The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-10-28
Seleff Storu.
For Better or for Worse. >
An UnpretentlOus but True Story.
The Argonaut)

g4uVtS Woo . SChhO tuP o' VI NVoh euto
mbrning; Isaid, "Cornein.' Thinking
my summons had not been heard arose
and was advancing toward The door, when
it suddenly opened and Mrs. Wil,ern en-
tered the room. She approached me,
threw her arms about me and then laid
her head upon nv bosom She clung to
me, sobblns Historically, for 2 short
time. .iaa, st95f y ~ Ea
sIsm so happy, Mr.. Thurston.''
Releasing 10. self from her spasmodic
embrace I replaced her upon chair,
begging her to be composd.
From the fact that / am bachelor
and Mrs Wiltern married lady, suspi-
cious people might surmise that there
was something wrong between the lady
and myself. / assure such people at
once that there is nothing of the kind.
I am 9 gray-headed old man--ss old as
Mrs, Wiltern's father if the poor man
was now alive--and Mrs Wiltern, why
she is as pure as her little baby who died
three years ago and went to heaven
Then have known her from child.
She was great pet of mine far away to
the eastward where an me IL was a
younger and better fellow than am
now.
/ will tell you something about her
Her father vas q well-to-do farmer. a
good hearted and pious man and liked
by all his neighbors. He lost his wife
when Mary was about twelve years old,
and be was sad for ayear or two, and
then he hogan to lean on Mary, his only
child. With her hand in bis, sitting to.
gether on the old sofa, l have heard
them talking away just as merrily as two
crickets singing to each other. When
her school days were over they seemed
TO be always together, laughing and
romping IN the house or in the field.
One Sunday young fellow, neigh
boris son, came home with her from
church, and from that moment the father
seemed changed. He was as kind as
ever to his girl, whom he called his
sweetheart, bat he seemed nervous and
often looked at her in startled kind of
way. l knew how it was all The time,
for the gentleman and / were great
friends. He never said anything to me
about it, but bless you,q / could read his
simple character just as easy as play
bill. The visit of the young man made
him think for the first time that some.
body else might win away from him the
heart of HE idol, and take her from bin.
They used to talk Of me just as If ! was
went to the house one day and found
them both on the sofa as usual and
what was strange, both we're crying like
two babies. ,,-,-,-. ,-s.s....,...,4,
81 can't help It, dear papa; / do love
George Wiltern. But l love you just
as much as ever, and George loves you /;
and we will all live together and be SO
happy" -
"WeII, nv darling, don't cry anv
more. We mustn't be 80 foolish before
our old friend. You shall have George.
There, now, give your papa kiss and
60 and arrange your hair like good
girl '5sss
1 am not going to make myself tire
some by telling what passed between me
and Mary's father. 1t is enough to say
that since he bad found out the bent OF
his daughters affections he had, in a
quiet way, been asking about George,
aud bsd found him out to be quite wild
fellow. l knew he had never liked his
father, and for good reason There we're
whispers about, before he settled in that
that he had made too free
use of merchants name, and barely
escaped prison for forgery. Those. sto-
ries will follow man wherever he goes.
But be told Mary nothing about all this.
In his foolish way he had only begged
her not to marry at all. He loved her
too much to say word against her Low.
er. If be was bad, her goodness would
make him all right in time. He would
listen to nothing had to say. ~
"Don't you see," he said, "tbat it
would break my Pussv's little heart to
come between her and George ?" E {
He sold part Of his farm and bought
George half interest in village store,
and George and Mary we're married q
few months after. .las s'ae
For some reason or other George
Wil:ern took a strange dislike to me.
did not know Why at the time, nor do
know now. At any rate, l saw it very
plainly, and for that reason kept away
from the house. But l could not help
hearing every now and then that George
was keeping low company,and was drink.
ing good deal, and was playing cards
late at night. ~ ser
You cannot think how sorry I was
could think of no way TO help The mat.
ter. One night little boy brought me
note from Mary She said in 1t that
her father had a sudden attack, and wan
ted TO see me right away. s-o'
When l got to the house l found him
verv low with sort of paralysis. he
asked Mary to leave us alone for awhile
The moment she left the room he said to
me in whisper: $50 dgaI5 q a,.s
"Bv heavens, be struck ber last
nightp
A >t9s