Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1883-12-01

would gladly put her seal On the deed.
You need not remind ne how many
times / have made love to you Rest
assured that shall never ask you again.
l wish your. aristocratic @ mother sue
cess in hawking her daughters through
the matrimonial market" And Frank
lifted his hat and. bowling lowly, left her
with bitter smile upon his lips.
Madame Rumor bore to Mabels ears
the report that Frank Nelson vas paying
earnest attention to Nette Mills, the
dry goods merchants daughter. Mabel
feared that it might be true, for she had
known since early childhood that her
schoolmate Nettie ranked second in
Franks esteem and affection, and had
reason to believe that Nettic would re-
ceive any attention from him favorably.
Mabel thought: $50 would / have done
had he been rich.
The happenings we dread are never
delayed. Soon cards were out, and the
lay came when well-dressed guests filed
the village church to criticise Frank and
Nettie O. they walked toward the altar,
there to promise answering fidelity to
each other; also to wonder If Frank was
really content with this bride OF circum-
stance rather than choice, and to ques-
ton il she was foolish enough to believe
him even if he did SO pretend
Mabel concealed her feelings beneath
her princess like dignity Of manner and
gorgeousness of full costume,
which latter splendor was village talk for
months. Surely that fact was sufficient
to make factory princess happy.
Five years quickly sped. Queen Lom-
bard met with the non-success Of many
maneuverer-she had priced her goods
TOO highly. Better articles were easily
found at less price, and her wares were
growing wrinklel and faded; looked at,
smiled at, talked about, but passed by,
lured away by the charms OF fresher,
fAirer goods.
Mabel was now twenty five. Fine
lines at the corners Of her eyes and
mouth, with moro than q dozen gray
hairs, told story that she would will
| ingly have concealed
Emo catches" had glided past, unob-
servant Of the princess fisher girl on the
shore, and she had sadly watched them
ater happily sailing adown the stream
OF life with companions whom she had
considered far beneath herself and her
princess sisters
If she could not marry rich, she could
have wished thatit might have been her
fate to have wedded DR.. Frank
One faithful lover still followed hel
loyally-Lawyer Featherstone. Yet what
was the position of an ordinary lawyers
wife worth?
But tcmpus fuyit. Lines about ths
mouth increase, and therefore she ha!
promisedsthe lawyer final answer t.
his thrice offered love Saturday. Drear
ily she questions, "What shall the an
swer befS
A ring at tho door bell, and youn!
Mrs. Arkwright is admitted bv th
kitchen girl Of all work.
Have you heard the news? Sh
that was Nettie Mills is dead. Left on
child, sweet little boy. The doctor
coming on with the body and is going t
settle here in the village"
What strange news this was An
) Lawyer Featherstone's answer on Sal
urday was--NO!
DR.. Nelson WAS welcomed home b
; scores OF friends. Nettie had left a mic
little sum-five thousand dollars-in tn
savings bank This sum had been be
portion Of the late dry goods merchant
estate Strange as it may seem the so
, If Nettie, her fathers only grandson
> WAS not heir to this money This sur
The law gave to the husband; the chill
was penniless Yet why complain?
$ was clearly legal and also rendered d.
: Nelson more charming to the fadin
princess than Ae had been in forme
: lays.
!, \ promising practice, with this cos
: sum. would not be extreme poverty
the wooing sped fas; On wings Of love c
/ and the second anniversary Of Nettie
:. leath witnessed the most stylish we,
Y ling ever known in Fa toryville.
q Mabel refused 10 take Nettle's boy |
s their new home Tie very sight of hi
was hateful to her And perhaps tt
father consented to sepa rate himself fro
l. his child more easily from the fact tt,
/, he had never truly loved its mother.
But he felt no repugnance toward TIN
" trifling bank account of Nettie'.
Strange as it seems, the mothers none
was legally his to support the new wi
y with, whilst the child was cared for
: it's mothers relatives at their individu
4 expense, Certainly there were leg
. steps that might have been taken to ha
forced the father into supporting Nettit
q -, ~ sao~~3 l,a r,u13 yatat1a