The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-01
THE HISTORY OF A LIFE.
BY THE AUTHOR OF CAPTAIN GERALD" ''THE
RIGHT OF Way" ETC.
CHAPTER I.
TO BE, OR NOT TO BE.


the fact; you must really marry Mr..
Roper" Mrs Beloe spoke very decidedly,
and her daughters beautiful face flushed
to vivid crimson at the imperious sig
nifcance of her tone. But she made no
reply, whilst Mrs. Beloe went on still
more energetically.
"Romance is all very well at eighteen,
but it is ridiculed at twenty eight. Be-
sides, as l said Just now, it is come to
that pass with us now, that it ought not
to be question of inclination, but OF
necessity. You must marry Mr.. Roper,
Euphemia."
This repetition turned the flush on her
daughters face to two bright, burning,
settled spots on each cheek. Once she
raised her head, as if she had meant to
speak, then suddenly changed her in
tention, and resumed her work in
silence.
"You must see, Euphemia, that your
fathers circumstances are not nearly SO
good as they used to be- He has made
two or three unfortunate speculations
this year, and they have cramped his
resources for the time. ! dare say it will
all come right again in the end, but at
present | know he finds it difficult
enough to get money to 60 on with, and
has been lamentably near bankruptcy
several times. Your marriage with Mr..
Roper would, he assures me, set him on
his legs again, and entirely restore his
credit with the commercial world"
"Pray let me know how, 1t is only
fair that l shouln have all these details" )"
said Euphemia, looking her mother
steadily in the face as she spoke.
Mrs. Beloe moved uneasily out Of the
range of that clear, searching eye, and
her usual volubility seemed to have
received slight check, for she hesitated
visibly before she made any reply.
"My dear, you know"
"Well, mammaw
"You know that Mr.. Roper is eau
tious Scotchman."
"ARd what then?"
a should have thought you would have
guessed my meaning"
II do not want to guess, mamma.
should rather hear the whole scheme
plainly from your own Ii ps."
II never called it scheme, Euphemia
No one can accuse us of having tried tt
entrap Mr.. Roper; for | was more sur
prised than | can describe when he begal
to shoN such evident signs of partialit,
for you. | had always fancied that HI
came here simply to see your father"
"And no doubt he did at the first in
stance" replied the daughter.
Then his motives have altered lately.
81 am afraid they have, But felt $
sure of him, from various reasons, that
never made any efforts to provide agains
such a contingency"
'Really, Euphemia, as if there wer
any reason why Mr.. Roper shouldn't fal
in love with you if he felt so inclined"
ave see things quite differently, nam
ma. 1t seems to me, if it really is So
"Can there be any doubt of that%' in
terrupted Mrs. Beloe.
81 don't know; but in that case
should regard it q fatal chance
"A fatal chance, when | tell you tina
it would save your father from ruinW
awe are told not to do evil that goo
may come OF it"
"You are too absurd, Euphemi'
What harm could there be in marryin
Mr.. Roper?'
81 don't love him, for one thing"
81 had no idea you We're so old-fasl
ioned in your notions" said Mrs. Belo
scornfully GLOW many, do you thinl
of the people who marry every day, ma
yr for love"
"That would not be possible calcul
tion," was the cold response, "for v
know nothing of the feelings of other
and can not even venture to judge the
by their actions half the time. Suppo
| were to marry Mr.. Roper, do you su
pose | should humiliate him 50 cruelty
to make it evident to the world that W
influenced in my choice by anything b.
worthy motives"
"Really Euphemia, | never heard yt
talk in this ridiculous manner before"
"Simply because you have never tri'
to influence me against my better jud
ment before. told you that [ did n
mean to marry, and you have alwa
acquiesced in my decision until now."
Because, 50 long as it was not nect
hdly III luu w iHdIlyJ lIuI'liCLhla,
course your father and | were glad
have your company. 1t made the hou
more cheerful for visitors, and Mr.. Bel
was fond of hearing you sing at nigl
when he came home tired. But now il
quite different thing, and he desires
Zee you settled even more than do"
II want to understand it all" 81
Euphemia, YEARLY. "Why have you a
papa fixed upon Mr.. Roper for me,
preference to Captain Baird, for instan
who is certainly the richer of the ty
and in every respect, it seems to me
more desirable matchw
Captain Baird is not in the comm
eial line, where your fathers intere
lie. If he wanted to borrow of your
ture husband, it would be different;
of course be would not do that, for "
sake. And even if he were, sum
money might be convenient to him at
moment, but it would not raise his ere
in the world, or help him half so eff
ually as good name and credit, like