Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-03-01

Marian Hentz. She Is In the music
room"
"How very awkward Do you sup
pose he will mind?'
81 never spoke about it to him ]"
Then they passed on, leaving me to
wonder who Marian Hentz might be,
and why it was awkward for me to meet
her. l sauntered into The music room.
At the piano, singing as l never heard
an amateur sing before, was a girl OF
about nineteen, with the rarest, most
perfect brunette beauty, the combina.
ton OF black hair and eyes, with daz
zlingly fair complexion.
Her rich, cultivated voice rang out in
ballad, the very simplicity of render.
ing being triumph of art.
"Who is she?" 1 whispered to
pretty blonde beside me.
"A music teacher Mrs. Crawford is
interested in" was the half contemptu-
Gus answer and then rush of crimson
dyed the girls face as she said, "Oh,
forgot, Mr.. Egerton I-thought-I
-" and she actually ran away from ME.
Then I found Mrs. Crawford, and
begged an introduction to the singer,
and was answered:
cit is Marian Hentz, Mr.. Egerton.
But, suppose, you must meet her some
time"
1t was no place to seek an explana-
ton, and / was presented to Miss Hentz,
who was coldly, very coldly, civil to
me.
For two weeks I met her constantly,
and was baffled by her exceeding cold
ness, while learning 10 admire her as 1
had never admired any woman before.
Her beauty was delight to an artist,
her voice won my heart, and in spite of
her evident dislike for my society loved
her.
1t was fresh young love, too, al
though / had admired others before.
My life had been too hard struggle for
necessities to indulge in love dreams,
and when gave my heart to Marian
Hentz, l gave it true, loyal and un-
tried.
But made no progress, though the
spring days came and the summer
bloomed, and haunted her. We had
all been invited to Beechwood, Mrs.
Crawford's country seat, for a summer
visit, when one evening just before she
left the city, went to call upon my old
friend.
She was in the library, and as crossed
a long room, heavily carpeted, to the
door, I heard voice, too dearly famil-
lar. say:
d" 1 cannot go Do you not under
stand how painful it is for me to meet
Carl Egerton ?"
But, my dear child, my old friend
said, if he loves you, and 1 am sure
he does"
"Hush p Marian answered, quickly.
"It could never bev'
"Not i'll might be your grand
mother, my child-not if you love
him p
A quick sob answered this, but in a
moment she said, hastily:
II do love himi There. you have
forced it from me But it can never be
never u
heard her leave the room by another
door, and 20 up stairs, sobbing as she
went. And did not wait for cere-
mory, but went to Mrs. Crawford, ask
ing abruptly:
why can it never be?"
"Were you there, Carl 2" she asked.
Yes, coming to beg you to plead my
cause with Marian Hentz. What is the
mystery about her 2"
is it possible you do not know"
81 never heard of her until met her
here"
"Sit here beside me, Carl. have
blamed you, loving you, that you did
lot take any action in the matter. But
If you are ignorant of her claim upon
you"
"Claim upon me |" I cried.
-" Well, upon your property What
wide-open eyes You are surely igno-
rant and innocent Listen, then !:
Your grandmother and Marian's grand
mother we're first cousins, and warmly
attached to each other. When you, as
a boy, refused to be adopted by your
grandmother, Marian's mother was dy-
ing. Her father had been some years
dead, and the child was destitute. Mrs.
Egerton took her. She brought her up
as she would have done her own daugh-
ter, lavishing upon her all that wealth
could command, both for education and
for pleasure. She was never formally
introduced to society, for Mrs. Egerton
took her everywhere with her while she
was but mere child. 1t was the gen.
eral impression, Carl, that your grand.
mother would leave her property to
Marian, but she had the too-common
superstition that making a will short
ened the life. She put it off, year after
year, until she was actually dying.
Then she had a will drawn, leaving
everything to Marian, and died while
the lawyer was engaged upon the draft,
leaving Marian penniIess. =
why was never told this p cried.
What brute have been Does
she think knew?"
" cannot tell. 1t was q .elicate
subject, and. presume, you, friends
were, like myself, naturally reluctant to
speak of it. But now q
:" shall, of course, settle upon her"
" 1t is too late f1l that, Carl. You
could not now confer fortune upon
Marian-except in one way"
But if she will not hear me :"
WAS right in nv conjecture Carl Q