The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-02-13
lFrCaI the Arsosy.l
EDWIN AND ANGELINA.

he hal perhaps been rather long iii max.
ing up his mind hut then, it must he
allowed that he had AN unusual number
uf temptations to remain single. His
home was 1t very comfortable one. He
was idolized Ivy his mother, looked up 10
and made much of Ivy his brothers and
sisters, had his own suite Of rooms, and
everything about him SO perfect, VIVA:
wonder that he was in no great hurry {?
Though he had always meant To marry
some time, Of course; To have q nice
HON" of his own; and he had always
meant Ia marry the one the world held
most dear to him; the girl who had been
his haby-companion and youthful sweet
heart.
Though no worl of love had been
spoken between them since he used to
walk home from school with her, when
she was but fifteen and he barely twenty,
they had not ceased to regard each other
with tender feelings; yet for the last five
wears he might have married any time, so
10 speak, having been sufficiently "wcll
of. He had somehow not dono 80.
There had always seemed plenty Of time.
She Wa, always III" same Ia him. He
had, almost uncunscinusly, half feared
that If he marri Il he might lind himself,
comparatively speaking, in poor cirrum-
stances. He had. involuutarily, pictured
himself as unable To dress 50 carefully
and modishly rs now; lis having to deny
himself good wines, good cigars, cabs,
and various other thIngs-small, perhaps
i'll themselves, but mounting up in the
year. Now, however, there WAS no ne
&c IN int 81, tFlH, l,n han
saved largely during the last few years,
and ut thirty-fve years of age had de-
termined 10 marry at once. 1t was not u
worthless offer he would have to make
his Angelina. So far as he was con-
cerned, hc might without vanity consider
himself gool-looking, and favorite with
society; more dcscrvedly 30, perhaps,
than half tn" men of his acquaintance;
for besides pleasing manner, he had u
fin tenor voice and sang we'll: and last,
though far from least, he was fast-ris-
ing literary man; had long since been
recognized az q writer of no mean merit,
aud WAS making hi, way ace lrlingly. In
literary circles, by a certain class, he was
welcomed with delight, aud by all with
respect and il certain amount of admira-
ton.
Reflections more or less like this ran
through his mind Oh this, lis thirty-ffth
birthday, as he rolled luxuriously home
from the chambers III II ransom, smoking
choice cigar. Aud having taken this
not altogether unsatisfactory inventory
of himself, his thoughts turned to her,
his darling. There was no one like her
in the world. She had not, perhaps, Il
handsome face, but surely it was bcauti-
full, 30 pure and lofty, with her sweet
grey eyes. Then her dear little white
hands, always 40 busy-how many thou
sand times he had pictured those soft
eyes Frightening up at his return at
night None hut himself knew how
near hc had been, many time and oft,
doing the deed. Sometimes when spend
ing evening" with "the girls" at his
mothers house, she would look 80 be-
witchiug III her plain dress, generally a
black silk, with lace collar aud cuffs, that
he could not help noticing how different
she WIS from other women, and sudden
longing would come TO make her his
own. Sometimes when she sang simple
little songs, in voice, and with II man.
ner that would almost have drawn tears
from n stone, the words had almos,
trembled on his lips; but on the whole il
would have been better to wait until ho
hal fame 10 offer her as we'll rs love.
He would ask her Tomorrow to share
with him Ill he had made of name, and
he felt how happy he would be able tc
make her, and it would be grateful
change for her, poor girl. Her life hal
been bit hard since her fathers death
when she took TO daily teaching to heir
to keep up their home. They were no,
poor, exactly. No; they had n very
pretty, coy little house, but there wer.
Il good many Younger sisters aud brothers
growing up, and Angelina would not be
q burden i'll any way upon her mother
she would rather add her mite to tho
general store, than take anything from il
Thus it came Ia pass that for the las,
five years she had taught daily, and tho
man who was now about to make her lii
wife, loved and h0nOred her for il from
the bottom Of his heart, He dismissed
his cab at the corner of the square. Hi
mother had SOircc i'll honor of hi
birthday, aud he would slip in unnoticef
and have time to dress.
Just as the cab rolled off n friendl,
hand was laid on his shoulder and +;
friendly voice saluted him-that Of nj
old Oxford chum. They had been yer,
intimate at college, and the friendship
had never been allowed quite to fal
through. so glad to see you, old boy
Just been to your place, and hearing yo
were out, was coming away disconsolate
l want you to come down to me in Sen
tember. Now don't say no; you'll forge
how to handle n gun, you know, if yo
20 on like this. Two years since yo
honored my preserves, and on your
own showing you've honored no one else'i
Do come, there's dear fellow; I've thre
or four of your set coming, and at least
dozen dying to be introduced TO you, I
say nothing Of the ladies, several of whol
are hon-hunters.
The answer came after n moment
pause, aud, strange to say, with blus
like girl
"Wel, Frank, should really be d,
lighted to accept your invitation. but
am afraid tit would be impossible til
year."
You don't mean to say you're thin
ing of marrying ?you have rather gull
appearance.
Our friend Edwin (who was, we kno,
not only thinking of marrying, but b
arrived at the full determination of doiI