The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-11-18
A HAPPY RESULT.

LET us get married at once" urged
Harry, "and let my father undo it if he
can! tell you, Rose. it's the only way.
He has set his heart upon my marriage
with the daughter of some old chum,
long lost and recently recovered; and.
though she may be the paragon Of PEI
lection he describes, she is not my little
lovely Rose! She is coming to the
house to be introduced to me, believe.
My darling. protect me against her
spells with loves best armor. Let me
feel and remember, in my own heart,
that already I have a charming. pre-
cious wife"
"But 1t will make YOU father so an
cry; and I am SO poor" she said.
"Would it be right to do thisp''
'.My darling, / can see no wrong in
it," he said. Il am twenty-five, and
earning a good income, quite independ-
ent of my fathers wealth. In fact,
care much less for his money than his
blessing, Rose; and have too much
confidence in his goodness and warmth
of heart to seriously doubt his giving
that when once he realizes that the
step we have taken is irrevocable. Isn't
it evident that he is in the wrongP He
never gave me cause to suppose that he
would interfere with my choice until
quite lately and suddenly. He was in
high spirits over q chance encounter
with some old friend. whom he had not
seen for years, and said he, My friend
has a daughter, Hal; what wife she
would make for you! I thought he
was in jest at first, and certainly shall
not sacrifice the happiness of two lives
to crafty foolish within of his. Why,
he has never even seen the girl He
owned rs much to me. One knock
down blow dear, a plain declaration,
Father, am already married ! will be
worth all the pleading in the world.
He'll succumb at once to the inevitable,
you see. Darling Rosie. say you will
marry me at once"
Rose gave way, after a little coaxing.
STIMULATING only that she should be cal
lowed to rem ain at home until the mar
riage could be publicly acknowledged"
Harry agreed to this very readily.
IN fix up bright little nest for my
bird" he said, "and then I'll come and
claim her. 1t. won't be week from
our wedding-day, sweet, before l take
you home"
There was nothing difficult about this
marriage fate seemed propitious to
the lovers. Harry said, laughingly,
that their troubles were all to come,
when his father should learn how they
had overreached him. Rose had told
him timidly that il there was any delay
she could not be married.
'For papa Is going to take me some
where with him this EVENING" don't
know where, but he told me must
look my prettiest-and l must be homo
In time" she said earnestly; and Har-
~, though secretly he chafed little ut
this BORDERING about of his little wife,
had sense enough to acknowledge that,
for the present, papa must be obeyed.
No delay occurred, however. The first
clergyman to whom they went was at
home and at liberty, and Rose and
Harry left his presence man and wife.
1t was surely the most hurried of
weddings. The bridegroom had scarce
" time to snatch a kiss ere the bride
had escaped him and ran home.
He went home merrily enough, feel
ing rather sorry, in advance. for his
fathers disappointment, and resolved
to break it to him as gently as he
could.
"a perfect paragon. my boy" said
old MIR. Miller, enthusiastically; ''she'll
be here tonight. and you'll see. /
can't tell how many years she has kept
her fathers house. and nursed him in
sickness - "Some miserable odd
maidr' thought Harry to himselD-
shut you'll have me to thank for find
ing you q perfect pearl OF woman
What q daughter for me, too, when l
am oldi All, want you to marry her,
and bring her home to me at once ~
Harry listened for awhile in silence.
at first" thought he. Better break
that to him by degrees"
"But my affections are already en-
gagged elsewhere" he said gently.
"Would you have me marry where !
feel no lover"
"Wait till you see the girl" said he.
'Tll answer for il that you'll love her.
Why, I've seen her picture only, and !
tell you it's like q fresh young rose
They're coming to dinner this evening.
so do your best to please her, my boy.
I'm not afraid of you liking her, but her
father thinks she has q notion for some
young jackanapes already, and you
must do your best to cut him out.
tell you that on the day when you tell
me that girl is your wife give you hall
my fortune. The other half shall come
at my death to your first child Therel
I can't say fairer. You're handsome
very like me-a fine, well-spoken young
fellow-why shouldn't you please my
old friends grip Hank! there's the
hall THEY'RE coming noW.o