The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-04-28

capacity"
"Good morning, sir"
I bowed slightly and turned to go.
about the angriest young woman that
ever walked into that Office, think.
"Dear mel what airs that shabby school
ma'am did put on" should have been
led to exclaim, had the sohool.ma'am
been other than myself. / poor and
shabby; but had never been taught to
cringe. My Scotch independence was
too prominent for that.
"Stayl' he exclaimed, as turned the
knsb. Il have not that situation to offer
you, but"-and he smiled again, while
his eyes grew SOFT baye another at
my disposal which I think would just
suit you. l want WIFE"
Il did not come here to be insulted,
SIR" said. although not so haughtily
as before, ''but seem to have received
that honor from your hands" And
again i essayed TO 60 out. This time he
held the door, while he caught my hand
within his.
"Jean, do not misunderstood mel
You know that have loved you long and
faithfully. It would have been sin
one year ago to have told you this, but /
am free to do SO now"
What did he meanH There was only
one thing he could mean-his wife was
dead. / trembled and sank into chair.
II will hear what you have to say, Mr..
Merrill" said.
"Oh, Jean, you have thought me
scoundrel all these yearsl I loved you
fondly in that old time up among the
White Hills, and know that little of
your heart was mine, although it must
have changed since then. My father
aud mother had coaxed me into an en-
gagement with my cousin year before
1 knew you. was young and heart
free. 1t would please the old folks, and
was just of the age when boys wish
to be men and rush into all sorts of en-
tanglements. Iadmired my cousin; she
was delicate little thing, and loved me
much better than I deserved. After
that summer. you remember, I can.
went home determining to break my en-
gagement and return to you; but took
my parents into my confidence; and they
objected stoutly. 4 will never uphold
my son in q course SO dishoDorable, said
my father, in his sternest tones. 'You
have played the lover for year, and
now like the fckle fool that you are.
wish to be released, If you do this
thing / will disown you. Yes, sir, I
wash my hands of you entirely. Al
though he was very angry, his words
made but little impression on me, SO
deeply was in love with my little rustic
maiden, compared with those of my
mother. You will break Lizzie's heart.
my son, for she loves you dearly. She
is frail, and under blow like that would
never recover. How can you think OF
such thing? This is fancy that will
soon pass away. Do not sacrifice your
afianced wife's life for the imaginary
love of pretty face. Do your duty, my
boy, and you will bo happy knew
that what she said of Lizzie was the
truth. She loved me. l knew it, for,
God forgive mel had taught her that.
1 had spoken no word Of love to you, al
though you must have known il all. II
was soon over, the bitter struggle between
duty and inclination. told them if il
must be. wished 1t TO he at once. In q
month was married. But it is all oveI
now; Lizzie is dead. was kind to her,
and made her life as happy as / could.
She never knew that she did not occupy
my whole heart. If it were a deception.
/ deceived her TO the last. That was q
year ago come June, one month from
now, and after all these years, my dar-
ling, ask you the question wished to
ask you eight years ago. viii you be
my wife?
Happy. foolish tears were In my eyes,
happy blushes had succeeded the angry
ones of few moments ago. and after
these years Of doubt, Of attempted,
though vain. distrust, placed my hand
in his and did not say him nay.