The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-01-09
HOW He READ 1T.

lishment. there were few mansions
handsomer than Mr.. Rowland Cole
mans, and many were the feminine
hearts who would not have been at all
.verse to transform the imposing stone
front and it's rows of plate glass windows,
a. ainst which the almost priceless lace
curtains fell in foamy grace, into para
,lise that should not be a bachelors
paradise.
Everything was fs iitlessly handsome
inside, furnished with all exquisite finish
of detail that denoted the refined taste
Of the owner.
People wondered-and had been won
dering for twenty years-why Mr.. Cole
man did not marry.
Forty-eigh found him a portly- not
too portly-gentleman. with fine frank
face, adorned by thick, dropping white
moustache, bright laughing eyes, as
dark as we'll could be, and thick luxuri-
ant grey hair-a handsome, independent
gentleman who had all his life liked his
bachelor life, and his bachelor home
that was 80 gracefully presided over by
his widowed sister; who liked the ladies
remarkably well, but who had never
been convinced he could love any one
as he believed wife should be loved,
unless we except little May Dean, whose
blue eyes had once or twice been lifted
to look ut this wonderful rich, handsome
gentleman, who was Mrs. Anderson's
brother, and Mrs. Anderson was one Of
those genuine high-bred ladies who was
not ashamed to condescend to be warm,
true friend to May Deans mother, even
if Mrs. Dean did do her plain sewing for
her.
MAY had several times seen Mr.. Cole
man, and once or twice he had taken
especial notice of her, rather ENJOYING
her unconscious awe of him, and verv
much admiring her undeniable gentle
sweetness of manner, movement and
voice.
He had come to find himself thinking
frequently about her. 80 frequently that
he had been obliged to bring himself to
account for presuming to give seconds
thought to the insane probability of 8
little blossom like blue.eyed May Dean
caring for him-old enough to. be her
father.
MI. Coleman sat in his library alone
such a magnificent, imposing room it
was, with it's high ceiling, its inches
where statues of all the great scholars
and statesmen stood, its rows of shelves
reaching to the ceiling, its long central
table, it's other tiny tables where low,
pleasaut-looking chairs were drawn up,
its sweeping green damask curtains, its
carpet like huge bed of emerald moss.
Mrs. Anderson had gone out that
night, and Mr.. Coleman was thoroughly
revelling in the prospect of long un-
disturbed evening, when servant rap
ped at the door, with note on a silver
salver.
Mr.. Coleman took it rather abstract
edly, for notes were of such common oc-
currence with him, and, besides, he was
already impatient to be in the dry details
of some projected improvement in one
of his big, Aourishing factories-an i'm
provement that would be appreciated by
the hundreds of girl operatives he en-
ployed.
So he took the note rather Indifferent
ly until he saw the name subscribed in
full" May E. Dean"
Just little look of surprise came into
his eyes, and there was just the merest
possible acceleration in his steady pulses
not enough to make perceptible tremor
in his hands-as he read the communics-
ton
"DEAR Mr.. CoLEMAN,-J have no
doubt but that you will be very much
astonished when you find I have taken
the liberty of writing to you; but what
I wanted to say I thought I had better
write. Please do rot be angry with me
for venturing as I have done. ana not
sure that T am doing right in telling you
all do; but I have thought it over and
over, and have come to the conclusion
that I will. OF course you know how
poor mamma and I are-how she has to
sew, and bow I have been employed in
Mrs. Emmett's family with the children
from nine till three; but she has dis
charged me and sent the children to a
regular school, and. Mr.. Coleman, I
cannot imagine what is to become OF me
unless you will have me.
He paused point blank, and read the
long sentence over again, curious ex-
preston coming into his eyes and smile
creeping under his moustache.
"Unless will have her! Can it be
possible she has really cared for me .
cares for me enough to lay aside all con-
ventionalities, and 80 gracefully, sensi-
bly, offer me her precious self ?"
His eyes we're tenderly SOLEMN, yet
triumphantly happy, as he went on,
touched to the heart by her artlessness-
II know I ana very, very bold IN
daring to ask such favor of you. /
am almost sure you will be vexed and
refuse me; but Z do not mean any harm.
must not let dear mamma he weighted
with me, and know yeu are very good
and kind; and indeed, will try hard to
please you in every way. Please, Mr..
Coleman, let me come, will Yen not
Rnt 10 49, I'D rather not have me,
Iof hurting my feelings
Unless you really do
I'D rather you said no