The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-02-12


with stern. reproachfrA face
"I love him. " returned Bessie. He
is the only man in the world / could
ever care for.
"Stuf and nonsense" Dried MIRA
Peploe. Even If I liked the young
man-which I don't-your marrying
him would be out of the question. He
cam afford to keep yor."
II am not afraid of poverty" said
Bessie, bravely "beside. we are not
going to marry in haste. We can wait. /"
:" Poor foolr and Mrs. Peploe's lips
eurled. IT know what this waiting
means for the woman. She goes on
trusting and believing in his promises.
and then when her beauty has faded,
he turns round and marries some one
else"
Even then" said Bessie, "the
woman is better off than if she Ind tied
herself to somebody she could not
love"
ooh, yes, You are mad-quite mad"
returned Mrs. Peploe; "bus thank
goodness, you lave n mother who won't
allow you to make m idiot of yourself.
You will marry Mr.. Gray, and forget
all about that misguided young man
who ought to be ashamed of himself.
"What for ?" asked Bessie, with re-
sentiment.
"For proposing to girl whom he
has no means of keeping in comfort, "
returned Mrs. Peploe. "You are O
pair of lunatics; but fortunately, I've
some sense left, and I won't stand by
and see my daughter ruined for life"
And she founced off to bed without
giving Bessie tho usual good nights
kiss. Poor girl, she missed it sorely,
and sobbed herself to sleep, but she
meant to be true to Jack all the same.
Not even her mothers anger could in
duce her to give him up and consent to
marry old Gray.
She treated the object of her dislike
with the greatest GOODNESS on his next
visit, and succeeded in making him
look thoroughly miserable. But lie
frightened considerably when Mrs.
Peploe, to atone for her daughters
rudeness, sought to engage him in con-
versation. Inleed the grateful little
man ventured to give the elder lady's
hand a gentle squeeze when he arose to
take his departure, and, to his surprise
and Joy it was warmly returned
"Now, if Miss Peploe wonld only get
over her objection, how happy and
comfortable we should all be-" he
thought as he tru lgad home. "Hulloa,"
coming suddenly face to face with q
handsome young fellow in shabby
uls er. Chow are you, Jack Wilkins"
ooh, am all right, thank You" sail
Jack, sulkily, and strobe on without
another word, while little Mr.. Gray
stood gazing after him with look OF
comprehension on his face.
II suppose she has been telling him
oil about it," he said to himself with a
sigh. cts natural, I suppose, but it's
selfish, too Yes, it is little bit sell
fish of them" And, shaking his head,
the old gentleman knocked at the door
of his house-that lar re, gloomy house
that had never seemed homelike since
the deHtA Of that sister who had been
his right hand.
When we think we are going to make
people happy, it is hard to find that we
IRE regarded rs an enemy, and Mr..
Gray retired to rest in rather dismal
spirits. He arose the next morning
with q determination of putting an end
to his suspense by offering himself and
his home to the Object of his attach
ment; he could bear the suspense no
longer.
When he arrived Mt the widows cot
tage that evening Bessie was not at
home. She had gone ont to tea with
some friends, Mrs. Peploe said.
I'm glad she's not Mt home. dear
Mrs. Pepoe," said Mr.. Gray. looking
very red and nervous. 81 am glad
she is not at home because it gives me
an opportunity of saying something
that is near to my heart.
He edged u little nearer to the widow
as he spoke and she smiled at him in
an encouraging way. She was q hand
some woman and her smile revealed the
whitest teeth N he world.