The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-10-24
FRANCES HALLIDAY.

EhANOES nALlIALUAIa
How Cupid managed to send Stephen
Barker after me never could find out;
but that Is between themselves and is
none Of nv business. A man good
enough for Elizabeth and Janet, and
al such ornaments to their sex, to lay
his heart at my foolish little feetl Town
that for q day or two the honor almost
turned my head. 1
Then began to consider. Ihad loved
Norman Strong ever since 1 could re-
member, and Norman had been my
friend when no one else said kind word
TO me. The case stood thus: Twas an
orphan, left in the care of an uncle and
aunt remarkable for that kind of pro-
priety that wins. our admiration and
awakens our hearty desire to get away
hrom It. / had . fortune of S25, 600
that Is, was to have it If 1 remained
unmarried until was thirty-fve, or If
i married previously with my uncle's
approval
Now uncle did not approve of Nor
MANN fact uncle never approved of
any one that liked. But with Stephen
Barker disapproval was out of the ques-
ton Stephen was the great man and
the good man of our small town. To
nave 4lAcAAA41tC4 tAAn1 AoAOB--Ch W - AAOe
worthy of q saint, beauty and an heir
ess united, would have been q heresy
seriously affecting my uncle's social and
commercial standing. Stephen Bar
ker,s- offer was therefore accepted,
and the next Sunday we walked to
church together.
After this public avowal of our in
tentions the marriage was considered
inevitable by every person but me- l
must do myself the justice to state that
/ never regarded my engagement with
Stephen seriously; it was part Of a
plan to secure my happiness and rights.
And as Stephen fully coincided in it, i
do not expect censure from any one
else.
think it was no later than the third
night after Stephen had spoken to me
that frankly told him that 1 thought /
ought not to marry him. He asked me
why, and I said: .An my. life long,,
Stephen, have been such q crushed,
unhappy girl, have been afraid to
speak. or laugh, or sing, and no one
but Norman Strong ever said q kind
word to me until you came
''And you love Normanp" he asked,
bluntly.
So i answered .-ssYes, love him,
and he loves me, and when he got the
position of cashier in your bank he
were neither OF us to be trusted with my
$25,
$50 you have $25, ,000?"
aPspa left me that 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
viii never do that"
Stephen was silent long time, and
then be said, little sadly: ssYou are a
good girl to be honest with me. If your
uncle could. be made to give up your
little fortune, do you think you could
use it wiselyP'
Il could-with Norman to help me-"
Then we had long conversation,
which it Is not necessary for me to re-
peat 1t will be understood by what
follows. There was no change, ap-
parently, between Stephen and L he
behaved exactly as lover of his age
and character would be likely to be-
have He sent aunt presents from his
hot-houses, and he made me presents of
pretty jeweiry. He spent the evenings
ut Uncle Miles house, and sometimes
we were left alone together, and some
came to see Us occasionally on q Sun
day night, and my aunt said he had
really behaved with more good sense
than she expected / think she thought
II / married the banker it might not be
bad thing for my cousin Mslvina. who
was very plain, to marry the bankers
cashier
Everything went on with the greatest
propriety. had announced my inten-
ton to have an extraordinary trousseau,
and. this being point on which aunt
could feel with me, the next four months
were pleasantly spent in shopping and
sewing. Never before in our little town
had there been such dozens of elegantly
trimmed undergarments, such lingerie,
such hosiery, such morning dresses and
evening costumes, such wonderful boots
and slippers and jewelry. We held
little receptions every afternoon 3
month before the wedding, and my
wardrobe was laid cut in the best bed
room for comment and inspection
It was about this time that Stephen
Barker said to uncle: 81 understand
Frances has $685. 900. / wish to have it
so settled on herself, and for her abso-
lutte use, that propose, Mr.. Miles, il
you are willing, to add $4,000 to it,
and buy for her the Stamford estate. II
is only three miles from here, the house
isa very fine one, the land excellent, and,
then, zEhatever changes come, It secures
railway is finished 1t VIII be worth
double. What do you sayP"
'1 think your offer extremely gener.
ous, Mr.. Barker, and, of course, for such
purpose, am willing to hand over tc
you at once Frances fortune. The in
terest has been applied to her own use
always. VIII you look at the &C
countsP'
.Your word is sufficient, Mr.. Milesr
So in about two weeks the transfer
was safely and amicably effected, anG
Stamford Hall and estate were firmly
and surely made over to Frances Hal
hday, spinster, for her and her heir
forever. must state here that I op
posed, as strongly as i thought right
Stephens gift Of $4,000, and his sub
sequent outlay of $1,000 on furniture
but both uncle and aunt said that tn
settlement was small enough for . mai
of his means, and that il would be af
fectation to oppose it. And reall,
Stephen managed the whole affai
withsuch fatherly kindness and thought
fulness that I could not bear to op
pose it.
At length the weddlng-day drew near
1t had been arranged for Wednesda.
morning, and we were to leave for New
York immediately after the ceremony
This showed In Jose very Christiai
spirit, seeing that he once looked on M
and my $25, 900 with affection, and hal
not appreciated the honor. However
he foreave me at this interesting spoch
and came benignly TO bless my venture
He brought me as a present blacl
onyx seal ring, on which was set n eros
IN seed pearls. BE had offered me