The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-11-17

had boasted of not possessing O jealous
temperament. Why, I was jealous of
every one who went near Daisy. I was
infuriated If she danced and skated with
any one but me, and when I saw some
awkward, clumsy man run against her
once at the rink I felt like choking him
when she smiled at his apology. To tell
the truth was positively wretched. If
Daisy had never come could have got
along very well with Clara, I told my
self. There had been tacit, if not ar
expressed, understanding on the score
of our relationship among all our
friends, and would have been very
cheerful and attentive spouse to Clara If
had never seen Daisy and, on the
O! her hand, if had never seen Clara, 1
might now perhaps succeed in winning
Daisy's hand, and with it everlasting
happiness. 1t was just case of
How happy could be with either,
4 We're fother dear eharmer away.
I sometimes wondered whether Clara
did not partly see through me. She had
such an odd way of looking at me some
times with such shrewd smile; but
she treated me better than ever. She
was really splendid creature, and, un-
der imaginable circumstances, might
have learned to love her very much, in
certain way. So things drifted on
rntil Christmas came. On Christmas
night there was to be q grand fancy
dress ball at the rink. Daisy was going,
and 80 was Clara, and it goes without
saving that I was on hand My per-
plexities we're at their height. I was
more in love with Daisy than ever, but
fully alive to the matter of my duty in
another quarter. It was beginning to
wear on me terribly, and concluded to
call in the advice of my friend Porter, a
prudent and sagacious fellow, in whose
Judgment I had unlimited confidence.
How fondly hoped he might. decide
that I was under no obligation to Miss
Alden. And how differently he did decided
He was perfectly astounded at my
confession. Miss Alden, he said,
was one woman picked out of
10000, much handsomer, much
richer, much more distinguished
than Miss Lyle; I must be out of my
senses. In short, he wound up by say
ing that was in honor bound to address
Miss Alden, though, for his part, he be-
gan to doubt whether that splendid
creature could consent to marry a man
who was SO preposterously blind as not
to see that she wss second to no woman
in existence. This was on Christmas
day. I had been to Porter's room to
have talk with him, knowing he would
be at leisure, and the result was that he
entirely convinced me of what I ought
to do. Still it was very hard to make
up my mind to it.
l.
Aldens that day-quite en- .fanaille, as
usual. It gave me a sneaky feeling of
late whenever I got one of these kind
invitations, but I had seen no way out
of the matter but to accept, and SO had
accepted. When left Porter's room I
turned my face in the direction of the
Aldens with very heavy heart. Before
dinner I had no opportunity to see
Clara alone, if had wished to, but I
had ample opportunity for watching her.
and I had to acknowledge that had
never seen her look better. She played,
too, and sang more brilliantly than any
woman I had ever seen. I could have
been very proud of such a wife, I re-
fected, if
The other guests left early, but I
fingered. knew perfectly we'll what I
ought to do and I had been slowly
making up my mind to do it if the op-
portunity occurred, and the opportunity
did occur. Toward nigf1tfall every one
else had withdrawn and Clara and I
were left alone. I took seat very near
her and told her had something of a
confidential nature to say to her. To my
surprise she rose and walked across the
room, touched the bell, waited un'1 the
servant came and then ordered lights.
This was a little diseoncerting; but
when the servant had lighted the room
aud departed she came back to the sofa
and in the coolest and most matter Of
fact manner asked me to go on.
"Clara," began rather timidly, "you
will be perfectly prepared for what am
going to say. You have 30 much dis
cernment that you must have seen that
this moment would come. have al
ways had the greatest admiration and
regard for you. value your worth most
deeply. Ifeel-"
Here L paused, confused and miser-
able.
"Never mind what you feel" said
Miss Alden, coolly. "Let's come to
the point. The upshot Of it sll is
what?"
"That I want to ask you to marry me.
I will do my best to make you happy, if
I 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 mean ?"
az mean that you might have saved
yourself some trouble if you had asked
me this question a good deal sooner,
she said; "and am not conscious oi
feeling particularly fattered at the offer
of hand so distinctly and widely sepa-
rated from the heart. However, the
point is that have refused you; so you
may make the most of that. You neednt
wait now. know you are impatient.
as it is time to prepare for the rink.
have declined to marry you, but L feel
enough interest in you to wish you sue
cess. Perhaps tonight I shall be able
to offer my congratulations.
She offered her hand, and took it in
a sort of daze, which lasted all the
while I was walking home and dressing,
and until I reached the rink. When
entered the room was full. What 6
beautiful scene it was | All those gayly
clad men and girls, floating along the
polished surface to the sound of entranc
ing music, made the place look like
fairy land. 1t was the merriest ant
prettiest Christmas scene I had eve
witnessed. There were evergreen gar
lands hanging around, with holly bushes
about here and there, and many of tn
characters had been gotten up in dresse
appropriate to the season. There wer,
four great cedars in the corners stucl
full of candles which were now being
lighted, and the band was playing sucl
inspiring Christmas music. Ifelt intox
icated with the beauty and brilliancy o
the scene, and, putting on my skates,
was skimming around in an aimless sor
of way, when I came face to face witt
the bonniest little vision that morta
| ewes were ever permitted TO see It wa