The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-05-28

I really loved our minister's wife. I al
ways felt sense of guilt, and never at
home with her. N
But it seemed it was not that had
been late at church or absent from the
Sewing Society this time. Neither had
l q bow too many or q bow loo few on
my Sunday bonnet. Worse, though;
Mr.. Brodhead had been to her.
"My DEAR" she began, as sweet and
as cold and as stiff as dish of frozen
custard, s. want to have serious talk
with you on serious subject. and per-
haps may as well say at once, Mr..
Brodhead has solicited the good Offices
of Mr.. Corliss and myself between you
! and himself. He seems to be very
earnest admirer, but very diffident
one. What should you say to the idea
of entertaining proposal of marriage
from him?''
81 couldn't think of such thing for
q moment, Mrs. Corliss. Ihave no ex-
pectation or wish ever to marry any
one" said /, feeling very much an
nOyed.
Mrs. Corliss sighed severely. "Mar-
rage is divinely-appointed institu-
tioD," said she, ''and not to be lightly
set aside without due consideration and
prayer. You are not now prepared to-
give q final answer to so important q
matter. 1t comes upon you suddenly
Take time, my dear friend, to think it
over carefully, prayerfully, and with
view to what is your duty"
| Mrs. NorlisS oh,,k hop 1sro No
though to keep her teeth in, and then
kissed me good-night-a soft, clammy
kiss, which made me feel as though I
wanted lump of sugar. Accordingly.
l went in the house and ate one. and
thought no more about Mr.. Brodhead
for month and a day.
At the end of that time Aunt Kent
asked me to go down and do up her
caps, Aunt Kent was dear, good old
lady, who lived in little yellow and
white cottage at the end of the grave
yard, where her husband and seven
children were lying in one pathetic
row, under the beds of heart s-ease and
forget-me-nots. But when they went
she adopted all the world into her
warm, motherly heart. So though she
lived alone, with little cream-colored
greyhound, she had large family, and
whoever was sick, or sorry, or needy,
went to her, as we'll as whoever wished
for sympathy in health and gladness.
Dear Aunt Kent! when I went in
there she was knitting a checked sock
for young Mrs. Cables first baby, with
such look of peaceful repose on her
face that one would be willing to 90
over the same weary path of suffering,
if it should lead at last into such a land
of rest.
81 don't know when I've felt sor-
rier," said she, when I was settled at
my work by her side, ethan did for
somebody who came to me last week in
love affair. He is man of whose
love any woman might be proud, but
he is so full of humility and self-distrust
that he doesn't even dare open the SUBJ
ject to the young woman herself. And
I don't know but it will cost him his
life. He says he is sure it would if she
should refuse him, and guess he is sure
about it."
In an instant Mr.. Brodhead flashed
into my mind, and my heart grew harder
than the Westinghouse steps.
"Why, Aunt Kent" said /, I" it is too
absurd! He has already been to the
minister and to the minister's wife, and
then to the deacon and to the deacon's
wife, to ask them to intercede for him.
I wouldn't have q man anyhow after he
had made such goose of himself"
Aunt Kent opened her eyes in mild
astonishment, and then I remembered
she named somebody. Then I stopped
suddenly and felt my cheeks begin to
burn.
"Dear child" said she, tenderly,
"when you have seen a few more of
the ups and downs of life, you viii think |
more of a good mans love than you will
of these outside manners. Mr.. Brod-
head told me he had been in his strait to |
some of our mutual friends, but he sup
posed they had not spoken with you.
And we must not Judge him by the
standard we would apply to some peo-
pie. He is shrinking to timorousness,
especially with ladies. And he says he
is conscious that he always appears his |
worst before you. Poor man! I've |
seen him sit at church with his eyes |
fixed on the ribbon of your hat, as it |
futtered a little in the wind, and looked |
so hungry and SO hopeless, my heart |
just ached for him."
This time my face flushed with anger
as we'll as shame.
81 feel Inundated, Aunt Kent" said
1. IL hope nobody else has seen him
make such silly spectacle of himself"
Bella, my dear, you are wrong"
interposed Aunt Kent, gently. 1--WE
must take people as they are, not as we
would have made them. The man is
cast in delicate, sensitive mold. and
this is nearly or quite a matter of life
or death with him. / doubt if YOU are