The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-06-12
THEY NEVER HAD.

THEY NEVER HAD.
There comes Il time in the lives of
many young girls when they feel as if
their judgement in some matters is quite
superior to that Of their parents.
That time had come to Mary Wells,
and the matter under consideration was
her matrimonial engagement with Char
les Forest.
Mary had made. up her mind that the
engagement should exist.
Her parents had as firmly determined
that it should and would he irreyocably
broken.
The fact was, Mrs. Wells thought that
Charlie was not good enough for her
daughter.
And why?
Well, inthe first place, althoug young,
he was slightly bald.
In the second place, he had scarcely
any teeth
The girl was wearing three false teeth; :;
but what mattered that?
Her being Wells compensated for
such tritling defects.
In the third place, the doting mother
said his nose was too large, and she want
ed a handsome son-in-law.
Mary's nose was one of the kind which
is usually styled celestial, and it grieves
me to add that she was by no means Il
beauty.
But these truths are scarcely worth
mentioning.
The fourth and last, and of all the
most important, reason was that the
SuitOr did not have sufficient money to
satisfy the mercenary parents.
Very little "mcre'' did Mr.. and Mrs.
Wells possess, but they considered that
to make up for this deficiency in pecuni-
ary affairs was the sacred duty Of Mary's
husband-to-be.
In consequence Of these very reasonable
reasons, the fond father dismissed Door
Charlie with an adm0nition never to
come near his child again, and then set
to work watching the child IS action.
At first, Mary managed to meet her
lover clandestinely.
But vigilant mamma came upon them
one day at their trysting-place, took
Mary instantly home and locked her in
her room.
For a while after that the young folks
c0Itriyed to keep up a secret correspon-
dence.
But that also was soon discovered.
All communication Of any kind was
prevented for the future, and the lovers
were in dispair.
About this time Mrs. Decker, veal
thy sister of Mr.. Wells, was preparing
for trip to France.
Hearing Of her niece's s'unrortunate
attachment to young Forest" she kind
ly offered to separate the obstinate pair
by taking Mary with her.
Mary's parents were quite delighted
with the idea.
''Just the thing" said her father.
amidst new scenes she will prob
ably forget that scoundrel; and may meet
someone who is in every way worthy of
her.''
Scoumdrel-ay young man who is Slight
~ bald, has few teeth, possesses a leng-
thy nose, is not wealthy, and insists upon
having a girl who loves him.
That was Mr.. Wells definition of
scouudrel.
After much preparation but no un-
necessary delay, poor Mary was conduct
ed to the train which was to bear her to
the dreaded steamer.
Sad and heavy-hearted she felt as she
looked out of the railway-car window,
gazing at the many friends who watched
them start.
Suddenly she discerned in the crowd
q familiar figure.
Could it be hep
1t was indeed he!
There was no mistaking that loved
form.
"What is the matter, child?n asked
her aunt, anxiously.
~ on are white as q ghOStI'' @...-.
''There is Charlie" she gasped.
"Oh, how can leave him?''
"Tutl-n0nsensel"
''You will get all over that in a fort
night"
But the aunt's tone was not unkind,
and very tenderly did she draw her niece
away from the window.
For she saw plainly enough that her
heart was truely sorrowful.
We will now return to Charlie, whom
we left standing in tho crowd.
He had accidently heard, on the morn
ing of Mary's departure, of her intended
she was to start.
do something or other extraordinary, he
had hurried to the station, but arrived
there just in time to see the train leave.
Only for ~ moment did be stand and
gaze despondently at his loved one, then,
with hands clcnched and teeth set firm.
ly; Charlie Forest made solemn VOW.
Concerning that vow we have nothing
to do at present.
In due time there came to the anxious
parents letters telling Of Mary,s indif.
ference to everything that was novel,
beautiful, or grand.
s"Flle child Is slowly pining- away
wrote her aunt; "and IL she Is not bet.
ter soon, / shall return home.
Inreply to this, the llard-learted par.
ents said:-
Don't think Of such thing as com.
ing back yet.
She will no doubt get over that love.
Z sic kness in q short time"
s5y After q while Mrs. Decker sent word
that Mary was growing more cheerful