The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-06-02
DIR. WHITMARTH,s CRIME.

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Young DR.. Whitmarth, although
equally devoid of impudence and money.
native town of Purview. Scarcely any
of his fair acquaintances had ever
thought of him as a possible husband
for great many city families lived at
Purview during part of the year, and
they had set the tone of the place with
the effect that all the young women, in.
cluding, of course, their own, were fully
convinced that to marry poor man
was about as reprehensible an indiscre.
tion as girl could commit Occasion.
ally one of the Doctors young admirers
would venture the opinion that Mr..
Whitmarth would make q very affection
ate and careful husband, but on such
occasions the damsel's mother, or some
girls mother, might be depended upon
to explain that affection and care were
not all that women needed of their hus-
bands, and that physicians could never
hnd time to give their wives full advan-
tages of society, without which, of
course, life would not be worth the
living.
But most of the warnings of which the
Doctor was the subject were entirely un-
necessary, for the young msn had not
the slightest intention or thought of
marrying, or even making love, within a
few years. He had mother and sister
dependent on his income for support and
as his patients came to him mostly by
the accident of older and more expert
enced physicians being otherwise en-
gagged when wanted, DIR. Whitmarth
could not think of adding q wife to his
financial responsibilities. His charming
manner and many courtesies to women
were not prompted by the thoughts of
love to which all mems hearts are sup.
posed to turn constantly, but by the
knowledge of womanly traits which he
acquired under the influence of his
mother and sister. who were pronounced
by all their aequaintances to be quite as
delightful as the Doctor himself. Astute
young women at Purview were some
times heard to remark that men brought
their business ways into society. and
that, no matter how gracefully they
masked them, there were generally pur-
poses of personal gain behind their at
tentions; if pretty girl received an ex-
penslve bouquet or quite too lovely
box of bon-bons from a gentleman, she
might expect the giver to monopolize
her, in spite of herself, at the next dance
or garden party at which they both ap-
peared, the results often being more
provoking than the presents justified.
But DR.. Whitmarth seemed to offer
courtesies solely that the. ladies them
selves might be pleased; whatever he re-
ceived in return was the result of the
HlTInair1I0 hot ~ io L.
than to receive. Although il meant
nothing to men, ''Dr. Whitmarth's way
came to be an expression that all women
at Purview translated with entire ease
and accuracy.
But the Doctors fate in feminine form
finally appeared. and he recognized it at
first sight. The Marvells, q delightful
couple of middle-aged people, who had
lived in the town only few months.
were known to have daughter who had
been for several years at famous school
for young women. When Miss Alice
graduated and came home, her parents
gave party in honor of the event, and
every one who was any one in Purview
admitted, at least to themselves, that
Alice Marvell would be the belle of Pur-
view unless she herself forbade it. A
few stupid people who Thought woman's
attractiveness consisted only of face and
figure, attempted to cohbat the general
impression, but their efforts were fruit
less, for although there were maidens in
Purview whose featureswere more regu-
lar than Alice MarvelIs, and who were
somewhat more shapely when dressed to
advantage, none of them could match the
air of refinement that their new rival
had inherited from long line of honor
able ancestors and had made more
charming by carefully trained mind.
The Doctor, like every other young
man at Purview, lost his beart at once,
and Miss Marvell seemed fonder of him
than of any other of her numerous ad-
mirers. Bnt the Doctor dared not to
propose while earning only little more
than thousand dollars year and while
he was wildly wondering how he might
increase his income, another man won
Miss Marvell's hand. Ralph Frasher,
although young, was q successful man.
He had q keen eye for whatever was
worth having, whether for purposes of
sport or profit; he drove fast horses,
sale handsome yacht, knew how to
order and eat good dinner and to buy
bits Of property that were sure to in
crease in value. When he saw Alice
Msrvell he realized that she was one of
the rarest OF her kind, so he went
promptly to work, in his business-like
way, to secure her. He was not entirely
to the young lady's taste. for although
his manners were all that cound be ac-
quired by careful imitation of other men,
he was never st that ease in conversation
which most pleased Miss Alice, and his
tastes and habits had stamped his face
with something that the young lady
could neither understand nor admire.
Mr.; MARVEL was equally slow to admire
RALPH Frasher, for the old gentleman
knew men and their ways, but his wife.
to whom he had not the heart to tell ali