Middletown transcript., 1877-04-28
Selett Storp.
Found Wanting.

love with this fair-haired little shop
girl?"
Mr. Meredith, tall, noble-f, aturec
man Of fifty, looked rather sadly at hii
enthusiastic young nephew.
Fancy, uncle ? That is hardly ar
appropriate word to use. l am quite
certain of the fact"
II suppose you will consider me q
very bad judge of the human character.
if | tell you that / like her little cous-
in's demure face best Believe me,
Harry, there is more real stamina in
Ruth Duer than in her pretty cousin
Rachel"
There, sir" answered Harry, reso-
lutely, lis where | must beg leave to
differ with you"
well. my boy, you must choose for
yourself. Remember, it is no question
of partner for a waltz, or a pair of
bright eyes whose glitter is to amuse
you for one or two evenings. The Wo-
man whom you now select for your
wife must necessarily exert a more or
less potent influence over your whole
life"
II know it. sir" and Harry's mirth-
full face became for the moment almost
grave.
"Fhatshe earns her own living behind
the counter of fancy store-that they
both do, in fact, is no drawback in my
eyes Independence and self-reliauce
are to me cardinal virtues, and even
though your wife will be raised into an
atmosphere of comparative wealth, a
few lessons taken beforehand in the i'm
partial school Of worldly experience will
be of incalculable use to her."
Harry Meredith sat long, that night,
before the bright coal fire in bis snug
little bachelor apartment musing over
his uncle's words.
He had met the two cousins, Rachel
and Ruth Duer at quiet little birth
day gathering at the house Of friend.
and had instantaueously felt drawn to-
ward the elder one, elder by eighteen
months. She was a beautiful blonde,
while the other was rather of the bru-
nette type.
During the three months which had
followed upon his first introduction,
Harry Meredith had contrived to see
the cousins several times a week, and,
consequently fell deeper and deeper in
love with the golden-haired lassie even
while he was quite conscious Of Ruth's
deeper character and stronger intellect.
Sometimes be was almost tempted to
waver in his allegiance toward the ell
der, aud then be took himself with very
sternness to task.
Tonight, however, be passed the
whole Of the last few weeks in review
before his memory, and decided that
inactiOn was the very worst policy in
the world
This suspense must be put an end |
to-" CALCULATED our hero half aloud, and |
then be smiled mi1chieveously to him
self, as an idea came into his head.
I'm do it." he thought biting his
lip. "Of course it's merely for the fun
Of the thing. l have not the shadow of
. doubt that she is all she seems, but
still"
He was silent for a few minutes, and
then rose to prepare for slumber.
They are polite enough to me as the
favored child of luxury Now | will
AXE measures to learn whether this
courtesy is genuinely from the heart. or
merely born Of empty form and adula.
ion to wealth"
So our hero, laying his head on his
pillow, dreamed Of private masquerade
parties all night long
Rachel Duer and her cousin Ruth
we're shop girls in Savery & St. Clair's
great fancy store.
"Oh. dear !" sighed Rachel one morn
ng as she took off her bonnet 10 the
little dressing-room at the back of the
tore and shook down her golden show
If Of curls, "how tired | am Of this
lorrid drudgery, How 1 wish Harry
Meredith would propose if he's going
Z"
Ruth laughed as she smoothed down
Ter satin brown hair, and tied the bow
+ crimson ribbon at her throat.
"And what do you think of me, Ra-
bel l, who have no such brilliant
opes of matrimony to light up the mo-
otony Of my daily toll =
Rachel shrugged her shoulders.
II don't see how you bear it so pa
iently. ! should die with vexation
nd ennui if did not hope for some
hing better"