The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-10-17
"WeIl?"
''Ihen, Clementine, you are to be the
Clare, and L your poor friend and COM
panion."

( you. But las not Air. Selden seen
4 you?'
| No; | was married in Maryland,
| and came bacl, widow two years ago,
! but Mr.. Selden has never remembered
me until now. | wonder who this
friend is that he proposes to bring with
| nim?"
"Oh, men always think in pairs, Fan.
| They never decide on anything until
their particular friend approves, l
| dare say they wrote the letter together.
What is the gentleman name "a
The widow examined the note. "'My
friend, Mr.. Cleye Sullivan Do you
know him, Clementine:"
mo; am quite sure that | never
saw Mr.. Cleye Sullivan. l don't fall i'll
love with the name-do you? But pray
accept the offer for both gentleman,
Fan, and write this morning, dear"
Then Clementine returned to the con-
sIueration of the lace in c0quitteS for
her new evening dress.
The plan so hastily sketched was
subsequently, thoroughly discussed and
carried out. The cottage at Ryebank
was taken, and one evening at the end
of June the two ladies took possession
of it. The new widow Clare had en-
gagged a maid in New York, and fell
into her part with charming ease and a
very pretty assumption of authority;
and the real widow, in her plain dress
and penslye, quiet manners, realized
effectively the idea of Il cultivated but
dependent companion. They had two
days in which to rehearse their parts
and get all the household machinery in
order, and then the gentlemen arrived
at Ryebank.
Fan and Clementine were quite ready
for their first call the latter IN rich
and exquisite morning costume, the
former Ill q simple dress OF spotted
lawn. Clementine went through the
introductiOnS with consummate ease
and manner, and III half an hour they
were Il very pleasant party. Jchns
"cousinship" afforded an excellent
basis for informal companionship, and
Clemenline gave it full prominence.
Indeed. iii a few days John began to
find the relationship tiresOme: it had
been. cousin John, do this" and
Cousin John, come here" continually;
and one night when Cleve and he sat
down to smoke their final cigar, he
was irritable enough to give his objec-
tipnC in tho form Of cnaacb
''Cleve, to tell you the honest truth,
l do not like Mrs. Clare"
81 think She is a very lovely woman,
Johp.'
Il say nothing against her beauty,
Cleve; don't like her, and L have no
mind to occupy the place that beauti-
full, ill-used Miss Marat fills. The way
cousin Clare ignores or snubs woman
to whom she is in every way inferior
makes me angry enough, IaSsure you"
Don't fall in love with the wrong
woman, John"
Your advice is too late, Cleve; | am
in love. There is no use in us deceiv-
ing ourselves or each other. You seem
| tc ike the widow-why not marry her?
am quite willing you should"
"Thank you, John; | have already
made some advances that way. They
have been favorably received. think"
You are so handsome, a fellow has
no chance against you. But we shall
| hardly quarrel, if you do not interfere
| between lovely little Clement and my
self"
II could not afford to smile on her,
John; she is too poor. And what on
| earth are you going to do with poor
vHe? Nothing added to nothing will
not make a decent living"
81 am going TO ask her to be my wife,
and if she does me the honor to say
Yes will make decent living out
of my profession"
From this time forth John devoted
himself with some ostentation to his
supposed Cousins companion. He was
| determined to let the widow perceive
| that he had made his choice, and that
he could not be bought with her money
| Mr.. Selden and Miss Aarat were al
ways together, and the widow did not
| interfere between her companion and
her cousin. Perhaps she was rather
glad of their close friendship, for the
| handsome Cleve made a much more
! delightful attendant. Thus the party
fell quite naturally into couples, and
the two weeks that the gentlemen had
! first fixed as the limit of their stay
/ heightened into two months.
1t was noticeable that as the ladies
became more cOntiden ial with their
lovers. they had less to say to each 9TH
er; and it began at last to lie quite
| evident to the real widow that the play
must end for the present, or the den0ue-
ment would come permaturely. Cir
cumstarces favored her determination.
One night Clementine, with radient
face, came into her friends room, and
said: Fan, l have something to tell
YOU. Cleye has asked me t. marry
him."
Now, Clement, you have told him
all; know you have"
Not word, Fan. He still believes
me the widow Clare"
Did you accept him?'
"Conditionally. | an to give him 4
I final answer when We go to the city in
October. You are gong to New York
this winter, are you not?'
Yes. Our little play progresses
finely. John Seldom asked me to be
his wife tonight"
al told you men think and act in
pairs
John is noble fellow. pretended
to think his cousin had ill-used him
and he defended him until | was
ashamed of myself; absolutely said
Clement, that you were a sufficient eX-
cuse for Mr.. Clare7s Will. Then he
blamed his own past ideness so much
and promised if | would only try and