The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-10-05
A Newspapers Story.

ONE day, about three in the after
noon, a middle-aged gentleman ran up
the steps of a handsome house, in
handsomer city street, and asked the
servant who opened the door if Miss
Neville was at home. Being answered
in the affirmative, he sent in his card.
Written upon it was the name-Wil-
liam Belmore.
The servant, having shown him into
the front parlor, took the card up
stairs and returned with the informa-
ton that Miss Neville would be "down
in moment" and in a moment Miss
Neville herself entered. She was a
beautiful young woman of three-and-
twenty. She was dressed stylishly,
and bore herself with an air that
showed she was used to society.
She held in her hand newspaper,
around which was folded wrapper,
directed to herself, which she had
taken from the hall table as she passed.
She had only glanced at the direction
and as yet not opened it. That paper
was myself had just arrived from
Washington.
At her entrance Mr. Belmore arose
and advanced, holding out his hand.
She gave him hers, which he certainly
kept moment or so longer than was
necessary. He was tall, well-built
man enough, fifty years of age, with
gray side whiskers and high nose.
| OF course as a newspaper and one
devoted to fashionable intelligence, l
have great experience in love affairs.
saw at glance that Mr.. Belmore
was in love with Miss Neville and that
| he intended to offer her his hand and
heart at some time. After they had
conversed awhile, knew that he had
resolved to do it that very day. She
knew it too, when he had remarked:
"My dear Miss Neville, 1 have
something very particular to say to
YOU
He began by telling her that she was
beautiful. Then he told her that he
loved her. Then he mentioned the
amount of his property and real estate
and asked her if she would marry him.
She thanked him in very well ar
ranged speech, at the end of which she
declined his offer.
When she had done this there was
a silence. Mr.. Belmore broke it by
making an inquiry:
"Would she ever change her mind?
Might he not hope that, having thought
his offer over, she would view it in
better light"
She replied that it was not a ques-
ton of time and that she certainly
should not change her mind. She
hoped, however, that he would always
be her friend.
At that he grew very angry, though
he tried not to appear SO; and in a
moment he arose to go.
She bowed him to the parlor door
and he went out into the hall, into the
vestibule, and to the trent door. There
a new lock, which was the torment of
every stranger, baffled him. He stood
prisoner between the two doors,
vainly struggling to open either of
them for five minutes.
In this space of time Miss Neville
had seated herself in great armchair
and taken me out of my wrapper. AS
soon as she did so her eye rested on a
paragraph, on each side of which were
placed two pencil brackets.
There were not fifty words between
them, but as she read felt myself be-
gin to tremble in her hands.
els it possible % she cried; and tears
arose to her eyes; and just then faint
sound in the hall attracted her atten-
ton.
Mr.. Belmore had managed to open
the inner door, and stood at that of the
parlor.
81 beg thousand pardons, Miss
Neville" he said, "but 1 cannot man.
age TOTO get out Of the house as rap
idly as, doubtless, would be agreeable
to you"
He was very angry at this time, and
the marks of two red-hot tears of rage
and grief-middle-aged tears-were on
his cheeks. ] don't know whether she
saw them, but he noticed those in hers
and the change in her face.
81 regret that / should have dis
tressed you," he said, "I-I-I hoped
TO make you as happy as different
answer would have made me-
AS he spoke she put me down upon
jhe table and advanced to him.
"Would a different answer have
made you happy?" said she.
"That asked the question is suf-
icient proof of that" said he. {
"Then be happy" said she, and held
tut her hand.
never saw a man SO happy since l !
vas newspaper, Ia