San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-05-31

he never Wounus no ny sP0"hH6 Va
our dependence" g,
"But he expects me to marry and
il gals me to know that he expects
me to relieve him of burden in that
way. Now Laura Desmond"
.Hush, Ada, hush. Laura con-
fesses that her father wishes her to
marry a man whom she disllkes.
"Not at present, mother. But Lau-
IA need not marry at all. She has
plenty to support her, and L must
have some one to take care OF me-
81 do not wish you to marry, my
daughter, except for love.
"Fiddlesticks said / indignantly,
81 tell you, nine women out of ten
marry for homes or for fear of being
old maids. believe Uncle Adam is
misery. If he would die and leave
me legacy or give me few thous-
ands, I would live single all the days
of my life" :,
A door opened at this moment and
he walked straight into the room.
Uncle Adam was an old gentleman,
but always good natured. Even now
he did not look in the least bit offend
ed, although he must have heard all
that had said. jumped up thor
oughly ashamed of myself. But he
only said:
1Come, come, my little girl, this is
pretty hard on your old uncle. / am
sorry you think me miser."
"Oh, uncle" L pleaded, "please for
give me. 1 did not mean that, at all.
1 am out of spirits and that makes
me unjust"
"Well, never mind" said uncle
Adam, bustling across the room and
taking seat. "Come here, Miss Ada
1 have proposition to make. l don't
want to be poisoned for legacy-do
not interrupt me, my dear-so | am
going to give you little present in
stead. Suppose 1 bride you to be an
old maid, Ell? 1 will settle ten thous-
and dollars on you now, on condition
that you will live and die, Ada Lyon,
!! spinster. There! =.
eff you will forgive and forget all
my ugly speeches, UNCLE" said l,
III will agree to the condition with
pleasure.
"Ada!" said mother, family.
"Let her alone, Agnes, let her
alone" said Uncle Adam, with ma
iestic wave of the hand. She shall
take the matter into due considera-
ton. See here Ada, we must have
a clear understanding. There is to
be no drawing back. If you sign the
necessary papers, the money is yours
at once; but should you ever marry,
you forfeit every cent. Are you ready
to sign the contract?"
eyes, uncle at once; L will show
that l am in earnest. ~
Stop, stop-not at once. III give
you till tonight to think about it,
Don be rash. In order to escape
being called miser I'll bride heav-
ily;" and uncle Adam marched un-
tremendously out of the room. [
turned to mother flushed with tli-
umph. She was sitting by the win
dow looking pale and troubled.
"Ada, come here" she said almost
in whisper. "Look out; isn't that
Theo Rounsaville?"
1 sprang to her side. An open Ian
dau driven by two suburb gray horses
in gold-mounted harness, had just
been driven up the avenue. Their
master, throwing the rains to a serVant
descended.
"He has come to ask you to drive
with him" said my mother; cat least
it looks So.
1 blushed furiously. "Do you think
so, mother?" L said. The moment
after our visitor was announced.
What a delightful day that was!
We drove down to the beech; the SOL
emn ocean monotone seemed changed
to Joyous music. Then we went round
through the pine woods. Then we
came home while the western Ky
blazed with sunset, and the gray twl-
light had set i'll. My accepted lover,
for he had proposed and l had ac-
cepted him, babe me good bye at the
door and went down the avenue.
ran up stairs into my mothers
room, stopping to throw off my hat
and gloves.
We'll, Ada?" was mammals inquiry.
Ais well, mamma said laugh
ing and blushing. (
But when had finished my little
she said, still smiling