The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-05-21
An Old Mans Wife.

q am afraid it isn't right, Mr. Riugeland,
for me to accept your kind offer. l.
Somehow little Diana Mary was very
much confused, and. shc dropped her
sweet flower-face away from the old gen.
tleman who was standing beside her, look.
ing 50 kindly down on her.
Afraid to marry me because am such
An old man, Dlana2' Or do you think 1T
impossible for me to love you because [
am 80 old9' What is tue reason, little onea'
Diana looked quickly up her lovely eyes
all piteous IN their sweet truthfulness.
Il was only thinking of myself. II am
umte sure am not IN love with you. l
think it would be wrong to marry you just
because you are generous enough and KIND
enough to want to give me home and
care. There Is no other reason why you
should want me, SIT.
MIR. Ridgeland smiled IN her grave eyes.
Innocent little girliel But you will be-
Eeve me when tell you that, although
con,d not endure to see such child as
Yourself left to battle with the world alone,
although I certainly do believe you have
M warmer feeling for me than friendll-
ness and esteem, still, Diana, love you
truIy, for all there is difference OF nearly
fifty years in our ages. l love you 1or
your sweet, gracious ways, that are such u
charming combination of girlishness and
womanliness. / love you because l see
what a noble lovely woman you will MAKE
You are modest and very beautiful, Diana,
and want you to he my wife. DIANA,
shall it be SOP
The girl knew his offer was what the
world calls splendid one, only she did
not love him. And it had not been so very
long since she had cried night after night,
when no one knew it, because Ned Furness
had cooled in his devotion to her-hand-
some Ned, with the smiling face, and
way with him that had appealed so strong
ly to her heart.
But Ned Furness, his beauty, and his
way were of no avail.
He had hardly spoken to her OF late, ara
she had heard more than once or twice that
there was pair of pretty grey eyes that
had conquered him.
SO when Mr.. K,dgcland had asked her
if she would be his wife she had thought
It her first duty to tell him that she did not
love him as she supposed he desired to hae
loved, as he certainly deserved to be loved
in consideration Of all the great kindness
he was showing her. t
Then, when Mr.. Rldgeland had'so calm
ly, gravely, decidedly put the question,
Diana looked at him, her sweet blue eyes
wlstful and pleading.
If you think can suit you, cir, will
try to please you, indeed l will MIR. Ridge
land, for you are my kindest, truest friend. ;
Then he lifted her face by her little dinl-
pie chin and kissed her.
i will always be your traest, kindest
friend, Diana, dear. The time shall mover
come when you will regret having gwen
yourself to my keeping; and the time shall
come when you will love me, despite my
white head, Diana. ....
Aud she thought him the most courtly,
digniticd gentleman she had over seen as
he spoke, and she smiled and bushed SO
pretlily that Mr.. Ridgeland congratulated
himself that it would not be long before
his proph ecy cametrue.
Not long after that they were married,
and the fairy-talc life of Diana Ridgeland
began just as she had expected and went
on just as she had anticlpatcd;a and she was
80 happy.and proud, and 80 shyly sweet
aud graceful, that people said Mrs, Ridge
land was an IDOL If over yet a voting, beau.
tiful wife was an old mans idol. .~
People called her AN taaIbhman's oarlng,
and many ~ q e girl 9! little dis envicd her,
, while more fre., than ian Inexperienced Ridgoland's
ffieaas openly explain in a Y admiration
OF lns charming tyyoSa failurL 4.
And one, a 5crusty '6ldyell llor, who hat,
been among the first todelidsoEIr. Ridge.
Land forassnmlng. tho. yoke Of Married lIf,,
has ventured to say. that other gentlemen
admired young Mrs Diana, ,tco-gentle.
menWho had no special business to. b
You see, she'sso young and pretty, and
had such. bright giflish. viyacity, that i,
ss attracts people = gentlemen 2 especially
sthose near her own age, who are naturally
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