Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-09-28


had more than usual to record /
have been great deal In company,
and have seen great deal of MIR.
Scudder. Only at distance, howev-
er, for he does not seem as yet to have
discovered me- Last evening saw
him brought face to face with Miss
Martin, Miss Hart and the little wild
ow from Georgia, this lasta widow no
longer
This threefold Renaissance of past
romance did not discomfort him in
the least. He danced with the widow,
congratulated her new lord, and took
the young ladies out to supper, look
ed with his fresh face floating, as it
were, between them, his legs being
hidden by their draperies, like stout
little cherub in evening dress, some
what fallen into years. As Matte
says, man who has to undergo
that sort of thing" every three
months, needs to have buoyant
spirit.
December 13.-He comes very often,
but talks mostly to Cousin Adele.
He has four children. He is Catholic.
If he marries, his wife must be of his
religion.
December 20.-He has fallen in love
with Matte.
December 22.-I have left Cousin
AdeIe's. 1t was ridiculous to run
away, but | could not remain. I'm
grateful man to pass over one who
had taken pains to study and appre-
ciate him, and bestow his regard upon
one who laughs at him. After all,
she may change her mind. He is a
better match than Joel, and she has
waited for him already nearly three
years. l can see that Adele is eager
for it. OF course my good sense tells
me that | have no reason in the world
to feel myself aggrieyed, but in every
woman there are two women, one
practical and amenable to reason,
the other totally irrational, governed
by feeling and fancy only. try to
exhibit only the reasonable woman.
but | cannot entirely suppress the
other. Truly a girl who has lived in
perpetual eclipse from two handsome
sisters ought to be accustomed TO her
obscurity by this time.
Miss Matte is not beautiful, only
sweet and pleasant-looking. 1t is
some satisfaction to think she will re-
fuse him
Fortunately, Cousin Hermine had
invited me for Christmas, and the
moment | discovered the state of
affairs, | wrote to say would come,
and followed my letter by the next
train.
Love is like bread: some have it to
throw away while others starve for a
crust. II is not fair Why should
ugly girls have hearts, tender hearts
that feel the string of another's woe?
Many times have [ wept for the de-
spairs of my beautiful sisters rejected
lovers; yet they would have laughed,
even in their misery, at the suggestion
that | too had heart worth winning
Alas. how little value are human
souls that are not wrapped in fair
flesh
December 27-MatieI is here She
came down this morning. Mr.. Scud-
der did not come with her. nor has
she mentioned his name except in the
most casual manner.
She brought me a message from
Adele to the effect that | am to re-
turn Immediately. She will send to
the depot for me on Saturday. | shall
not go.
December 80. | did come. Cousin
Hermine is the soul of hospitality,
but both she and Matte assumed so
confidently that | should leave on
Saturday morning, that / had no
choice but to fulfil their evident ex-
pectation. | felt myself literally
turned out of the house, though in
the gentlest and most courteous man
ner.
At the depot | found-Mr. Scudder
no less-driving his own horse in
Cousin AdeIe's barouche Her horse
was lame, so she had borrowed his,
and tie owner had thrown himself in
as driver.
For the first time, think, the man
really looked at me, and took some
thing of an intelligent cognizance of
my existence. l see through it all!
1t is plot! | am to be the successor
of Matte and the other eighteen.
Matte has said: Il cannot marry
you; am engaged. Besides, | do not
care for you. But there is my poor,
plain cousin Grace, who is really a
good girl; she has never had an offer
in her life; ask her; she is sure to ac-
cept, and you will get good wife, be-
sides performing a meritorious ac-
ton"
Very well, too can say no. | shall
complete the score of ncgationS.
January 2.-It is indeed true! | am
really the object of a gentleman's atten-
tons,
Alas but for Matte and the other
eighteen, how delightful it would be,
He was the first to call yesterday,
bringing me as New Years gift
case of cut-glass toilette bottles, filled
with perfumes. He stayed all day in
the sitting room, amusing himself
with the children, when Addie and |
We're called away to the parlor To
girl more sought after he would have
been odious before night.
He showed me the photographs of
his children and talked fondly of them.
| can imagine how the scornful upper
lip Of the coldly arrogant Miss Martin
must have curled when he showed
them to her. have often observed
that the majority of men are very
poor judges of women.
January 81 have been to drive
with him. He told me of his home in
milwaukee,, let now to strangers, since
he las no one to make it home to him
How knowingly seductive that would
be, if one did not know it to be the
twentieth repetition. Heavens it is
terrible. If could not be the first,
which was clearly impossible, why
might not have come in little ear
lier? Why need he have overlooked
me for Matie2 1t is too humiliating l
shall refule him; that is certain.
January 10.-And.yet, whyl Would
it not be as if Tantalus should, with
his own hand, beat back the rising
waters from his thirsty lips The idea
of a starving beggar throwing away
offered bread, because another or
twenty others who are fulfilled have
already declined it2 Then there are
the children They would love me.
Children always do. They are not so
critical as TO beauty. They love those
who love them,
l should be person of some impor-
lance in society 100, for | can see that
lac is man of influence Some PEG
pie are important in themselves, like