Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-01-19
The Broken Engagement

When Mary Clarimont's engagement
was proclaimed to the world there
ensued general expression OF sur
prise.
People generally are surprisedat mat
rimonial engagements. There is always
some cogent reason why things should
have been adjusted otherwise why
John should have married Joan and
Peter should prefer Betsey Nobody
ever yet was married to suit every
body.
But in Mary Clarimonts case it did
really seem as il the course Of true love
had interfered seriously with the cur
rent OF common sense and prudence.
Miss Clarimont was only one-and.
twenty, q tall, imperial beauty, with
deEy black eyes, q skin as fresh as
damask roses, and dark-brown hair,
coiled in shining bands at the back of
her head. Moreover, Miss Clarimont
had career" before her. She had
just graduated from Medfeld Medical
university and taken out her diploma
- an H. d.
"And only to think of it" said Aunt
10. bursting into tears of ve1ation and
disappointment, "that she must needs
go and ruin all her prospects by getting
engaged to Harry NARROW, down in New
York;
"It doessee strange, Aunt 10, when
tit down and think Of it," ssid Doctor
Mary, laughing and blusbing. "Six
months ago my profession was all the
world to me. / neither wished nor
cared for anything outside its lmits.
The future was all mapped out before
me, without let or bindrance and
now"
"Humphl" growled Aunt Jo amy
bTainltss idiot can get married and keep
mans house and mend his shirts for
him, but yen were made for something
higher and more oignifed, Mary"
Mary's dew.bripht eyes srarkled.
higher, Aunt Jo 2" said she. More
diepified2 There you are mistaken.
Thee is no higher or more dienifed
lot in life than that Of the true wife OF
noble husband"
"Iido lesticks r. said Aunt Jo. GAS
ii every poor fool who was dazzlod by
the glitter Of a wedding ring didn't say
the same thing You've disappointed
me, Mary Clarimont, and I'm ashamed
of you, and that is the long and the
short of it."
Mary smiled.
"Desr Aunt 10, said she, al shall
not let my sword and shield rust, be-
htve me. Harry has only his own tai
enis to advance him in the world, and
it will he at least year before we shall
be ready to marry. In the meantime
shall accept the post of visiting physi-
clan TO the Aldenbury almshouse and
practice my profession in Aldenbury,
Just the same as If there were no en-
gsgement."
81 wish to goodness there wasn't"
said Aunt Jo. 81 tell you what, Mary.
1 don't fancy that smiling. smooth
toneutd young man of yours, and l
never shall"
Still Doctor Mary Clarimont kept her
temper.
81 am sorry, Aunt Jo," she said,
pleasantly. "But / hope that you will
eventually change your mind"
"Iused to keep thread-and needle
store when was q Young woman, re-
marked Aunt Jo, dryly, "snd l always
could tell the ring of a counterfeit half
dollar when customer laid it on the
counter. could then, and can now
and tell you what, Mary. there's base
metal about Harry Marrow"
Doctor Mary bit her lip.
Perhaps. We will not discuss the
snbiect further, Aunt Jo," she said,
with quiet dignity, and the old lady
said no more.
"Aunt 10 is srong" persisted the
pretty young M. ID. TO herself.
"Msfy is msking fool Of herselil !"
Thought Aunt 10.
AldenbuIy was a pretty manufactur.
ing village, with q main street shaded
BY outrageous NAPLES, west end,
vla,Iol wo bad made their for
tunes lived comfortably in roomy old
houses, surrounded by velvet lawns and