Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-11-14


concluded that his pathway lay
open before him, and he would fol-
low in the line of duty, let the con-
sequences be what they would. So
he wrote to Edith the following
note:
"DEAR EDITH 81 had thought
once to say my Edith, but now that
hope is abandoned, l now write
YOU a last farewell. presume that
our circumstances have already
been made known to you, and now
| shall be obliged to work to sup
port myself. And as know from
your own words that you would
not become the wife of poor man,
now release you from your en-
gagement. This is harder for me
than you think, for you are doubly
dear to me now that am obliged
to give you up. But enough of
this. Wishing you a happy future,
| remain your ever devoted
ALLAN DAY."
Edith, poor child, was almost
wild when she received it.
"How could l speak so certainly
when | know no reality of my
theoryl How could | be so rash,
so heartless she asked herself.
"If Allan only knew Why did he
not come and see me before he
left Z" But in her heart she did
not blame him. 81 was wrong,
rash and cruel. This is my reward.
And yet" she soloquized, "what
help would / be to him nowl He
is poor man. know nothing
about work, and he could not al
ford to keep a servant. He is too
proud to live on my income, even
if | was his wife. He will be indie
pendent while he lives. / know no
more about cooking than a canary.
| never touched broom or q fat
iron any more than if / were in a
different world. What object would
| be to him, even if | was now his
bride Would it not be a draw
back rather than a help! This
must not be. ! am not worthy of
him now, but l will be I" and she
pushed back the jetty ringlets that
were shading her fair face, and the
pride came back to sparkling eyes
as she added: "But no one shall
know that | care pin for him, till
my plan has matured; not even
Anna shall guess my feelings"
81 suppose that the match is
broken between you and Allan,
now that he had independence and
stability of character enough to
shake off pride and set himself to
work to earn an honest living"
said Anna to her short time af-
terward.
Edith's only reply was a toss of the
head and meaning smile, as she
remarked: "a nice wife / would
make for a poor man, wouldn't | Z"
edith, | believe an iceberg from
the polar regions would not be
colder or more heartless than you
are You must have been very
much in love with Allan, to feel so
deeply on the subject now," replied
Anna, almost angrily.
81 was" answered Edith, smiling
again but Anna did not under.
stand that smile, and thought that
Edith was heartless, mercenary
girl, and extremely cruel, and turn
ed to the piano as there was no
hope of her and Edith ever agree
ing.
That day at dinner Edith an
nounced her intention of visiting
her mothers oldest sister, Aunt
Barbara Lane. This was strange
announcement, and created no lit
tie surprise among the members of
the family, for several reasons.
First, Edith had never seen her
aunt but once, and that was when
she was very little girl, and they
seldom heard from her. Second,
she lived away back in the country
where Edith had always declared
she would not stay. And last, but
not least, she was an old-fashioned
lady who lived in an implanted
house with only two rooms, and
kept no servant, and so did her
own work and it was so unlike
Edith's pride to wish to go there
to that country place, and that to
want an old-fashioned country
aunt, that it was no wonder that it
created surprise and called forth
many questions.
"Why shouldn't ~ asked Edith
in answer to their interrogations F;
''she has invited us Often"
at is a very unpopular place."
suggested her neither, from whom
she Inherited both beauty and pride.
"Well, don't say word against
it, Beatrice" said her father.
"What If it is unpopular. Edith
is too proud to come down below
her level, and l really think that
season out there with Amos and
Barbara will do her good. some
times fear that her pride will be
her ruination, and this visit may be
the means Of making a sensible
girl of her"
Edith's eyes sparkled with con-
cealed delight at her fathers ex-
pressed hope, and she demurely re-
piled, perhaps it will"
She was soon ready to go, for it
needed but little preparation to go