Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-04-16
MIR. wITHERTON's ROMANCE.

WHAT a pretty, very pretty girl she
seemed, as i looked at her, seated in
front of me, over on, the right side of the
car, with her face turned at an angle
which gave me the contour of her deli
cate oval chin and regular brow! How
clear and pure her temples were, and
how very neatly the hair grew back
from theml
A long time did watch her, that very
cold day near Christmas, when we trav-
eled the whole way on the same road,
and found so much to attract in the
changes Of her face that noticed moth
ing else without or within. She was
alone, and appeared to be keeping a
sharp lookout upon all her fellow-trav-
elers, more from timidity, think, than
from any curiosity as regarded them.
Every man who rose 10 90 to the end of
the car to get drink of water, or to
leave it for the pleasure of ga little
smoke" or to lounge up to the stove
from pure restlessness, Immediately in
fluenced her expression of countenance.
At the first movement he would make
she would start, look apprehensive as
he rose, alarmed as he advanced toward
her seat, terrified as he came close, and
relieved in proportion as he heightened
the distance between them. l noticed,
as time passed on, with increasing in
terest, every new alarm, and the ex-
preston each elected depicted upon her
speaking countenance, and was almost
lost in conjecture as to where could be
her destination, what her position in
life, and antecedents, when was sud-
denly startled by my wife's voice at my
side, saying,
Theodore, what in the world do you
see in that girls face, that you have
been watching her so intently for the
last hourP"
My DEAR" answered, " "she is very
pretty. She reminds me most forcibly
of you when l first met you at-a-a-
Newport"
al never went to Newport until had
been almost ten years married." said
Mrs. Witherton. my name is Theodore
WithertOn.)
"Well," 1 said, al mean at that
time"
"Then why did you not say stem
years after our marriageP' l don't think
that people can be too particular in their
statements" said Mrs. w. "f every
one observed this rule, fewer quarrels
would occur in families, and society
also, and less mischief be made"
eyes, my dear; 1 was only thinking
at the moment of the likeness"
Likenesspn she said, sharply.
"What likeness could any one possibly
see between a dark girl with brown hair
and eyes, and the long thin face that she
has, and round fair one, with blue eyes
and light hair, like mine--at least" in
answer to my glance, Z" like mine a0as.
However, if you are amused or interest
ed in what you have been gazing at, !
am quite satisfied"
She was 80 well satisfied that she
turned squarely round, with her face to
the window, and four blocks of black
and red plaid shawl alone given me for
prospects for my wife was of comfort
able dimensions, and quite filled up
three-quarters of the seat we mutually
occupied, and the whole of the window
besides.
Mrs. Withcrton had married me many
years ago, through the suggestions OF
mutual friends, and to the great gratif-
cation of my parents. There had been
so much difficulty in finding any thing
in the way of business that could man
age, that the effort at last had to be
abandoned. think that, as is often the
case in large families, my capacity has
been moderated. Until married Mrs
Witherton l had been under my moth.
er's care, and then my wife had as.
sumed the charge of me, and we have
been as happy, think, as people gen
orally are. Mrs. Witherton was not
handsome, but my mother said that
beauty was q great snare; and she was
perhaps, not very clever, but / prefer
red her not being so for many reasons
that would rather not tell. She had 8
nice little fortune she had inherited, and
when my mother told me in our days o.
cOurtship to express certain correct
views to her touching marriage settle
ments, she had interrupted me quickly
with beautiful sentiment: "Do you
think, Theodore, that / should be afraid
to trust my money to man TO whom
am not afraid to trust myselfP" Mother
told me not TO say any thing more on the
subject, and we found afterthe marriage
that every thing had been tied up a.
tightly as lew could tie it. l am com
PEELED TO tell you all this, TO make yoJ
understand my story. Mrs. Witherton
though, always paid my bills, whensh
thought them reasonable, and also al
lowed me some pocket-money; and i
was natural that / should be deferentia
to her, for she was great dead oldei
than l was.
Now 1 had often heard the mel