Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-08-21
AN OLD MANS LOVE.
81 AETHONY TRoILoPE

81 AETHoNY TRoLLoPE,
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CHAPTER Iv.-Cosr1xuEp-
81 do not know what color YOU
blush" said Mr. Whittlestah.
Il dare say not"
But when it does come am con-
scious of the sweetest color that ever
came upon 3 lady's cheek. And / tell
myself that another grace has been
added to the face which of all faces in
the world is to my eyes the most beauti-
hui. What was she to say in answer
to compliment so high-fiown as this.
10 one from whose mouth compliments
were so uncommon? She knew that he
could not have so spoken without pur-
pose. declared at any rate to- his own
heart. He still held her by the arm.
but did not progress with his speech,
while she sat silent by his side, and
blushing with that dark ruby streak
across her cheeks which her stepmother
had intended to vilfy when She. said
that she had blushed black. s.Mary, ~
he continued, after a pause, lean you
endure the thought of becoming nv
wife?" Now she drew her arm away,
and turned her face, and compressed
her lips. and sat without uttering a
word. ''Of course, l am an old man."
1T is not that she muttered.
'.But think that l can love you as
honestly and as firmly as younger one.
think that if you could bring yourself
to be my wife you would find that you
would not be treated badly
'Oh. no, no. no. she exclaimed.
Nothing. at any rate, would be kept
from you When / have thought or a
feeling. hope or fear, you shall share
it. As to money" 80 4
''Don't do that There should be no
talk OF money from you to me-"
perhaps not. 1t would be best that
1 should be left to do as L may think
most fitting for YOU. L have one Incl
dent in my life which 1 would wish to
tell You. l loved girl, many years
since. and she ill-used' me. / continued
to love her long, but that image has
passed from my mind" He was think
ing, as he said this. of Mrs. Compass
necessary that / should refer to. this
again. because the subject is very pain
full: bat it was essential that should
tOA Nou. ANU LONs IAa1 lpAsT SilsklI u
be?' he added, after a pause.
She sat listening to all that he had to
say, but without speaking a word. He.
too. had his John Gordon" but in
his case the girl he had loved had treat
ed him badly. She had received no
bad treatment. There had been love
between them, ample love, love enough
to break their hearts. At least she had
found it so. But there had been no
outspoken speech of love. Because. OF
thatsthe wound made now that5t had
been in some sort healed, had not with
her been so cruel rs with Mr.. Whittle-
staff John Gordon had come to her
on tie eve of his sofng. and had told
her that he was about to start for some
distant land. There had been loud
words between him and her STEP moth
er. and Mrs. Lawrie had told him that
he was pauper. and was doing no good
about the house; and Mary had heard
the words spoken. She asked him
whittier he was going. but he did not
reply. Your mother is right. am
at any rate doing no good here, he had
said, but had not answered her question
further. Then Mary had given him her
hand. and had whispered, Good bye.
-. If / return he I'D led 3 the first
place / viii come to shall be Norwich"
Then without further farewell he had
gone From that day to this she. had
had his form before her ewes; but now,
if she accepted Mr.. WhittIestaiI it must
be banished. No one Knew of her
wound She must tell him, should she
accept him. 1t might be that he would
reject her after such telling. If so, it
would be We'll But, in that case, what
would be her future? Would it not be
necessary that she should return to that
idea of a governess which had been SO
distasteful to her?
Mary, can You say that it shall be
500" ne asked quietly, after having re-
manned silent for some fen minutes
: Couldn't be that all her fate must be
resolved in so short time? Since first
the notion that Mr.. Whittlestaff had
asked her to be his.wife had come upon
her, she had thought of il day and night.
But she had thought altogether of the
past, and not of the future. MARI had,
in truth, not thought of her answer.
though she had said TO herself oyer and
over again why it should not be So
'.Have you no answer to give me?''
he said.
.-Oh, Mr.. Whittlestaff, you have so
startled me.' This was hardly true
He had not startled her. but had brought
nefto theneeessitvof knowing her own
smiudsk 81 >
If you wish to think of it YOU shall
take Your own time Then it was de-
cided that a week. should, be accorded
to her. And during that week she
passed much of her time in tears. Mrs.
Baggett would not leave her alone. To
give airs. Baggett her due. it must be
acknowledged that she acted as best
she knew how for her masters interest,
without thinking of herself. II shall
go down to Portsmouth. I'm not worth
thinking of, | amt. There's them at
Portsmouth as II take care of me. You
don't see why l should go. dare say
mot; but i m older than You. andsI see
what Won don't see. I've borne with
YOU as a miss, because you've not been
upsetting; hut still. when I've lived
will him for all those wears withosrt
anything of the kind has set me hard
somesinlss. As married TO. him, ]
wouldn't put up with you: so tell you
fairly. But that don't signify. 1t amt
You as signifies or me as signifies. It's
only him. You have got TO bring yesirs
self to think of that. What S the mean
! ing of your duty to your neighbor, and
dong unto others, and all the rest of it?
You ain t got to think jussof your own
ts11f{ no more haven't |.
There's them at Portsmouth ash
zfafef hre Of Hes NO doubr Don You
Smh&about me- { aint aoing % have
"a 800 THE at Rousmonth. but people
.sS,sY f,rY, fa h arva rord fsp,as of II