The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-04-12
WHY HE DIDN'T.

suddenly we were surprised by the
news that you had married a stranger
In the city, and Helen Van Horn wai
left disconsolate. / wonder what has
become of her; she must have married
well however, she had fine chance tC
choose, for there was scarcely good
match in the city that was not at hel
command at one time"
eyes, yes" answered the gentleman
addressed - Judge Hume, distin.
guisheJ, handsome, intelligent-looking
man of about forty-fye years of age; a
successful lawyer, who had some years
before been raised to the judicial bench
almost by acclamatlon-"no woman
could have married better than Helen
Van Horn. Why did not marry her
is short, simple story, not without a
moral; and will tell it If you care to
hear it. have never told it before,
even TO my wife, ludicrous as some OF
its phases are. So take cigar-yOu
will find it good one-and hear how,
possibly, Helen Van Horn is not Mrs.
Hume to-day.
"YOu knew her father" began the
Judge, "and will remember that he was
reputed to be very rich. However, II
turned out, upon his death, and after
his debts were paid, that there was left
mere pittance for Helen, obliging her,
the petted child of fortune, to live with
extreme economy ever since"
"Do you mean to say that she has
never married!' asked his guest.
"Married!" repeated Hume; "no in
deed and in that may be seen the
moral Of my story to which referred.
But do not let us anticipate; let us be-
gin at the beginning.
cone evening, going to fulfil an en-
gagement with Miss Van Horn, as the
servant ushered me unannounced into
the parlor, | found her engaged in an
animated conversation with singularly
handsome young man, who, | saw at a
glance, might readily become formi-
dable rival, and felt for the instant a
sharp pang Of that unamiable, discOn-
certlng passion, jealousy. But as my
entrance had been unobserved, was
able to recover myself before saying, in
my blandest manner, Good evening.
The gentleman started, and stiflly re-
turned my bow. AS for Helen, with
suffused cheeks she said, why, Mr..
Hume, | did not hear you at all; you
are absolutely as gentle as lamb
Somewhat angry at her satirical
tone, observed that she was engaged
in conversation and probably did not
hear me enter, and added that had
called to attend her to the gallery to see
the picture she was anxious about.
"'Bpt really, Mr.. Hume she said,
somewhat confusedly, looking from the
stranger to me, Il had entirely forgotten
all about it, and so promised Mr..
Churchill here to accompany him to see
'Richelieu' tonight
81 glanced toward the stranger and
he returned the glance with a slight
frOwn on his face. Miss Van Horn
continued, But oh beg your pardon,
gentlemen, | had forgotten you were
noS acquainted with each other. Mr..
Hume, this is my friend, Mr.. Churchill,
of Richmond and she carelessly fell
back into the chair, from which she had
half risen for the moment.
"I am sorry Miss Van Horn has so
treacherOus memory; but | hope, Mr..
Churchill-with your approval be
prevaile] upon to defer his engagement,
for assure you the picture is a rare
gem, and well worth seeing. persisted
in this because l had become slightly
reused by the indolent way of receiving
the homage paid her, and there seemed
to be CLEAN of triumph in the face of
my rival.
"The young man looked at me
gravely, then silently turned to Miss
Van Horn for some expression of her
wishes. He was evidently very much
displeased at my interruption of their
tete tete, and was sufficiently interested
in the lady to be seriously ruffled by my
seeming rivalry; he was not altogether
pleased with the fact that she seemed
so careless with respect to her engage
ments, which did not accord with his
standard of women. He was well
educated, comely young man of good
fortune, accustomed to be well received
by women, and yet-as he afterwards
told me-he could not help for the
moment some apprehension that the
lady's choice for the evening might go
against him, for you know ! was called
quite lady's man in those days.
GAS for Miss Van Horn, she sat,
meanwhile, demurely toying with a
large tassel suspended from the arm of
her easy chair Tor moment, as II IN
deliberation, then exclaimed; Really,
am sure it must be very wrong In me
to be so thoughtless, is it not% Here a
captivating smile illumined her beauti-
ful features and parted her bewitched
lips, just discovering the pcarly teeth
between them, and she added, 'Will you
not settle the question, gentlemen,
between yourselvesH'
"The matter must be arranged in
some way, and as was the most in
innate friend of the family, and my
rival a comparative stranger, was
about to magnanimously withdraw my
pretensons and leave the field, when