The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-10-29
MABEL's LOVERS.

Mabel was little, pretty pink
checked lassie, in height scarcely
reaching to Mark Hamilton's wide
shoulders.
That gentleman reauanged q dus-
ty pile Of, legal papers in one corner
Of his private escritoire, and laid a
heavy sealed document upon the
table.
"He has proposed then--this sa-
pient follower of yours?"
"Now, Mark, you're just boorishl
Did not / tell you he proposed.ever
80 long ago-almost at the first Of
our acquaintance? And |, loving
him, of course accepted his troth, and
we are to be married next April"
Since her earliest remembrance,
Mark Hamilton had formed a part
of Mabel's existence. Orphaned long
before her womanhood was gained,
the guidance Of her earlier life had
rested entirely in his. Keeping, and
she had grown up to love him with q
deep, true, steadfast love, such, she
thought, as a child must feel for its
parent; for he was thirty.fve, and
she but seventeen this autumn day.
"You wish me happiness, do you
not, Mark?"
"You know me too we'll to ask that;
but matrimony is ia treacherous craft;
you had best be careful with whom
you ship"
Mabel rose from her seat in the
doorway,
"If you please, we will dismiss the
subject. You are SO horribly severe
in your views of humanity general.
ly, and Alfred Meryin particularly.
1ou 90 not know him, Mark, or you
would, like me, have the strictest
confidence in him."
Perhaps" said Mr.. Hamlin, with
sigh, rs he folded together bis doc,
uments and trudged away in the d.
rection of his office. "But," reason
ed he, "she is too completely absorb,
ed in this six-foot nonentity to think
Of her own good
Meantime Mable was blissfully un-
aware of all things save her lovers
presence, just six foot to hairs
breadth, with sturdy broad shoulders
and straight features, with his stud
les barely completed, and no special
ly definite ideas as to how he was to
support his bride-that was Mr.. AL
fred Mervin.
"l suppose we shall get along some,
how" he would say. "You are net
afraid to trust me, Mabel2"
"Not at ALL" Mabel would answer.
And they sang Scotch ballads in
the sunset, and repeated love no
lnances in the moonlight until the
autumn days grew measured, and a
sharp breath Of winter in the air.
Then it was that Melvin came to
her, his face pale, his voice unsteady,
to tell her a time had come when
they must part.
"Must part?" cried Mabel, q white
pallor coming over her cheeks. "You
are distinguishing, Aired"
"No, dear, l am not" he answered.
And then he told her how the town
in which they lived trammelled,
with its narrow confines, whatever
talent he possessed. So he was 60
ing 10 Gry MS fortune.
"But,"-and a shade of uncertain
ty crcpt into Ntabel's cycs-"you will
rcturn2"
"Can you doubt me2" he cried,
catching her to him in short, rap.
turous embrace.
She decided she could not, and he
went away.
For a long while after that Mabel
moved languidly about, nursing her
unhappiness and brooding over Mer.
wins absence. But even his letters
ceased abruptly just n month before
the marriage day. The winter
through they came with laudablc
regularity, always loving, always
freighted with words and endear-
ment.
Of course Mark Hamilton smiled
IN his cynical way, and told Mabel
that her idol had fallen to the dust
in her keeping. Perhaps it was on
ly natural that she should think