Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-10-02
AN ONLY OFFER.

When was sixteen was considered
30. was very like you then, Julia.
am forty.three now, remember
Did you ever have an effef--an ofie'
Of marriage, / mean, auntl 2
No. Well, that is not true; did have
one offer IL.
And You refused it, I >
No. 1905 .s- .Hr -r.f. r.
Then he died, or went away' v -
No. .tr.S -y
or deserted yon'
NO
Then you deceived him, suppoae'
i did not
What ever happened, them Was he
poor, Or crippled, or something dreadful
TIe was rich and handsome
Suppose you toll me about him.
I never talk about him to any one.
Did it happen at the old placer
Yes, Julia. ! never left Ryelands until
was thirty. This happened when l
was sixteen
Was he q farmers son in the neigh.
borhOodH
He was fine city gentleman.
oh, aunt, how interesting Pat down
your embroidery and tell me about it ;
you cannot SEQ to work longer
Perhaps after 80 many years of silence
o sudden longing for sympathy and con
iidence seized the elder lady, for she let
her work fall from her hands, and smil-
ing sadly, said:
Twenty seven years ago was stand
ing one afternoon by the gate at Rye
lands. All the work had been finished
early, and my mother and two elder
sisters had gone to the village to see a
friend. | had watched them little
way down the hillside, and was turning
to 20 into the house when saw a stran.
ger on horseback coming up the road.
He chopped and spoke to mother, and
this reused my curiosity; 80 / fingered
at the gate. Ho stopped when he
reached it, fastened his horse, and asked
Is Mr.. Wakefield in9'
I said father was in the barn, and
could fetch him. which ] Immediately
did o.. -
He was a dark. unpleasant looking
man. and had a masterful way with him,
even to father, that disliked; but after
a short, busness-lke talk, apparently
satisfactory to both, he went away with
ont entering the house. Father put his
hands in his pockets and watched him
out of sight; then, looking at me, he said:
Put the spare rooms in order, PliGbe'
They are in order, father; but is that
man to occupy themp
Yes, he aud his patient, young gen.
tleman of fine family. who is in bad
health
10 you know the young gentleman,
father''
know it is young Alfred Compton
that is enough for me-
And the dark man who has just leftg
! don't like his looks, father
Nobody wants thee to like his looks
Heis Mr.. Altred's physician-a DR.. Or.
man, of Boston. Neither of them are
any of thy business, so ask no more |
questions; and with that he went back
TO the barn.
Mother was not at all astonished.
She said there had been Letters on the
subject already, and that she had been
ratherexpecting the company. But, she
added, they will pay we'll, and as Melissa
Is 10 NC married az Christmas, ready
money will be very needful.'
About dark carriage arrived, II
two gentlemen aud several
arSe trunks. had been watching for
i behind the lilac trees, aud saw that
Jul afternoon visitor was now accompa-
lied by a slight, very fair man, dressed
WIN extreme care in the very highest
ashioh' saw also that lie was hand
some, and was quite sure he must be
lch, or no doctor would wait upon him
% subsequently.
This doctor l had disliked at first ,
light, and l soon began to imagine that
had good cause to hate him. His con.
net to bis patient I believed to be
yrsnnicsi snd unkind. some days he 4
insisted that Mr. Compton W. too III 70 | 4