned
rich and prosperous, he might have con-
soled himself with the affections of any
manageable female in Farmingdale.
He was the lion of the place-courted,
fiattered, and smiled ucon by budding
misses, spinsters and widows. Every
one but Lizzie Gale smiled upon him.
She, mindful through all these long
years of the cold parting on the bridge,
vouchsafed him only the chilliest recog-
tion; and the fact annoyed him. She
had grown to be fine looking woman ::
and he remembered what a kind, pleas
ant girl she used to be, and longed to
know more of her. He longed in vain.
She repulsed his attentions, and kept
him at n distance. Yet all the while she
secretly admired him, and her greatest
motive for the manner she adopted was
her fear lest Evan should think she had
been pining for him.
The widow Fay felt no such scruples.
Old Mr. Burt, before he died, had specu-
lated in some bubble and ruined him
self and instead of being the great
heiress all her little world had expected
her to be, Matte found it hard work to
live and dress herself in the fnerv she
loved, on her small income. A rich hus
band was her object, and Evan Ware
had been so desperately in love with her
that 1t was hardly likely that he could
be quite indifferent now.
"Im sure I'm handsome enough
yet" thought Matte, as she looked in
the glass "and if he is resentful abcut
the way 1 answered him, I'll manage
that somehow. It's too good chance
to lose."
Therefore, from that moment, Evan
became the victim of sundry machina-
tions, which were supposed to be of
fatal effect, and was dressed at and
smiled at in a manner which made the
fact that Matte Fay was trying to
catch Evan Ware " patent to all Farm
ingdale.
BY this time, however, the said Evan
Ware was absolutely in love with Lizzie
Gale. She, at least, did not court his
money, and that was something to SO
rich man.
He forced himself upon her little by
little, till he mado his way.
1t was spring; a lovely May, fresh and
beautiful as May could be, and, accord
ing to custom, a grand picnic was on the
tapis. at that picnic Evan Ware had
resolved to try his fate for the second
and last time; for should Lizzie Gale re-
fuse him, he would never offer his hand
to another woman. And, ignorant of
this, at that same picnic, Matte Fay
had resolved to bring her old admirer to
the point.
"It's OILY pique, know, that keeps
him from speaking" she said, as she
looked at herself in the glass; "aud I'll
go all lengths to cure that"
The day appointed arrived. Evan
Ware maneuvered with success, and
found himself at the outset just where
he wished to be-in a little vehicle only
capable Of holding two, with Lizzie
Gale by his side. The ride was long
one, and there were plenty of chances
for tender speeches and soft glances.
Lizzie was yielding slowly, and when in
the quietest part of the road, after all
the other vehicles had passed them,
Evan paused entirely, and, looking
down into her eyes, said: "Lizzie, it
remains with you to decide my fate
you can send me back to China or keep
me here" her eyes dropped, and she
made no pretense of misunderstanding
him.
The next moment he had said ~Will
you be my wife, Lizzie2" and had taken
her hand and pressed it to his lips; and
then, finding no denial, had kissed her
out and out.
1t was quiet sort of thing, but they
were quiet people, both of them. So
quiet that by the time they alighted
Lizzie had begged Evan "not to set
people talking by devoting himself too
entirely to her just yet; and Evan had
promised. Consequently Mistress Mat
tie, arrayed in pink for the occasion,
and looking certainly very young and
pretty, found the rich merchant at her
mercy, and took possession of him.
She walked him around romantic
pond and down into a charming green
meadow, and talked of " the days that
were past in very sentimental man,
ner.
"We are so foolish when we are
young, Mr.. Ware"
"Indeed we are"
"And so repent our folly-I do,
know. I'm sure 1 don't know how to
approach the subject; but you remem-
Der how ride was on the hridpe-hoW