The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-03-29


tain sum Of money.
Then Frank went into the long
dining-room, and seating him.
self at one of the small tables in a
secluded corner he waited for Cora
Pressy.
lie flushed to the roots Of his
crispy curling brown hair as he
smiled at her She noticed il and
wondered silently, thinking. mean.
while, that ne was not such a bad
looking fellow, with his broad brow,
honest eyes, and firm lips
Miss Cora" he said, rather awk-
wardly Il would ike to have you
ride out with me this evening, if
YOU will. / have something of inn
portance to tell you," he added
hurriedlv, growing redder than ever
with embarrassment.
Cora looked at at him wistfully.
Was it something about her father !?
But she dared not put the thought
into words-there were to many
about. So she merely bowed her
head in acceptance ofhis invitation
and went away.
Halfan hour later she was tucked
in trim little cutter beside HIM,
dashin- over the white moonlit
road, and anxiously waiting for him
to reveal the matter of importance
al which he had limited.
But Frank was curiously silent
for a long while. 1t seemed to Co
ra that be would never speak. AT
last. with a sudden effort, he said;
Miss Cora, you've known me only
a few days, but you've seen enough
of me to know that | a am blunt-spok-
en- fellow, so | hope you won't be
upset by what | am going to say.
| am not much ola gentleman, but
| haven't any very bad habits, and
make fair living, and-and-well,
[ want a wife. little gal, and | love
you. If you'll have me I'll do my
prettiest TO make you the happiest
woman in tie country"
Cora smiled up at him through
tear filled eyes, and this gave him
courage to slip one arm back OF the
cutter and draw her closer to his
side.
She murmured something about
being almost stranger to him but
Frank growing wonderfully bold,
pressed with his lipsthelids over the
girls dark eyes and queried do
you love any other man 2"
"No :" she answered honestly
enough Il believe you are the best
man | ever knew
Whereupon Frank kissed her
again, upon the lips this time, and
made a second proposition, to which,
at first, she would not listen. But
the will and energy of her earnest
hearted wooer carried the day, and
the result was call upon a justice
of the peace and when they re-en-
tered the inn that night the girl was
Cora Pressy no longer, but Cora
Hollister, and Franks face was ra-
diant and triumphant
In the dingy waiting-room an ex-
cited crowd was gathered.
Frank endeavored to hurry his
wife past the doorway, but her
quick glance caught glimpse of a
familiar figure.
Father !" she cried, and stepped
into the room.
"Yes, there he was, haggard and
disheveled, with bloodshot eyes
and unshaven face. He might have
been fine-looking once. There was
Just the ghost of debonair an about
him still, despite his wretchedness.
An officer guarded him on either
side.
what has he d'ne," cried Cora,
with pallid lips.
Some one in the crowd answered
brutally enough "Killed q brother
gambler twenty miles back. They
are taking him through to the city"
Then the poor little wife went in
to a dead faint, in her husbands
arms, and he carried her up stairs
with his brown check against her
white one.
All night he watched beside her
while she went from one deGthly
swoon into another. At last in the
gray morning she smiled sadly into
her husbands eyes and whispered
"Do not be troubled. / will go
away"
Not if l can help it" answered
Frank with a grim set of the under
lip. Then all at once he put his
head down on the pillow beside her
and began to cry like two-year-old
baby.
With her slender hand she stroked
the mans big curly head, and talked
to him in a sweet, weary way that
went straight to his warm heart.
Dear friend" she said, Il know
how unselfsh you are, but will not
allow you to make such n sacrifice.
You shall not share my shame"
Look here, little woman, knew
all about this yesterday morning I;
that's why | was in such rush to
get married. | knew they would
bring Colonel Pressy through here,
and 1 knew if | did not make suIe
Of you then, that | should never get
you. My darling little wife," he
went on kissing her hair, and eyes,
and lips, thank God nothing can
separate us-nothing but death"
And looking into her husbands
eyes, Cora knew that here was her
safe home and shelter foreve-more.
Ny reader would set me down as
an unsatisfactory story teller where
to omit the sequel.
Col. Pressy committed suicide a
month later in his prison cell.
Frank took his little wife away to
his eastern home, where she lives a
content,d little matron, proud and
happy in her husbands love and
the possession of a cooling, bright
faced baby.
What He Owed ID His Wife.