Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-11-06

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long time and shed many tears. The
next time Robert Norton proposed to es-
cort her home. and attempted to take her
hand, as usual. she hastily withdrew it.
And when he inquired whether he had
offended her, she merely answered, NO, "
and Immediately left him to join some
girls of her acquaintance who were walk
ing ahead of them. Accustomed to being
faverite with Young ladies. he drew an
inference agreeable 10 his vanity.
He thought Lnolie was conscious of get
ting attached to him more than was strict
Improper. so long as there had been no
specific proposals on his part and he re-
solved to remedy that by an early avowal
of love.
But he did not find it so easy to obtain
interviews as it had been. She was polite
when they met. but obviously wished to
avoid being alone with him. At last,
however, by persistent watching. he found
an opportunity to ask her to be his wife.
To his great surprise, she answered:
mo. Mr.. Norton, | cannot marry
YOU
You have become very formal all at
once with your Mr.. Norton,' rejoined he,
with forced laugh.
when | called you Robert | did
not know of you what know now she
replied.
And pray what do you know against
me ?'' said he
IL know you sometimes get intoxicat
ed" she replied.
'Who told you so Pr he inquired very
hastily
mo matter who told me-" she re-
joined.
1T is true; and will never marry a
man who gets intoxicated"
''But / am not drunkark, Loolie," he
pleaded; Though confess have some
times been rather the worse for liquor,
when l have been with set of gay fell
lows"
''Isn't that the way drunkards generally
begin ?" she asked
IL suppose it is" he answered. ''But
If YOU marry me, promise never to taste
of intoxicating liquor again"
My dear Aunt Eliza married man who
made the same promise, and wretched
life she has had of it. shall not venture
to try the same experiment. thank you
for your offer but cannot accept it. Good
evening, Mr.. Norton" And she vanished
from the room. He was offended by her
plain speaking. and manifested it by very
cool politeness when they met. A few
months later she was informed that he had
gone to California.
Her companions noticeda change in Loo
lie. She entered into dances and frOlics
with less zest and though she used to i'm
itate flute to perfection, she now pro-
fessed to have forgotten how to do it. Con-
lectures were whispered among the girls
that she was in love with Robert Norton,
who had fiirted while with her, and then
gone off and left her. The young men
said Bob Norton couldn't have been such a
fool as to leave her if she was in love with
him. More than one tried by very marked
attentions to console her for his absence
and some Of the opportunities seemed so
eligible that her parents advised her not
to let them slip. But in the silent watches
Of the night she communed with her own
honest heart, which said to her, "What
right have you to marry one man and love
another?' She banished beaux from her
thoughts, and left gossips to wonder at the
chances she was losing.
year passed without any tldings of
Robert Norton. Meanwhile, her father
sickened and died, and the withdrawal OF
his earnings rendered it Necessary for the
older brothers to put more money into the
common stock for family use. To accom-
plish this they resolved to seek their
fortunes in California, where, at that time.
the streets were supposed to be paved
with gold. They CHANGED to be among
the lucky few, and before many months
had elapsed they sent for their mother and
sisters. The first news that geeted them
on their arrival was that Robert Norton
was In their neighborhood, that he had
pounced upon rich vein of gold and had
become amillionaire. When Mrs. Draper
inquired how he bore this rapid change
Of fortune, her sons laughed. and replied
HE lives like game cock. and throws
money about by shovelsfnl
Mr.. Norton took an early opportunity to
to call on his friends, and impressed them
all with an idea of immense prosperity
LOolie's observing eyes noticed his rubi-
cund visage even more than the stylish
ness Of his dress and equipage. Itrecalled
the conversation when he had asked her
to be his wife, and the recollection flushed
her expressive face with a vivid blush
That swift mantling of the blood was
hailed as an suspicious sign; and, en-
boldened by the wealth he had to offer, he
soon renewed his suit.
'Loolie replied, Il have told you that
would never marry man who gets intox-
icated and any one who looks in your
face, MIR. Norton, must see that you drink
hard"