The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-09-25
MABEL,S LOVERS.


"And we are to be married in April"
said Mabel Henry, with quaint air of
assurance that made Mark Hamilton
emile.
Mabel wasa little, pretty pink-cheeked
lassie, in height scarcely reaching to
Mark Hamilton's wide shoulders.
That gentleman rearranged dusty
pile Of legal papers in one corner of his
private escritoire, and laid heavily
sealed document upon the table.
"He has proposed then-this sapient
follower Of yours%
"Now, Mark, you're just boorish Did
not / tell you he proposed ever so long
ago-almost at the first of our acquaint-
ance? And /, loving him, Of course ac-
cepted his troth, and-we are to be mar
ried next April"
Since her earliest remembrance, Mark
Hamilton had formed part of MabePs
existence. Orphaned long before her
womanhood was gained, the guidance of
her earlier life had rested entirely in his
keeping, and she had grown to love him
with deep, true, steadfast love, such,
she thought, as child must feel for it's
parent; for he was thirty7fve, and she
but seventeen this autumn day.
"You wish me happiness, do you not,
MarkT ,..--.-
"You know me too well to ask that;
but matrimony is treacherous craft;
you had best be careful with whom you
ship"
Mabel rose from her seat in the door
way.
"If you please, we will dismiss the
subject. You are so horribly severe in
your views OF humanity generally, and
Alfred Mervin particularly. You do not
know him, Mark, or you would, like me,
have the strictest confidence in him."
Perhaps" said Mr.. Hamilton, with a
sigh, as he folded together his documents
and trudged away in the direction of his
Office. "But, reasoned he, "she is too
completely absorbed in this six-foot nom
entity to think of her own good
Meantime, Mabel was blissfully una
ware of all things save her lovers pres
ence, Just six foot to hairs breadth,
with sturdy broad shoulders and straight
features. with his studies but barely
completed, and with nospecially definite
idea as to how he was to support his
bride-that was Mr.. Alfred Meryin.
81 suppose we shall get along some
how" he would say. "You are not
afraid 10 trust me, Mabelw lni
i"Not at all" Mabel would answer.
And they sang Scotch ballads in the
sunset, and repeated love romances in
the moonlight, until the autumn days
grew measured, and a sharp breath Of
winter in the air. .''ii''.'' t,J
Then it was that Mervin came to her
his face pale, his voice unsteady, to tel
her time had come when they mus
part. J.. ..C1 -aies5Ib N
"Must partT' cried Mabel, white
pallor coming over her tcheeks. "Yor
are iesting-triaing, AIf5edW
No, dear, am mott he answered.
And then he told her how the town in
which they lived trammeIled, with it
narrow confines, whatever talents he pos
sessed. SO he was going to try his for
tune. n 30 -1-.7~r
"But," -and shade of uncertainty
crept into MabePs eyes-"you, will re
turn? &c "A ~ l1.ls.Il TT M
ing her to him in short, rapturous EN-
brace. eT f.II iE.DrIq IN
She decided she could not, and h
went away. , o.e-f fr.,,-
For long while after that Mabe
moved languidly about, nursing her un
happiness, and brooding over Mervin'
absence. But even his letters cease,
abruptly Just a month before the maj
riage day. The winter through the,
come with laudable regularity, alway
loving, always freighted with words ant
endearment. W L-sr'-f,dE-N .'l.
OF course Mark Hamilton smiled il
his cynical way, and told Mabel that he
idol had fallen to the dust in her keer
ing. Perhaps it was only natural tina
she should think some evil had ovel
taken her lover. But conviction game
upon her gradually, and by the time sh
came fully to believe him recreant, sh
had ceased to care for him.
Now, next May, fate willed that som,
one of speculative inclinations shoul
fit up an old rookery, dubbed Sunni
View,' and transform the place into
summer hotel.
: Fate willed it, too, that Cliff Aide
= should wander that way one golden Jun
morning, and meet Miss Mable Henr,
after the accepted fashion Of all herot
and heroines. 80 ..
After an introduction in which q rul
away played leading part, she ha
/ asked him, unconcernedly enough, If
Wofc btOppiuB Az 0uIniult view Win II
family, when he answered that he ha
no family; her feelings rose to a Jul
temperature. At supper, she detaile
the episode of their meeting in elabora
rhetoric to Hamilton. -. .t4
mabel, you're q veritable goose
said Hamilton, when she had done.
"Pm not angling for compliments,
you please" said Miss Henry; and kel
her own counsel sitter that.
Two weeks of almost daily 'intercour
sufficed to show Mable that Cliff Aide
had no tendency OF admites Scotch balls
L or Tennyson. He was entirely. 4
commonplace, "too absurdly sensible
for her, she decided. And then lik,
!. him all the better for the decision.
Did he proposef Yes; Just thr
months from the day of their meetin
and In this wise:-
mabel, we are very agreeable, al
like each other, hope. Suppose v,
become my wifep ~ ..-.
That was his proposal; never a wo
of love-not even demonstrations
anxiety as to the loss or gain. 1t "
his way, she decided, and accepted hi
1t was early September that he ask
her 10 marry him. 1t was early Octob
when he came to her in the dusk of 4
evening, and with ring Of yearnil
Az ~