The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-19
A Conspicuous Opportunity.
BY Ii. II.
[Chicago Tribune.l

llulcdBO IIlUuneI
"Why don't get married? wonder if
there is any process of law or condition of
ethics that can protect me from that ques-
tion?'-and Miss Margaret Winthrop turned
sharply round and looked at her bsother-in-
law as if for reply.
DR.. Ainsee looked up from his paper with
an expression that evinced a Ger ain en-
joJment of the chase, rather than SYM
pa,hy with the pursued, and answered:
Eyes, there is one means of escape"
Sand that is to get married, suppose"
sExactly."
Miss Winthrop was not soothed by the
suggestion. She regarded it as an unwhole-
some hate of civilization in which woman
with handsome income and a natural bias
toward contentment could not pursue her
own course without being headed off at
every turn with that imbecile query.
Among her friends she was spoken Of as &C.
centric, a woman who unfortunately had
ideas, and while possessing inestimable adj
vantages, had signally failed to make any
ase of them.
Miss Winthrop regarded it from differ
ent point of observation. She knew many
things that the world could not know con-
corning the alleged felicity of various MEM
bers of her family, past and present, who
had married early and "well.o Then there
was the inevitable entail of care and suffer-
ing. Why any sane woman should fly pre-
cipitately into the consequences of marriage
when she had the benefit of other peoples
experience as d warning was something
Miss Winthrop had never understood and
did not seek TO explain. She had all a wo-
mans horror of being CALLED an "old mait,'
though the immunities of epinsterhood
were at all times alluring. 1t had never
been her deliberate sisierhood. Being %
10 do No foil hot ho tipao had fnr
heroic measures. She did not look a day
over 90 Her hair was the same soft tint of
brown that 1t bad always been; her cheek
had tirmness of contour and delicate blush
upon it that might have belonged to girl
of II; the beauty which had made her con-
spicuous as debutante gave no signs If ap-
preaching deterioration, but what did all
tEis amount to when everybody knew she
was 2S, and attested with exasperating in
delicacy that she was Remarkably we'll pre-
served.'
She could not possibly put it off much
longer, and yet she felt a ceri ain shrinking
from her destiny as the hand of suicide
might recoil from its Instruments she
began to review mentally the opportunities
remaining 10 her
money is no object" she exclaimed at
last. 81 want freedom, aud the only con-
dition compatible with perfect freedom is
widowhood. Unfortunately we can't be
born widows, and the odds against being
lett widow with membranes are infnity
10 one. If there was only some way of
making woman widow by an act of Con
gress or decree of court! It's shocking to
think of the risks woman must run to at
tain that seventh heaven of independence.
l believe / will advertise for a consumpiive
and agree to NUS him tenderly through the
remnant of his existence if he will obligate
himself TO die within given time"
Mrs. Ainslee, her sister and her senior
by two years, turned toward her the face of
shocked and outraged wifehood.
But Mrs. Ainslee, to the indiscretion of
marrying young, had added the folly of
spelling her husband, and Miss Winthrop
expected this silent protest from her.
IF you want something of that Sort"
said the doctor, laying aside his paper, lit
is not worth " hie to advertise. / have a
patient on maud that will exactly fill the
bill -
''Tell me about him." she said, with sud-
den enthusiasm.
''ue is not a consumptive," continued
the doctor. she is even more hopeless
case Than thai. He may die at any moment:
he can't possibly live longer than a few
montns, and ls as solely in need of compe
tent nursing as any poor devil l ever saw.
II
and raised IN this place. tired to get him
into the hospi al, but it is crowded, and
there has been 30 much sickness this season
that l couldn't get nurse for him, though
I've been looking tor one ever since he came.
He was a classmate of mine at college, but
he went away, and Ihave not seen him siuce
he graduated unit! / was called TO attend
him several days ago. He was splendid
fellow then, but he is a total wreck now.
The worst of il is that the fellow doesn't
want to get well. | don't know what has
happened to him since he left here, but
whatever it is has crushed him utterly. He
seems to have money enough for everything
he wants; the only trouble is, he can't get a
nurse for love or money"
The doctor had forgotten what started his
recital; he was thinking only of his friend,
wondering what could have subdued q jovial
and naturally buoyant fellow so completely,
when be was suddenly called to order by
Miss Winthrop.
''You are positively certain that he can
not recoverT she asked.
I'm the natural course of events he can
not. He might be restored by miracle"
"And can only live few months at
besi?''
Il should say five or six months at most"
This" said Miss Winthrop, with perfect
gravity, lis the opportunity of life lime
II would be like flying in the face Of Provi-
dence not to accept it.''
sit looks rather pointed" replied the
doctor. at does not often happen that
woman while INDUCING within can at the
same Time do an act that may be counted
unto her for righteousness"
''If / were to talk like that | should ex-
pect something to happen me-" said Mrs.
Ainslee, shocked at her sister. and surprised
by this unusually fippant behavior on the
part of her husband
Perhaps out of regard for MIS-. Ainslee's
abnormally sensitive sympathy the discus
sion rested here, but the subject was not
forgotten. Miss Winthrop pondered 1t in
secret and ultimately evolved purpose.
John Hemingway had been crushed by
no catastrophe. He had simply been uni
formy unucky. A series of Improbable
speculations, each uncomfortable in itself,
had melted bis once ample fortune to a
meagre income barely sufficient for his
needs. The strenuous efforts to retrieve it
In climate unsuited to him had sapped