St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-22
NOT so BAD, AFTER ALL.
Thomas Hood.

smiles by an offer Of his hand and fortune,
and she, having been for months an earnest
competitor, accepted the prize with q show Of
tenderness that was perfect In its way.
She was belle and a beauty, but, to give
the poor fellow his due, he was not very
much in love himself, and had, moreover,
faint ieeting notion that his 10000 had
more to do with her acceptance than any
purely personal merit of his own.
However, the marriage in all human prob
ability would have taken place, and my little
love story been entirely nipped in the bud,
had il not been for the grim hand Of fate,
which bcckoned the unfortunate Con TO a
little watering place, on fishing excursion
ostensibly, but In reality 10 fan In love with
pretty little Mabel Gordon.
He met her at some village gathering, aud
IT being a fixed principle Of bis TO attach
himself TO the prettiest girl in the room, be
in the present case adhered to his purpose
with a rigidity which would lave been ex-
tremely amusing only that II so soon became
serious. for after two or three meetings had
followed the rustic solree Master Con was
fairly infatuated, and innocent Mabel began
10 think that her ideal hero had stepped out
from his ''castle in the air'' and taken
earthly lodgings forever and ever more.
For a week the dream was bright and I'm
disturbed; then Con began to feel uncom-
Portable
With the prospect Of being married to one
girl in month, he was hardly dishonorable
enough TO propose the same course with an
other; but being neither very clever or origi-
nal. he couldn't see the slightest loOphole.
So, by way Of inspiration, perhaps, he lin
gered on at Mabel's side; and she, poor
child, was happy in the uncertainty.
OF course people talked, as they always do
talk; and some, more daring than the rest,
encompassed Con, and looked unutterable
things as they spoke Of MabeTs pareutage.
Olives with her father and motherl Oh,
yes. But they don't happen to be her father
and mother. She is their daughters daughter;
and as to who was her father-wen, we don't
know, and the Blalrs take care 10 give US no
information"
Then Con was awfully angry.
He was Just young enough TO be Quixotic,
and, OF course, he wanted 10 marry her,
shame or no shame; to take his little star
transplant his little field daisy to a more lux
uriant soil.
he went up to see her, with letter from
Emily Cummings in his pocket aud an omi-
nous guilty feeling about his heart
'By Jove! but this is a cheering scrape.
Those Cummingses will be after me like a
pack of yoltures; but all know is that III
never have q wife II don't get Mabel Cor
don"
So with trembling determination, he went
into her presence-pretty Mabel, with her
white face appraised and her wondrous hair
falling around her like glorious golden
cloud.
81 thought you would come" she said
shyly, the color family flushing her fair
cheeks. And then, though nature hadn't
made him so, Con felt more utterly foolish
than ever.
Gas if / could stay away!" he answered,
half reproachfully; then added, pathetically,
''At least, until have to, for Pm going
away in day or two"
suppose Mabel had the natural coouett-
ishness of her sex; but at that particular mo-
ment it deserted her entirely. Her eyes
wandered down the road, aud she leaned
more heavily than ever against the garden
! gate.
''oh, are yous'' very faint and tremulous,
she murmured.
''Yes; but I'll come back again IL any one
wants me-"
She stole one quick glance at him from
under her downcast lids.
$40 you want me, Mabell Shall / come
back 10 youF'
No answer came from the parted lips, bu,
think he knew she wanted him, for, leaning
over the garden gate, be answered her silence
by saying, Every well, dear, pu be back in a
very little while, and you'll be waiting for
me, won't youl"
1t was not very definite, TO say the least Of
! it.
ANY other girl would have preferred more
lucid proposal, but door little Mabel had one
of those rare natures which are satisfied 70
| give all and take almost nothing-to love
pre- eminently, perfectly, and receive in re-
turn trihing need Of affection.
The world doesn't contain great many
like her, and !, for one, am heartily glad.
think the women win hold their own an d
anything else they can get, are far more
| preferable; but then earth aud earth's chill
dreh- must be yariegated, sharp as well as
sweet. "'
Con went home that night ecstaticaIly but
| guiltily happy, and when he reached home he
found letter awaiting him-a letter from
his mother, the elder Mrs. Creighton, asking.
or should say demanding, his instant re-
turn.
Emily is very ill,'' she said, s'and GER
tainly your place should be beside the lady
who in four weeks viii become your wife.
In addition to this, ! am afraid some Interior
object causes your long delay in that out-of-
the-way place. l have heard, but totally dis
believe, rumor Of some girl whose pretty
face has attracted your attentions. 1t foated
upon me with some appearance Of veracity,
andmight have troubled me had not known
that could trust your dignity as being a
member of the Creighton family and your
honor as being engaged to Emily Cum
mings."
Con crushed the letter in his hand and
tried to stare circumstances in the face, but
circumstances baffied him, and in a state OF
semi-torture he retired to his dream disturbed
couch
The next morning he returned 10 London.
leaving little note for Mabel in explain alton
| of bis absence
Emily Cummings was much better when
he reached the city.
Mrs. Creighton greeted him with diguiaed
pleasure, and poor Con felt as utterly mean
and 6ishonorable as his most inyeterate
enemy could have desired
For week be wandered around in a very
uncomfortable state, aud then he began TO
make sudden resolutions.
''What COMPOUNDED fool am ~ be solilo-
quiZed, as be walked along PiccadiIly in the
most dolorous frame of mind. 81 haven't
written word TO poor little Mabel, and these
people are determined 10 get me married.