The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-08
FRANCES HALLIDAY.

FRANCES HALLIDAY.
How Cupid managed to send Stephen
Barker after me | never could find OUT
but that is between themselves and is
none of my business. A man good
enough for Elizabeth and Janet, and
all such ornaments to their sex, to lay
his heart at my foolish little feet | own
that for day or two the honor almost
turned my head.
Then | began to consider had loved
Norman Strong ever since | could re-
member. and Norman had been my
friend when no one else said kind word
to me. The case stood thus: | was an
orphan, left in the care Of an uncle and
aunt remarkable for that kind of pro-
pretty that wins our admiration and
awakens our hearty desire to get away
from it, | had fortune of $25, 900
that is, / was to have it if | remained
unmarried Ent1 | was thirty-five, or if
l married previously with my unele'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
have insinuated that Stephen was not
worthy of a saint, a beauty and an heir
ess united, would have been a heresy
seriously affecting my uncle's social aud
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
tentfons the marriage was considered
inevitable by every person but me.
must do myself the Justice to state that
| never regarded my engagement with
Stephen seriously; it was a part of a
plan to secure my happiness and rights.
And as Stephen fully conceded in it,
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 | thought
ought not to marry him. He asked me
why, and l said "All my life long,
Stephen, | have been such a crushed,
unhappy girl, L have been afraid tc
speak, or laugh, or sing, and no ont
bit Norman Strong ever said kind
word to me until YOU came"
''And you love Norman" he asked
bIuntly.
So l answered Yes, I love him,
and he loves me, and when he got the
position of cashier in your bank he
wanted to marry me, but uncle said we
were neither of us to be trusted with nv
$25, 900.
80 you have S25, 0O0?"
Papa left me that much but Uncle
Miles can keep it until | am thirty five.
unless marry to please him, or unles:
he is so satisfied of my good sense thai
he voluntarily gives it up to me. HI
will never do that"
Stephen was silent long time, ant
then he said, little sadly You are 1
good girl to be honest with me- If you
uncle could be made to give up you
little fortune, do you think you coult
use it wisely?'
II could-with Norman to help me.
Then we had long conversation
which it is not necessary for me to re
peat it win be understood by wha
| follows. There was no change, APP
parently, between Stephen and l. II,
behaved exactly as a lover of his agt
and character would be likely to be
have. He sent aunt presents from hi
lighthouses, and he made me presents o
| pretty jewelry. He spent the evening"
at Uncle Miles house. and sometime
we were left alone together, and some
times we went on. for walk. Norman
came to see US occasionally on a Sun
day night, and my aunt said he ha,
really behaved with more good sens
than she expected. | think she though
if married the banker it might not b
a bad thing for my cousin Malvina, VIII
was very plain, to marry the banker
cashier.
| Everything went on with the creates
propriety. had announced my inten
ton to have an extraordinary troasseau
and, this being point on which aun
could feel with me, the next four month
were pleasantly spent in shopping aa
sewing Never before in our little tew
had there been such dozens of elegantly
trimmed undergarments, asch lingerie
such hosiery, such morning dresses an
evening costumes, such wonderful booi
and slippers and jewelry. We hel
little receptions every afternoon
month before the wedding, and m
wardrobe was laid out in the best bet
room for comment and inspection.
1t was about this time that Stephe
Barker said to uncle: 81 understan
Frances has S25, 600 wish to have
so settled on herself, and for her abs
lutte use, that | propose, Mr.. Miles,
you are willing, to add $4,000 to j
and buy for her the Stamford estate.
t is OILY three miles from here, the hou;
slavery fine one, the land excellent, AM
/; then, whatever changes come, it secur
I her competency, for as soon as Il
railway is finished it viii be wort
double. What do you say?''
4 81 think your offer extremely gene
Gus, Mr.. Barker, and. of course, for SUI
e purpose, am willing to hand over
S you at once Frances fortune. The i
|. terest has been applied to her own II
| Always. VIII you look at the
= counts?'
D Your word is sufficient, Mr.. Miles,
II So in about two weeks the transit
a was safely and amicably effected, al
| Stamford Hall and estate were firm
. and surely made over to Frances Ha
I liday, spinster, for her and her hei
4 forever | must state here that / o
: posed, as strongly as l thought RICH
q Stephens gift of $4,000, and his su
sequent outlay of 81, 900 on furnitur
{ but both uncle and aunt said that Il
settlement was small enough for ms
| of his means, and that it would be {
: fectation to oppose it. And real
4 Stephen managed the whole affs
: with such father1y kindness and though
3 fulness that l could not bear to o
r pose 1t.
1 At length the weddIng-day drew mes
1t had been arranged for Wednesdl
: 1 morning. and we were to leave for Ne
York Immediately after the ceremon
/. This showed in Jose a very Christi;