Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-10-11
ii /.

Pennington was quite shaken up by the au-
thoritatIve announcement of the Rockabv.
Carter engagement. 1t set great store by
ROChaby III his character of incOnsolable
widOwer, aud hated to see him go the in
evitable road of all other widowers. Still
nobody blamed him. Upon the widow fell
all the conformation. She had ''roped him
in, they said. And. though they knew
absolutely nothing of the facts, they had
darted with diabolical prescience upon the
truth.
The villaga considered itself enlightened
even highly civilized-but it came very
near aCCredting Mrs. Carter with the
ability of a sorceress Public feeling was
very bitter against her.
"How such II thing could come about all
Of a sudden by natural means, don't
know said Mrs. Marvin, "rm sure they
never kept steady company, and Rockaby's
never Quit GOin' to his wifes grave Seems
as il he been there Oftener than ever lately.
Well, pre- lictei that he wouldn't hold out
from the first. $ ill, / believe he would
have stuck faithful ii that woman hadn't
worked on him in soma way, poor old
man"
SO strong ran the current Of sympathy
for 'po"r Mr., Rockaby" that his neighbors
began to pay hlm calls OF coincidence Just a.
they did aftsr his wife died They did not
put their compassion in worls, but they ex.
presseI it by other means quite as unmis-
taxable All this had the effect of making
his burden ten times heavier to carry
In few day, Mrs. Carter went to the
city 10 buy her wedding torSScnu. The
feeling against her was then at its height
and threatened never to abate. But who
can tell when and from whence a wind shall
arise 10 di,sipate disaster and watt US into
safe harbors.
Mr., Rockaby, dwelling on the misery into
which he had so innocently fallen, fell sick
he was very sex several days, but Death
was not yet really tor him. He emerged
strengthened b. " rni5!;:J ,,,soution He
would never me !ry Mrs Cprter
That LADY lad only eturnei from the
city four hCLrs. wi" n Mr. Rockaby prs-
sented himself ia tie Gray parlor and ,ked
TO see her. She came busting in with a
string of polite speeches on her lips. The
old man rose 10 his feet in silence. Some.
thing in his app sarance checked the torrent
Of her voubility. She stopped in the md.
die Of sentence, struck by chill of fear.
The old mans self-pOise overpo wered her.
He seemed TO have grown strong assured
and decisive.
Madam he said bowing with old
fashioned stateliness, II have come to say
that 1t will be impossible for me to fulfill
the contract | was 30 unwise as 10 agree TO
with you the othsr day. cannot marry
you"
There was no lack of hrmness In his
voice, and the widow saw at once that she
hal different man to deal with from the
Rockaby Of II fortnight before. Then the
unexpected had swept him of his feet Now
he was fortified by preparation. Mrs.
Carter did not resort to tears as before. She
merely said, In tone, Of freezing contem pt,
80 you are not a man Of your word"
The Rockaby blood famed high at this
taunt. His wor.l had been his pride.
Eyes, madam,' he ans werei with dig.
nifty; II am and always have hesn man
OF my word, But in this case my word was
not given voluntarily. Ny will did not go
with it. ] hope you will pardon me for
whatever Inconvenience my for:ler weak
ness has given you ! wish you good even
ing" and he pas ed out before Mrs Carter
cou!d rally.
Here was situation the xidow had not