The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-09-06

ONS vi 4I oho :
decided that he should now marry. Up
to the present time he had remained a
bachelor simply because he could not
afford to marry a woman to his taste.
He might doubtless have married many
a good girl who would have shared his
threadbare fortunes, even aided him in
an humble way, taken little boys into
the house to teach, and uncomplain-
ingly gone through the drudgery of a
pinched existence from year to year.
The thought of such a possibility was
insupportable to him. Better a lonely,
childless life than little beings unpro-
vided with the luxury of a nursery,
ill-shod, dirty-pinafored, and set down
to bread and treacle in consequence of
the high price of butter! There vas
more than one especial woman he would
fain have had for his wife, but hitherto
these had been quite out of his reach.
In fact they were only just aware OF
his existence. He had never been in
vited to a dinner-party or ball in the
gay place in which he lived. Still,
from time to time, old college friends,
in a far better position than himself,
had spent a short time there, and at
their houses he had been brought into
contact with what we are pleased to
call society.
He had on those occasions beer intro
duced to at least two or three girls with
whom he felt sure he could have been
happy. For let sentimentalists talk as
they will, here and there men and
women fall in love as the phrase goes,
but by far the greater number of mar
riages are dictated by a sense of the
fitness of things, generalliking, a dozen
motives besides love.
The first of these, Edith Clifford, was
a Baronet's daughter and a beauty.
She was the eldest of five sisters, as
yet in the schoolroom, but who promised
to be as handsome as herself. They
would nothave a penny. Sir Archibald,
their father, was the poorest Baronet in
the county. But a girl of spirit and
fine eyes like Edith was not likely to
want for suitors. If report spoke truly,
she had refused more than one already.
She wanted to see life, she said. She
would marry no man who could not
first take her to the moon before settling
down to be Darby and Joan. This and
other spirited sayings of the young
lady had reached his ears, and they
pleased him. He felt sure here of a
generous nature and warm heart. Such
a girl would refresh everyday exist
ence and put life and naivete into the
most commonplace surroundings. A
man could never grow worldly with
such a wife. She would care, if not
for the best things in life, at least for
those which were genuine and good.
And she was not in the least sentimental.
She was far too natural, moreover, to
be a flirt. He felt sure she would
marry him if he promised to take hertz
the moon-in other words, as far as
inhabitants of this globe a get. And
| generous girls are ready to do anything
for their families. A rich son-in-law
was exactly what Sir Archibald wanted.
Then there was another sweet woman
of a very different type, he thought
even more suited to him than Edith
Clifford. This was the Lady Felicia
Stronge-geutle, stately daughter of an
Earl-she also uncovered, keeping up
traditional appearance by help of a
| dowayer aunt. Lady Felicia was thirty,
an orphan, related to the oldestnobility
of England. Without being in the least
a snob, Rev. Mr. Dollar liked lineage.
Good descent meant to him some of the
highest titles to respects human being.
can have-good manners, a high stand
ard of truth and honor. To become
the husband of such a woman would be
to attain an unassailable social position,
to free that of a new-made millionaire
for once and for all from the gloss of
vulgarity. Such a wife moreover,
would be sure not to abuse his circum-
stances. Her bringing up alone as one
of several daughters of a noble but
impoverished house was a sufficient
guarantee against display and bad taste.
The refinement that comes of birth and
breeding revolts against such show as
pleases those unaccustomed to elegance.
And as a woman Lady Felicia
very nearly reached his ideal.
Her n were very sympathetic.
He was quite sure that, like himself,
she had been fiouted by the world; but
instead of hardening under this pro-
cess and taking refuge like himself in
self-contained cynicism, she had soft
ened. There was no hauteur about her,
no GOODNESS; rather the sweet, insinu-
ating graciousness of a. woman on the
lookout for kindness and understand
ing. Her voice had a great charm in
his ears, and then the English she spoke!
How refreshing this pure, slightly old
fashioned English speech after the
strange, slangy, unfeminine u%tterances
in which even well-bred girls indulge!
Her dress was what might be called
old-fashioned, too, and matched her
speech-quiet, subdued, simple. She
was the woman he could be proud to
have on his arm. And from the little
society talk they had had, he gathered
thatshe possessed culture of a kind rare
even in these days of learned women.
She read and thought. The books he
loved would be her books. The house
to his taste would be the house to her
taste. Two thoughts made him smile.
The incongruity of his name had al.
ways been an annoyance to him. To
be called Dollar and never have a spare
coin in his pocket seemed a cruel irony
of fortune, but the name of Lady Fe,
licia would remove all vulgarity. Lady
Felicia Dollar sounded extremely well,
he thought.
The next smile was purely epicurean.
Rev. Mr. Dollar had no bloodthirsty
tastes; in other words, he was not a
sportsman, nor was he a mountaineer.
But he was a lover of horses. His idea
of physical enjoyment was a quiet ride
through green country lanes with al
agreeable woman, who should be a:
well mounted as himself. Lady Felicis
was an admirable horsewoman. Thi:
should be their one luxury and pastime
forRev. Mr.. Dollar had spiritualas vel
rs sensual ideas. He did not intend to
squander his wealth in self-indulgence
His millions should at least benefit
others as much as himself. There wer,
public causes he would further, socia
questions affecting the good of the com
monalty; he would now uphold move
ments, spiritual, moral and intellectual
and take active part in them. HI
should come into the arena of activ,
life without the oft-times hamperin.
sense of routine. just as the skilled
amateur will often show broader views
a juster insight and deeper, NOR natu
raj feeling than the professional arts