The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-12-30
MARRIED AFTER ALL.

fLutl anu i are touoIIS, hil' '''i W.
sdans; but, as is frequently the case
with daughters of one race" we are
ny unlike as we well can be, for while
she is decidedly fair in the face" She
Is an hcress as we'll As to disposition,
lbere we differ, too for, while | am
iiIll of spirits and have an opinion OF
my own which is frequently asserted,
she is yielding. gentle amlabllity IT,
a4ah
will relate little incident. Once
ge were invited to visit together IN old
Ancle who had lived in solitary bachcl-
ghood up to the advanced age of eighty
GEARS.
Joan, what would YOU do with mon
=, if it were left to you?" he asked me
,ne day.
Why, spend it, of coursen lrcplcd,
gs2h0ut hesitation.
Nov, nothing had been further from
iwy thoughts than disrcSpect but that
answer certainly cost me the fortune
which only six months later came to
Eihel.
That happened two years ago, and
since then Ethel has had and refused
Eve offers Of marriage, although she has
hut Just passed her eighteenth birthday.
am twenty, and have had as yet not
one single proposal :, 49,, ,
You are too sarcastic, Joan" Ethel
SAYS. Gentlemen do not like critical
yVung ladies'"
Then they should not lay themselves
ppen to criticism" reply promptly.
1T isn't that, cousin mine; it's because
I'm plain, and beside YOU | look even
plaincr still"
Ethel smiles little consciously rs she
says:
Now, Joan, you know you're talk
NJ nonsense. Only the other day Hart
Holman told me he thought your eyes
were glorious"
"0h, Hart llolman--he doesn'
oount!' | say lightly.
Ethel shakes her yellow ringlcts at
ne
You are incorrigible, Joan" Then
MT face suddenly grows sober "Cous-
~ she says, Il want to ask you
something. How do you like Mr. De-
Tere?n
Not one bitr' answer concisely.
But whyP" she asks. ''Surcly you
cannot deny that he is very handsome
xnd entertaining"
just as open my lips to reply an ell
Egant cquipage draws up at the gate,
and the vcrtablc individual under dis
aussion alights He has come to take
NY cousin for ride.
] watch them drive off with II sensa-
son of discomfort strong in my mind.
Not because | am jealous of her supe-
nor at,ractivcncss- thousand Times
pa, | love my cousin and am proudei
ps her beauty than she is herself. but
iscause something tells me that of al
nsr admirers Ethel likes him the best
Snd that he is not the true good man tc
whose keeping she could resign hcl
sweet self and be sure of the happiness
her tender loving heart deserves.
Seeking Auntie lpour out my trouble
INTO her sympathizlng ear.
Don't worry, Joan DEAR" she say!
rua4suringly; 'for you know that you
gre both my wards, and neither of yol
c2n marry without my sanction before
rpu are twcnty-one. Three years is ;
rood while If Mr.. DcVerc is what 20,
ihink him. Ethel will surely find it on
teiore that time"
am comfortcd, for although she doe
not say so, | can see that auntie share
ny views, and that Mr.. Raoul Dover
has found no more favor with her thai
sith me.
A month rolls by During that tim
,omethng happens, something surprlS
Dg-I have Il proposal
II love you, JOAN" Hart Holma
ssys. "You have never given me tn
slightest encouragement-indc yo
nave been very cruel oftentimes; but
nevertheless, | love you and have love-
ron ever since first knew you"
That's impossible" | say, for
vas an infant in arms. Auntic has Oft
en- told me what friends our mother
we're, and how frequently they used t
risit each other and compare their ba
sies."
Bat he disrcgards my llippancy.
Don't try to eyade an answer, Jt
aD," he says. II love YOU dcir!y-d
Jou not like me the least bit?'
His tone is so earnest, that as | loo
mp into his frank wistful blue eyes,
cannot help but feel thrill Of compunC
ton for all my unkindness, past an
present After all, it is not unplcasau
90 be loved so truly even if one came
aturn it.
Certainly like YOU" | hasten I
say. Haven't we always been friends
almost as near rs any brother and siste
could be?'
His frank face clouds.
That's the trouble" he eXclaim
Joan, don't want you TO think of m
as brother, am not your brother, an
some day want to be somethin
else"
rise.
Il wish you would not tease M
Hart" cry. Il don't dislike yo'
surely you know it; but please ste
talking OF love"