The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-11-13

eNchanBeu hnlt dozen words IN the course
Of her life. The distance, however, was
but short, and she had little time for re-
Fiction On arriving at her place Of des.
tination, she found the chief part Of the
business accomplished The furniture,
which, by the way, was new and hand.
some, had been arranged in the rooms after
a fashion, but Esther was able to point out
several changes for the better, with all Of
which Mr.. Bigelow professed himself de.
lighted he moreover asked her advice as
to the proper place in which to hang sew.
eral fine pictures that he had picked up in
the course Of his European travels. This
was accorded with some hesitation.
Mr. Bigelow would not be satisfied with
out showing his new.found acquaintance
all over the house, from kitchen to garrett.
When all was completed he overpowered
her with protestations Of gratitude for her
kind service, and landed her at her own
door just five minutes before her brother
came in. Esther was rather glad of this,
as she was little suspicious that her
brother would consider her adventure rath-
er Quixotic one
To avoid comment, she did not even ia.
form Philip that she had ever met Mr..
Bigclow. He took frequent opportunities
to call upon her, on some slight pretext or
another, but it always CHANGED to be when
her brother was absent.
al wonder" said Philip, carelessly, as
he sat by the FIRE one evening, "whether
Mr.. Bigelow will not be looking out for
wife before long?"
81 don't know" said Esther, and, 10 her
embarrassment, dropping half a dozen
stitches from the stocking she held in her
hand.
mot that | approve of marriage--at
least not in my own case, said Philip, not
noticing this demonstration, "but il NAV
be different with Mr. Bigelow. He has
no sister to superintend his establishment.
| don't know, however, whether there is
anybody likely to suit him ia this village.
Let me see-there is Miss Preston; she
might do"
"No, don't think she would suit him
at all said Esther with a spirit which
considerably surprised her brother, "she
knows very little about housekeeping.
"Why thought you aud Miss Preston
were friends, said Philip, puzzled.
"Well, so we are, returned Esther in
her usual tone "but IL hardly think
she would suit Mr. Bigelow."
Perhaps not, he rcjoined, aud so the
conversation ended.
From the conversation which we have
recorded above the reader will obtain some
insight into the character Of Esthor's feel
ings toward Mr.. Bigelow. She would
hardly confess it TO herself but, as mat
ter Of fact, her ideas Of marriage had suf.
fered a material change within 4 brief
period
Meanwhile the gentleman continued his
visits Oftentimes he would ask to see the
bed Of flowers on which Esther rather
prided herself, and sometimes he would
petition fol. seeds, being very fond Of flow
ers, as he said, and very anxious to intro.
duce them into his own garden.
On one of these occasions Mr. Bigelow,
after little visible embarrassment, said,
hesitatingly:
Z uVaia rNu " ask your advIce, MIS-
Esther, on rather a delicate subject aud
one Of great importance to myself. There
is one thing | wish to procure to make my
complete, but l hardly know
in what manner to ask for it."
"What is it you refer tot" asked Es-
Their unsuspiciously.
"a wife, was the significant reply.
Instantly deep crimson flushed Es-
TIERS checks, She did not trust herself
to speak.
"Nced say that you are the one whom,
of all others, l would seek to place in that
position ?"
He took her unresisting hand and kiss
cd it with all the gallantry of young
lover
"But what will my brother say?" in.
quired Esther when she found voice to
speak.
"What should he say? You are your
own mistress"
ayes, but he is always ridieuling the
idea of marriage, and couldn't venture
to tell him."
"No need Of it. Let's run away TO New
York and get married. You know" he
added gaily, 1--WE are both young and ro
mantle, aud it would be quite in charac-
ter
Esther at first objected, but when she
came to consider that in this way she would
be relieved Of great portion of the en-
barrassment which such a step would nat.
urally bring with it, she consented, and
that day week was appointed for the de-
parture. She required this time to make
preparations.
Meanwhile If Esther had not been so
exclusively occupied with her own affairs,
she might have noticed that change had
come over Philip He was often absent
evenings, aud when at home was more ST.
lent aud distracted than his wont. The
former she readily attributed to the cause
which he assigned, namely pressure Of
business. The latter she did not observe,
her mind being preoccupied. We, who
are in the secret, may take the liberty to
follow him on one Of his business calls.
II was at a neat cottage, from whose front
door dangled an immense knocker, that
Philip Manson knocked. The door was
opened by the same Miss Preston, who,
some months before, be thought "might
do" for Mr. Bigelow.
GOOD evening, Maria, was his saluta.
ton as he entered After brief CONVEX
sation about the weather, the crops, and
other standard topics, which, however
trivial they may seem, could hardly be dis
peused with, he began to show signs Of
embarrassment, aud finally calculated:
"Maria-Miss Preston-I mean Maria,
what arc your opinions about marriage?"
"Why," said she, 81 hardly know,
don't think have given much cousidcra-
ton to the subject"
Because" continued Philip, al iind
my opinions have suffered a great change
on this point. There was time when l
thought it unwise but now, if l could get
good wife, such as you, for example,
should be inclined to try it"