The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-04-16
Selert Story.
AN ONLY OFFER.

"Aunt Phgbe, were ysu ever pretty
"When was sixteen | was considered
so. was very like you them Julia. l
am fOgty-tbree now, remember
ibid you ever have an offer-an offer
Of marriage, l mean, aunt?'
"No. Well, that is not true; did have
one offer
"And you refused it p
! NO"
'Then he died, or went away
"No.'
.'Or deserted you
"No."
"Then you deceived him, suppose ?
Il did rot
"What ever happened, then Was be
poor, or crippled, or something dreadful
"lIe was rich aud handsome.
Suppose you tell me about him.
Il never talk about him to any one.
did it happen at The old place 2
AYES. julia. never left Ryelands "a.
til was thirty. This happened when |
was sixteen.
"was ho farmers sou il she neigh
bOrhood r.
"He was fine city gentleman.
"oh, aunt, bow interesting Put down
your embroidery aud tell me abou. il; you
canno, see to work longer"
Perhaps after 50 many years Of silence
sudden longing for sympathy and cOuh-
denee seized the elder lady, for she let her
work fall from her hands, aud smiling
sadly, said
Twenty seven years ago was s'aad-
ing ono afternoon BY the gate at Ryelauds.
All the work had been flushed early, aud
my mother aud two elder sister had gone
to the village to see a friend | had
watched them q little way down the hill-
side, aud was turning to go iato the house
when saw q stranger on horseback con-
ing up the road. He stopped aud spoke
to mother, and this reused my curiosity
so | fingered at the gate. lie stopped
when he reached it, fastened his horse,
and asked, is Mr. Wakefield 10 p
said "father was IL the barn, aud |
could fetch him, which l immediately
did.
He was dark, unPleasant-lOoking man,
and had masterful way with him, even
to father, that | disliked; but after short
business-like talk, apparently satisfactory
to both, be went away without entering
the house. Father put his hands in his
pockets aud watched him out of sight
then, looking at me, he said Put the
spare rooms in order, Phoebe.
They are in order, father; but is that
man to occupy them ?"
ayes, he and bis patient, young gen.
tleman of fine family, who is in bad health.
do you know the young gentleman,
father?"
al know it is young Alfred Compton
that is enough for me.
"And the dark man who has just left ?
don't like his looks, father"
Nobody wants thee to like his looks.
He is Mr.. Alfred's physician-a Dr. Or
man, of Boston. Neither of them are any
of thy business, so ask no more questions"
and with that be 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 rather ex-
pecting the company. "But, she added,
''they will pay well, and as Melissa is to
be married at Christmas, ready money viii
be very needful."
"About dark a carriage arrived. 1t
contained two gentlemen aud several large
trunks. | had been watching for it be-
hind the lilae-trees, and | saw that our
afternoon visitor was now accompanied by
slight, very fair man, dressed with ex-
treme care in the very highest fashion. l
saw also that he was handsome, and | was
quite sure he must be rich, or no doctor
would wait upon him so subsequently.
"This doctor l had disliked at first
sight, and soon began to imagine that
| had good cause to hate him. His con-
duct to his patient | believed to Re tyran-
nical and unkind. Some days be insisted
that Mr.. Compton was too i'll to go oct,
though the poor gentleman begged for a
walk; and again, mother said, he would
take from him all his books, though he
pleaded urgently for them.
Gone afternoon the postman brought
Dr. Orman letter, which seemed to be
important, for he asked father to drive
i I ~ I i IL