The Red Cloud chief., 1878-01-03

might incur, Tor tne pltlI4i BUN Sno
would receive, forgetting that her SAL
aIy ~ q teacher during the year was
more than all three Of the girls had to
spend in that time. Her mother was
moro against 1t, IL possible. than her
father: wondered where Hattie got
such notions and thought she might as
well get rid of them, for she was not go
ing to let her ruin her prospects for
marrying by becoming a schOOl-teacher.
beside, everyone knew school-teachers
never married.
It was Mr.. and Mrs. Mayham's one
hope to see their daughters well mar
ried: they had tOiled and stinted and
strained every nerve to bring them up
to appear as well as their associates,
who were daughters of merchants,
bankers, and men of wealth and dis
tinction. And when the burden seem
ed too heavy, they would console them
selves with the thought that by-and-by
their daughters would marry men OF
wealth and honor, and they would then
be amply repaid for all the sacrifice they
had ma defor them.
But alas for human planning and ex-
pectatiOn! Although their daughters
had pleanty of beaux, yet there were no
offers of marriage except Francis Whit
tier, who had proposed to Hattie and
been accepted, about four years prev
iOus to the opening of our story. He
was a very enterprising young man,
with many estimable traits of charac.
ter, but very little of this worlds
goods.
The announcement of Hattieis en-
gagement caused quite a cOmmOtion in
the family. They admitted his worth,
but he was poor; and Mrs. Mayham
said she had always hoped and prayed
that her girls would never have to
struggle as she had done. Katie and
Bell declared if they could not better
themselves they would remain as they
were; while papa, who had remained
silent until all had expressed their Opin.
ions, said very decidedly that, until
Francis Whittier had q home and in
come sufficient to support Hattie as she
had been in the habit of living, he could
not have her; and as he was only a
young lawyer with a small practice, he
guessed it would be a long time before
he would be ready to claim her. He was
sorry that Hattie had been so foolish as
to fall in love with a poor man.
The result of this conversation, which
occurred four years ago, was a consulta.
ton between Hattie and her lover. end.
ing in a decision on his part to go west,
and try to carve out more rapidly a for
tune sufficient to enable him to support
Hattie as her father wished. During the
time he had been gone. although he had
applied himself strictly to business
studying early and late, yet he did not
seem much nearer the acme of their de-
sires than when he left her.
But a young lawyer cannot spring in
to a practice with one bound; he must
work his way into it; and although
Francis, at the end OF the four years, did
| not see much further ahead than wher
he started, yet he was really further
along on the road to success for he hai
gained by his strict attention to bust
ness the esteem of some of the best meI
in town, who had marked his appllca
ton and, at the beginning of the fifth
year, consulted and employed him in
several important cases, two of which
he gained, thus bringing him into thu
notice of other prominent men.
With many bright anticipations of flu
ture happiness and joy he wrote to Hat
tie of his success, and begged her to bs
patient, hoping that ere long he would
be able to claim her and end the weary
waiting. But this letter never reached
Hattie; if it had, no amount of persua
sion could have induced her to cast hin
off for a weather. man.
About three months previous Mr.
Grant, a rich old gentleman, had me-
Hattie at an entertainment given by
one of her fashionable friends, and haG
fallen so deeply in love with her pretty
face that he resolved then and there, t.
win her if wealth and perseverance
could do it, and Immediately commenc
ed paying his addresses to her. At frs
Hattie treated him as she would any
other old gentleman that came to tn,
house. singing and playing for his en-
tertainment. But when she saw he wa.
| coming with serious intentions, sh,
used her utmost endeavors to keep ou'
| of his way.
This, however, offended her father, *
she was compelled to accept his atten
tons or incur her parents serious dis
pleasure; for MI. Msyham was almes,
sure that Mr.. Grant meant to make Hat
tie his wife. and although he was 81
much older than she, he hoped that hi
daughter would accept him.
Therefore when, one evening, Mr.
Grant drove up to his Office and asked
the pleasure of driving him home, hi
heart beat high with expectation; and
his anticipations were realized, for be
fore they had been together many min
utes MI. Grant asked MI. Mayham fol
his daughter Hattie, promising to settle