Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1882-10-21
Sly E.I)I)ING.

How Cupid managed to send Stephen
Barker after me | never could 1lhd OUT
Inf fiat is between themselves, ana IL
,,,. nf my business. A man 6ood
enonoh for Elizabeth and janet, ana All
sucb ornaments to their sex, to lay his
honest heart at myaoollsh little 1eet l
own that for day or two the hohof III
most turned my head.
Then | began to consider. mao 10Y
el Norman Strong ever since coula re-
,,onher and Norman had been my
friend when 10 one else SAID hiou
word 10 me. The case stood tlus
WAC M orpllan. left to the care Oh al
ur.,e and aunt remarkable Tor that
kind Of propriety that wins our adln'ra-
,i.n and awakeus our hearty desire 10
,,,,t away from it. had a small fortune
Of ~25 900; that is, was to nave IL IL
| remained unmarrit until was tLrty-
f,o or Il I married previously with my
unclcs approval,
Now unclo did not approve OF NOR
man IN fact, uncle never approved OF
ony one that liked. Bat with St. pheh
Barker disapproval was out OF the ques-
tion. Stephen was the great man ana
a., Good man of orr small town. 10
have insinllntod that Stephen was hot
worthy q q saint, n beauty and an
b,.ir..s united, would have been heresy
seriously affecting my uncie's social and
commercial standing. Stephen Barker
ofer was therefore accepted, and the
noxt Sunday we walked to church to-
gethcr.
After this public avowal OF our lnten
tions the marriage was considered IN
eyitable by evory person but me.
must do myself justice to state that
never regarded my engagement L
Stephen seriously: 1t was pArf OF plai
to secure M, happiness and rights. AM
as Stephen fully conceded III 1t, d'
not expect csnsure from anyone else.
! think il was no later than the thlr'
night after stephen had spoken to N.
uncle that | frankly told him though
I ought not to marry him. tic aske'
mo why; and said "+All my lite long
Stephen, I havo been crushed, unhar
nv Girl. have bcen afraid to speak
or laugh, or sing, and no one hus MOI
man Strong ever said kind word to III
until you came.
"And you love Norman?" he askc'
bluntly.
So / answered, 'Yes, I love him, al
no love. me, and when he got the pos
ton of cashier In your bank, he wante
to marry me, but uncle said We wer
neither Il us TO Q. trusted with m
625, ,o00.'
~ s@"So YOU have s25, ,Oo0?"
Tapa LETT me that much;' but tEncl
Miles can keep it until l am thirty-tiv'
unless marry to please him. or nnle'
lie in SO satisfied Of my good sense th'
ho voluntarily gives it up to me. +
will never DO that" ~
Stephen was silent long timo, al
then he said little sadly; "You are
good girl to be so honest with NE.
Your uncle could be made to give l
your little fortune, do you think Y
conld use it wiselyp'
"I could-with Norman TO help ME
Then vc had long convorsatio
which it is not necessary for NE TO /
peat; it will bo understood by what +
lows. There was no change appare
between Stephen and |. He behav
exactly as lover Of his nse and ch'
ncter would he likely to behave.
sent aunt presents from his hot-hous'
|, anu lie made me presents OF prct
lewelry. He spent the evenings
Uncle Miles house, and sometimes
were left alone together, and son
times we went out for a walk. Norm
came TO sec us occasionally on a Su
day night, and my aun: said he h
really behaved with more good sci
than she expected. l think she S:
IL ! married the banker, it might not
bad thing for my cousin Malvi.
who was very plain, to marry the bal
er's cashier.
Everything went on with the great