The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-11-03
AN ONLY OFFER.

1NNSiNt 81. heS hClN ilht fOl
then, Julia. | am forty three now
remember"
Did YOU ever have an ofler-ar
offer of marriage, mean. aunt ?"
"No. Wen, that's not true; |
have an Offer"
And you refused il ?"
NO
Then he died, or went away ?"
No"
"or deserted you?"
"No.n
Then you deceived him, | sup.
pose?"
Il did not"
What ever happened, then? Was
he poor, or crippled, or something
dreadful -
"He was rich and handsome"
Suppose YOU tell me about him?f
Il never talk about him TO any
one"
Did it happen in the old place.
"Yes, Julia | never left Ryelands
until / was thirty. This happened
when ! was sixteen"
'Was he a farmers son in the
neighbornood ?'
He was a fine city gentleman"
"0h, aunt, how interestingl Put
down your embroidery and tell me
about it; you cannot see to work
any longer"
Perhaps after SO many years OF 81
lence 4 sudden longing for sympa-
| thy and confidence seized the old
lady, for she let her work fall from
her hands, and smiling sadly, said !:
'Twenty-scven years ago | was
standing one afternoon at the gate
at RyelandS All the work had been
finished early, and my mother and
two elder sisters had gone to the
village to see n friend. / had watch
Cd them a little way down the hill
side, and was turning to 90 into the
mouse, when | saw 4 stranger on
horseback coming up the road, He
stopped and spoke to mother, and
this reused my curiosity so | lin
gered at the gate. He stopped
when he reached it, fastened his
horse. and asked; Is Mr. Wakefield
in?'
Il said father was in the barn, and
| could fetch him, which | immedi-
ately did.
..EIe was dark, unpleasant look
ing man, and had masterful way
with him, even to father. that | dis
liked but after a short, business
like talk apparently satisfactory to
both. he went away withoutentering
the house. Father put his hands in
his pockets and watched him ont Of
sight; then. looking at me, hc
said: Put the spare rooms in order,
Phoebe
They are in order, father but is
that man to occupy them?7
"les, ne and his patient, a young
gentleman Of fine family, who is in
bad health"
DO you know the Young gentle
man, father ?"
Il know it Is young Alfred Comp
.on-that Is enough for nae"
And the dark man who has Just
left ? / don't like his looks at all,
father"
Nobody wants thee 10 like his
looks. He is Alfred's physician
DR.. Orman. 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 rather been expecting the com
pany. But she AIDED. they viii
pay well, and as Melissa IS to be
married at Christmas ready money
viii be very needful'
About dark carriage arrived.
1t contained two gentlemen and sew
eral large trunks. | had been watch
ing for it behind the lilac trees, and
saw that our afternoon visitor was
now accompanied by a slight, very
fair man, dressed with extreme care
in the very highest fashion. / saw
also that he was handsome, and /
was quite sure that he must be rich,
or no doctor would wait upon him
so subsequently,
This doctor l had disliked at iirst
sight. and | soon began TO imagine
that had good cause to hate him.
His conduct to his patient | believed
to be tyranical and unkind Some
DAYS he insisted that Mr.. Compton
was too i'll to 90 out, though the
poor gentleman begged for walk |
and again. mother said, he would
take from him al his books, though
he pleaded urgently for them.
"One afternoon the postman
brought DR.. Orman, a letter, which
,eemed To be important, for ne ask
d father to drive him to the next
town. and requested mother to see
that Mr.. Compton did not leave the
house. | suppose it was not a right
thing to do, but this handsome sick
stranger. 50 hardly used, and 50 sur
with mystery. had reused
in me a sincere sympathy for his
loneliness and suffering, and walk
ed through that part of the garden
into which his windows looked.
We had been politely requested 20
avoid il because the sight of strang-
ers increased Mr.. Compton's nervous
condition did not believe this,
and ] determined TO try the expert
ment.
He was leaning o1.t of the window,
and q Saade2 face | never saw |
smiled and oourtesied, and he imme-
diatelv leaped the low sill, and came
toward me. stopped and began
to tie UP some fallen carnations he
stopped and helped me, saying all
the while ! know not what, only
that il seemed to me the most beau
tiful language | ever heard. Then
we walked up and down the long
peach walk until heard the rattle
Of fathers wagon.
After this we became quietly. al
most secretly as far as u, 0rinan
uras concerned vex2 great friends.