Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-19

toft Will lsIiOtNeT. IOf QlbQ no uOup6
about my feeling in this matter; it was
unmistakable. I smiled grimly now
when remembered the days i'll which /
had boosted of not possessing jealous
temperament. Why, 1 was jealous of
every one who went near Daisy. ! was
mfuriated if she danced and sl1ated with
any one but me, and when L saw some
awkward, clumsy man run against her
once at the rink [ felt like choking him
when she smiled Mt his apology 70
tell the truth was positively wretched.
If Daisy had never come I could have
got along very we'll with Clara, I told
myself. There had been a tacit, if not
an expressed, understanding on the score
OF our relationship among all our
friends, and l would have been q very
cheerful and attentive spouse to Clara if
L had never seen Daisy and, ON the
other hand, If | had never seen Clara,
might now perhaps succeed IN winning
Daisy's hand, and with it everlasting
happiness. It was just n case OF
How happy could be with either,
Were tother dear charmesaway.
l sometimes wondered whether Clara
did not partly see through ME. She had
such al odd way of looking at me some
times with such shrewa smile; but she
treated ne better than ever. She was
really a splendid creature, and, under
imaginable circumstances, 1 might have
learned to love her very much, In a GER
tam way. So things drifted on until
Christmas came. On Christmas night
there was to be grand, fancy-dress
ball at the rink. Daisy was going and
so was Clara, and it goes without saying
that [ was on hand. My perplexities
were at their height. [ was more in
love with Daisy than ever, but fully
alive to the matter of my duty in an
other quarter. It was beginning to
wear on me terribly and I concluded to
call in the advice of my friend Porter, a
prudent and sagacious fellow, in whose
Judgment { had unlimited confidence.
How fondlyI hope& he might decide
that L was under no obligation to Miss
Alden. And how differently he did de-
eide He was perfectly astounded at
any confession. Miss Alden, he said,
was one woman picked out of 10000,
much handsomer, much richer, much
more distinguished than Miss Lyle; 1
must be out of my senses. In short, he
wound up by saying that I was In honor
bound TO address Miss Alden, though,
for his part, he began to doubt whether
that splendid creature could consent to
marry man who was so preposterousiy
blind as not TO see that she was second
to no woman in existence. This was on
Christmas day. l had been to Porters
room to have talk with hin, knowing
he would be at leisure, and the result
was that he entirely convinced NE of
what [ ought TO do. Still it was very
hard to make up my mind to it.
[ had been invited to dine with the Al
dens that day-quite en- famille, as usu-
al. 1t gave me o sneaky feeling of late
whenever [ got one of these kind invita-
tons, but had seen no way out of the
matter but to accept, and so ( had &c
cepted. When left Porter's room L
turned my face in the direction of the
Aldens with q very heavy heart. Before
dinner [ had no opportunity to see Clara
alone, if had desired it; but [ had am
pie opportunity for watching her, and I
seen her look better. She played, too,
and sang more brilliantly than any
woman I had ever seen. [ could have
been very proud Of such wife, I re-
Elected, if
The other guests left early, but lin
gered. knew perfectly well what [
ought to do, and I had been slowly max
ing up my mind to. do it if the opportu-
nifty occurred, and the opportunity did
occur. Toward lightfal every one else
had withdrawn, and Clara and I were
left alone. [ took seat very near her,
and told her had something of very
confidential nature to say TO her. To
M surprise she rose and walked across
the room, touched the bell, waited until
the servant came, and then ordered
lights. This was little disconcerting
but when the servant had lighted the
room and departed she came back to the
sofa, and In the coolest and most matter
of-fact manner asked me to go on.
CLARA" I began rather timidly,
you will be perfectly prepared for
what am going to say. You have so
much discernment that you must have
seen that this moment would GONE. I
have always had the greatest admiration
and regard for you. I value your worth
most deeply. [ feel"
Here Lpaused, confused and misera-
bic.
"Never mind what you FEEL" said
Miss Alden, coolly. "Let's come to
the point. The upshot Of it all is
what?"
THAT want to ask you to marry me-
/ will do my best to make you happy, If
[ can. [ know I don't deserve you;
but, will you marry me?"
Most certainly not" The answer
came cool, calm, determined. I was
startled and murmured confusedly:
"What do you Eaean?"
81 mean that you might have saved
yourself some trouble if you had asked
me this question good deal sooner"
she said, land I am not conscious of
feeling particularly fattered at the offer
of hand so distinctly and widely sep
arated from the heart. However, the
point is that have refused you; SO Won
may make the most of that. You
needn't wait now. know you are i'm
patient. as it is time to prepare for the
rink. [ have declined to marry you, but
I feel enough interest in you to wish you
success. Perhaps tonight [ shall be
able to offer my congratulations"
She offered her hand. and T took If in