Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-05-06
FRANCES HALLIDAY'S WED.
DING.


Barker after me / never could find ont
but that Is between themselves, and is
none of nv business. 4 man good
enough for Elizabeth and Janet, and all
such ornaments TO their sex, to lay his
honest heart at my foolish little feet |
own that for n day or two the honor al
most turned mv head.
Then began 70 consider. ] had loved
Norman Strong ever since / could re
member, and Norman had been my
friend when no once else said lind
word to NE. The c0se stood thus I
was an orphan, left TO the care of an
uncle and aunt remarkable for that kind
of propriety that wins our admiration,
and awakens our hearty desire to get
away from 1t had small fortune OF
S25. 600 that Is. was to have it, if
remained unmarried until l was thirty
five. or if / married previously with my
urcles approval.
Now uncle did not approve OF Norman.
In fact, uncle never approved oil any
one that | liked But with Stephen
Barker disapproval was out OF the qUes-
tion. Stephen was the great man and
the good man Of our small town. TO
have insinuated that Stephen was not
worthy of n saint, beauty, aud an
heiress united, would have been a
heresy seriously affected my uncle's
social and commercial standing. Stephen
Barker's offer was therefore accepted,
and the next Sunday we walked 10
church together.
After this public avowal of our inten-
tions, the marriage was considered in
evitable by every person but me. /
must do myself the justice to state that
| | never regarded my engagement to
Stephen seriously; it was part of q
plan to secnre my happiness and rights.
And rs Stephen fully conceded in it,
| do hot expect cenaure from any one
else.
| think it was no later than the third
night after Stephen had spoken TO my
uncle that frankly told him thought
/ ought not to marry him. He asked
me why; and said: "All my life long,
! Stephen, have been such a crushed. !.
unhappy pi,l. I lave been afraid to
speak, or laugh, or sing, and no one but
Norman Strong ever said kind word
to me until you came"
''And you love Norman ?'' he asked,
bluniIy.
So / answered, eyes, I love i'm. and
he loves me, and when he got the posi-
tion of cashier in your bank, he wanted
TO marry me; but uncle said we were
neither Of us to be trusted with my
S25, OOO."
$50 you have sos. .O00?"
"Papa left me ttat much but Uncle
Miles can keep it until am thirty five,
unless marry to please him, or unless
he is SO satisfied of my good sense that
he voluntarily gives it up to me. He
will never do that.
Stephen wee silent for long time,
and then he said, little sadly: "You
are good giri 10 be 50 honest with me.
II vour uncle could he made to give up
Your lite fortune. do you think You
conid use i wisely -
crud-wth Norman to help me-. +"
Then we had long conversation,
which i IS 10. necessary for me TO e.
peat 1t viii be understood by what
follows. There vas 10 charge apparent
between Stephen aud |. He behaved
exact y as n lover az his age and char
acter would be likely TO behave. He
etjsl abHt pItHtntt from us nov houses,
and he made mo presents Of pretty
jewtlrY tie spent the evenings at
Uncle Miles house, ard sometimes we
were left alone together. end sometimes
we went ouC for walk Norman came
TO see rs occasionally on Sunday
night, and my aunt said he had behaved
with more good sense than she ex.
pected. | think size thought that If
married the banker, il might not be Q
bad thing for my COUSIN Malvina, who
was very plain, to marry the bankers
cashier.
Everything went on with the creates
propriety. had announced my inten
ton to have an extraordinary tronsseau
and this being point on which aun
conld feel with me, the next four month";
Asre pleasantly spent in shopping ana