The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-12-31
I WON'T AND WILL.

L WON'T AND WILL
Aunt Bel, shall never marry hlmI
The speaker was young girl scarcel
eighteen, and she was addressing mid
de-aged lady, who wore look of an
noyance that showed that the remark di,
not please her.
"He is far superior to Sylvester st
john" the lady said in reply.
"He is conceited; and L don't lik
him." was the answer. And the younl
girl walked away.
Laura Moore was the only child o
Mrs. Monroe's brother, who died fev
years before, and left his daughter il
her care.
The headstrong waywardness of he
charge had caused Mrs. Monroe no littl
trouble in many ways. Lately she hat
shown decided preference for O music
teacher in the neighborhood, Sylveste
st. John, young man whose simpering
affected manners mad fully disclosed t
Mrs. Monroe the utter shallowness oFhi
character.
She had talked with Laura, but with
out effect, and, anxious to prevent thu
friendship from growing into more init
mate relations, she had decided upon
plan that she thought might avert suci
calamity.
Gerald Brown was the son Of an init
mate friend of Laura's father, and 9
young man with whom Mrs. Monroe
was well acquainted, and for whose
moral worth she had the highest respect
Thinking that Laura might be di
verted if she had the society of another
she had sent pressing invitation tc
Gerald to come and spend his summer
vacation there; and it was accepted
Gerald arrived at the house few days
before the conversation just recorded
took place, and, as chance would have
it, overheard it all.
A few moments later he stepped out
on the balcony, where Laura YVES stand
ing among her flowers, and said.
''Miss Laura, will you take walk
with mo down to tho olmsp"
The young lady assented, and when
they reached the rustic scat, he con-
tinued:
"I asked you to come here with me
because I wished to have little private
conversation with you. / overheard all
that passed between you and your Aunt
Bel this morning, and l wanted to tell
you that you are not in the least pos.
sible danger, as at present have no in
teDtion Of marrying any one."
Here he stopped, for Laura's painful
embarrassment made it impossible TO,
him to proceed.
II did not think you were going tc
hear me-" she half sobbed.
81 do not blame you for one word yor
said," he continued. "a young lady
should never allow herself to be coercec
into marriage with any one. And yor
did perfectly right; and, as there is nc
possibility that we can ever be lovers,
wanted to know if you were not willing
that we should be friends. I cannot
stay here unless you consent to this, and
I do not wish to go away. Are you
willing?"
"Oh, certainly" she answered, toe
mortified to look up.
"Well, don't annoy yourself thinking
about it," he said, kindly. eff you viii
excuse me now, will go, as promised
to take Mrs. Monroe to the village this
morning"
The minute he was gone Laura burst
into tears, and sobbed out of pure
vexation.
"Oh, 1 wouldn't have had it happier
for all the worldl" she moaned. "Hov
he must despise me! And 1 don't dis
like him at all. 1t was only because
wanted to tease Aunt Bel that + said it.
1t was some time before she recovered
her usual manner when in Gerald's pres
ence, although he took every means il
his power to make her forget what haG
happened.
During the two following weeks the
young couple received many invitation,
to parties and picnics, and Laura die
not fail to see how much superior
Gerald was to most of the young men o.
her acquaintance.
And when at home he engaged in
spirited arguments with Mrs. Monroe
who was fine talker and a very intelli
gent lady, he often carried his point by
force of sound logic, that showed mind
we'll balanced and stored with infor
nation.
Luxurious ease never calls out the
best qualities of any one," he said, one
evening, while talking, with Mrs. Mon
roe. "Women as we'll ae men are i'm
proved by the discipline of worldly con
tact. A few hard knocks don't hurt an,
one-in fact, they are rather beneficial
than otherwise.
Laura sat and listened attentively
But she noticed that Gerald never triec
to engage her in any such conversation
much as he seemed to enjoy talking t.
Mrs. Monroe on these topics.
"He treats me as if he thought 1 wa
only butterfly" she sale to herself
with some bitterness; and the, added
''and / don't knew as he has any reason
to think me any thing else."
The weeks passed quickly by, and on
morning Gerald stood waiting for tn
stage, valise in hand. He bid Mrs
Monroe an affectionate farewell, an,
then extending his hand to Laura, sal,
Goodbye" pleasantly, and, bowing
walked away.
Laura few to her own room when b
was gone, and, while she tried to fore
the tears back, thought;
"He don't even respect me and ther
Is no person whose esteem l would o.
like to have. He thinks / am one o
those light, frivolous persons that
have heard him go often describe, AM
that know he despises. And, OIL villa
can do? Here 1 am, the heiress o
fathers large property, and when Aun
Bel dies I'll have oil her wealth. Their
seems to be nothing but fashionabl
folly for me TO engage in. / wish
hadn't q 6oIlar In tba xuarlitn