The Somerset reporter., 1886-09-22
SELECTED.
MY EpDINc.

SELECTED.
MY WEDDING.
How Cupid managed 70 send Stephcl
Barker after me could never md out
but that i between then selves. and i,
none OF my business. \ map goot
enough for Elizabeth and Janet and al
such ornamcn to their sex, to lay hi,
honest heart ut my foolish lite feet
own that for Il day or two TIE honor al
most turned my Icad.
Then b1 gan To consider. | had 10, &c
Norman Strong ever since coud rene H.
Der, and Norman had been my frcl i
wncn no one sid a kind word to me.
The case stood thus ] was an orphan
left to the care of an uncle and aunt re-
markablc for that kind of propriety that
wins our admin alton and awakcns ouI
hearty desire to z. away from il. i had
IA small fortune of j.Oo0: that is, ! was
10 have it if rcinained unmarried mtil
was -, or if married before, with my
uncle ; approval.
Now uncle did not approve of Morn an.
| In fact, uncle never approved of anyore |
liked. But with Stephen Barker disap-
| proNal was out of the question. Stephen
was the great man and The good man of
our smell town. To have inSInuateG tina,
Stephen WAS not worthy of Il saint, II
beauty and an hcircss Griicd would nave
been hcresy seriously affecting my IN
cle'> social and commercial >anding.
/ Stephen Bankers otter was therefore ne
ccptcd and the next Sunday we walked 10
church together.
! After this public arowal of our inter-
lions the marriage was considered mcvi-
table by every person but ne. ! must do
| myself the justice TO state hat | neyc re-
/ .artlcd my engagement To Stephen scli-
| ou>ly; it was part of II plan to sccr1a my
happiness and rights And rs Stephen
fully concidcd in it do not expect CEN
sure from any else.
/ think il was no later than the third
night after stephen had spoken to my uu-
Gle that frankly tolo him t.Iat thought
OUGHT not to marry him. He asked me
why, and said An my life long S,2-
phc /. | have been Il crushed, unhappy
girl. | have been afraid to speak or
laugh OF sing, and no one but Norman
Strong ever said Il Kind word to me until
you came
And you love Norman?" he asked
bluntly.
So answer Il Yes | love him and
he loves me and when he rot the position
of cashier in you, bank he wanted TO mar
ry me but uncle said we were q,it,1cr o.
uN 10 bc trusted with my So ,OuO."
so You have S21,uo0.
Papa lief, me that much; nut Uncle
Miles ca keep il until am thirty.iyc,
unless marry to please him, or unless he
is 50 satisfied Of my goo sen>c that he
involuntarily gives it up TO me. lie will
never do 1hat.
Stephen was silent long time al Il
'hen he sud, "A little sadly You are II
good siIi to be 50 honest with me If
your uncle corl,, he Eadc to I've up your
little fortune do you think yor could use
it wisely
i eoul,i-with Norman to help me"
Then we had long conversation,
which it is not necessary for me to rcpc;.t:
/ ii will be under stood by what follows.
! There was no clan e apparently between
stephen and me. lie 1chaved eXactly a>
Il lover Of his age and character would 1c
| likely 10 behave. He sent aunt pitscn
from his lighthouses, and he made me
present. of prct jeEcrv He spent ,hc
evenings AT Uncle Miles house, aud some
times we were left alone to,clhcl, and
sometimes we went out for walk. Nor
man came To me u 'caSonaily on Il Snntav
night, and my aunt said he had really DC
haycd with moIe good SENSE than She hfu
expected. think she thought that if |
married the banker il might nou be bad
thing for my cousin Malvina. who YRS
very plain, to mary the bankers cash e..
Every ding went on with the greatest
lpropety. | had announced my Intention
To lave an extraordinary trosScau, and
This being point on which aunt could
feel with me. the next -four months wcic
spent pleas ntly in shoppi X and sewing
Never in our little town he'd there hcan
| such dozens of elr 'autly trimn Il under
garments, such liugcric. such hosiery.
such morning DIR e and cveuiu" cos
tunes. such wonderful boots and slippers
and jewcl'y. We held little receptions
every afternoon ii month before the we'd
ding. and my wardrobe WAS laid ont in
the hest bedroom for comment and IN
>pccton. 1t WAS about this time that
Stephen Barker id To my uncle: II nm
dcr>tand Frances has So, 900. wish To
/ have it 81 settled ON herself, and for her
own absolute p,c, that / propose, Mr..
/ Miles. if you are W Hing. Ia add $1,000
/ to it, and bdY for her the S,amfo"deStatc.
/ II i, only three miles lom here, the hou''c
i is a very fine one tie lapd excellent, and
/ then whatever changes cone, it secures
her Il competency, for II soon = the + IL
way is finished it will be wor,h doublc.
| What do YOU say
" think your offer exit encly generous,
Mr., Barker, and Of course for such Il prr
POSE am willing to hand ovcr TO you at
once Frances litl'e fortune. The in c,-
ct has been appli, d to her own use al
ways. viii Yuu look at the itcount>:"
You word is sufficient Mr.. Miles"
So II about twu week, the dausfcr
6 III -.