The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-05-06

zled him exceedingly; but he was
true man and true gentleman, hence
accepted the trust as such, explaining
the fact by supposine domestic difficult
ties, of which the world was ignorant.
Miss Shelley was also an enigma to
him. She had wealth and home, ap-
parently everything to make her happy,
yet even in her most brilliant mood her
discomfort. her distrust, were apparent.
and her pleasantly-modulated voice al
ways rung with sarcasm; SO character
istic was Il Of her that he seemed even
to hear it in reading her note.
Mr.. Hollister was q man of wealth
and standing; though forty years of
age, he was unmarried, and made his
home with sister. It was evening,
and they were in the library, when he
read her note. The whole family were
there. His brother-in-law was reading
the paper, his sister sewing and the
children at their games. After reading
it he put it back in the envelope and
placed il again in his pocket; then, a
moment after, took it out and read it
again. The second time that he was
replacing it he caught his sisters eye,
and, with an odd smile ON his grave
face, handed it to her to read. They
had bantered him about his singular
trust from the first, and that he was in
terested in this girl he frankly ac-
knowledged. thinking himself safe in
his very frankness. His sister read the
note twice also, then sent the children
to bed. When the last one had gone,
for there were six, Mrs. Glider said, in
the tone of one who has settled a cues
ton to her entire satisfaction:
There is to be q wedding some
where; either she is going to be mar
ried, or her father" -
He quietly ignored the first supposi-
ton, though it made him uncomforta-
BILE. cit hardly seems possible that
Mr.. Shelley should think of marrying so
soon," he said.
His sisters tone was full of raillery as
she replied: "But there is nothing to
render such a step impossible to Miss
Shelley p, ,s--.s..z---,--a...-- --
He called the next morning as re-
quested. She was waiting for him in
the reception room. She sat by table,
her hands folded in her lap. her face
pale and resolved: he stood in the door
moment before she discovered him;
when she did she arose and went toward
him with extended hand; the grasp of
her hand was cordial but her voice was
cold. "I am sorry to have called you
from your business this morning; it was
inconsiderate; should have asked you
to choose your own time" she said.
He waived her apology and took the
chair she placed for him. She came
directly to the subject as she had
agreed. @
"My father purposes bringing home
another wife q week from to-day.
intend, the day preceding, to seek an
other abiding place. Can you recon-
mend me to any suchr'
He did not ask her if she had con-
sidered this step wel-f her mind was
fully made up; it was quite unneces-
sary; but he looked at her in his grave,
kind way. As she met his look, her
lip quivered; she arose and paced the
room back and forth restlessly. 1t was
q face that her mother had trusted,
why should she not trust it, tooP Per-
haps all men did not thus scoff at her
sex. There had never seemed mockery
in the courtesy of his manner; it had
always seemed sincere and honest For
q moment her better nature, her better
Judgment, conquered; the next, those
long years education put it under foot
the lip that had quivered, curled in
stead. She stopped before him, with
all the pent-up rebellion and anger OF
the years on her face and in her atti-
tude. "Do not think that am
prompted to this act by any miserable
little Jealousy for my mothers memory
nor yet for any such feeling, on my OWE
score, in renouncing the direction OF
the household. have not hard feel
ing in my heart for the woman who i.
coming here. L am only sorry for her
for long days, and months, and years
she will hear her kind rallied at, jeereC
at, as being feeble in body and mind
| she will. as q consequence, becom,
either weak or wicked. Sect ha!
made me wicked; there is not one whom
I trust-I shall not stay to see hel
wooed as q bride, and sneered at as ,
wife" ~
Mr.. Hollister looked at her in silen
surprise. The pallor on her fac
gave place to q sudden flush; the de
fiance of her manner to that of em
barrassment-
"I beg your pardon; when q thing
trodden on, it turns. should hav
chosen q different audience; I forgo
that I was speaking to a man who ha
never had q wife, ;" she said, with q col
laugh. - f-A
After that there was silence; he wa
the first to speak. "You have &C
quainted your father with your inter
tionP"
j She bowed assent.
II will do all that can for you," b
said, and, rising. held out his hand. Sh
placed hers in it; the grave kindness i
his voice and manner touched her; ther
were sudden tears in her eyes; he KEEP
her hand while he said:
"Miss Shelley, you say that yo
doubt every one; yet the mere fact G
your sending for me, shows that 20
trust me-"
1t was very quickly said. and befor
she had time to retort he was gone.
"Conceited like the rest, was he
first angry thought; the second was dii
ferent: "Yet he has never SCENE,
conceited, and the act did imply conf
dence. I am afraid that he is right;
am afraid that do trust him, and tha
I have this long time past" Their
was q sudden flash of joy in her face
but it gave place at once to gloon
81 will not believe it." she said.
A week later Miss Shelley ha
possession of one of the fror
chambers in Mrs. elders quiet
elegant home. She felt this kindnes
exceedingly; she was not accustome
to such consideration. Mr.. Holliste
was constantly at the house-came /
every morning on his way to busines.
and spent his evenings with them. Th
children depended on him, so did Nj
and Mrs. Glider; so did Miss Shelley
!. though she did not know it. We al
. all so constituted that we depend O
, some one; no one, man or woman,
wholly Independent.
From the first of her making hi
, home with them, Miss Shelley did NJ
: seek privacy; Mrs. Glider cordially il
, vited her to be at home, and make tt
! general sitting-room hers as well. an
l she did an. siftinO in the window wit