The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1886-08-07

and amiable disposition as we'll
You might look the world ovel
from one end to the other and
never find girl to compare with
Dora, either in point of beauty OF
sweetness of disposition.
Dora loved me, too. She not
only said SO, but her every action
showed it; and everybody in the
town said it was remarkably fortu-
nate-being poor young doctor
to win the love of such a girl, who
could have had her pick from the
best in the land, as her father was
the wealthiest in all the country
round.
About this time Ralph Clayton,
a wealthy merchant of high stand
ing, met and lost his heart to Dora,
and became constant visitor at
her home.
While l was assured of Dora's
love and esteem / was positive that
her father held quite a different
opinion of me, and he soon made it
evident that my attentions to his
daughter were distateful to him.
Clayton was a pompous man.,
some dozen years my senior, and
on account of my inferior financial
position in the world he always
treated me with considerable con-
sideration.
One day as We returned together
from the Merton mansion he said
TO me:
Conway, / think Dora Merton
one of the incest girls ever met.
She would make a model wife, and
] am going to marry her. What
do you think of that?"
"Why," l replied, while the
hot blood rushed to my face, g.
think she will never be your wife,
because she loves and is engaged
to me-"
90, that is nothing" he coolly
answered; her father approves of
me and it is very plain desires me
for a son-in-law. Dora is a very
obedient and dutiful girl, and l do
not think the old man will have
any trouble at all in gaining her
consent.,o marry me-"
l had always disliked the man
now | fairly despised him, and it
was with mighty effort that | re-
strained myself from striking him. !
Dora had always been in the
habit of meeting me whenever
called under a spreading maple |
tree some distance from the house.
The next day after my conversation /
with Clayton she met me at Il e
usual place. i told her what Clay
ton had said to me.
80, Paul. she exclaimed, II fer
vontly pray that my father will not
desire me TO marry that man. For,
Paul, | do not love him-I cannot
love him; but if my father bids me
marry him | dare not disobey. But
let us pray that he will not make
any such request, for | love you,
Paul-only you, and | believe l
should die if we were separated !"
/ returned to the village feeling
every way but buoyant, and passed
q restless, sleeplcss night. !.
A few days after that l received a
note from old Mr.. Merton, also one
from Dora. The old man in few
words informed me that his daugh-
ter was soon to marry Ralph Clay
Ton. and babe me discontinue my
attentions to her.
Dora wrote me q fearful little
note, returning the ring | had
given her, and saying she loved
only me, but duty and obedience to
her father compelled her to
renounce me and never. to see me
again, and closed by beseeohing me
TO forgive her.
Neither of them stated when the
was to take place, and l
took no particular pains to find
out. That night | entered a train
bound for a distant town, where |
to locate and strive to .
forget the hcartless girl, rs l then
thought her, who had treated me
so cruelty. :
l did well in my new home, and.
though the wound in my heart
was past healing it was not so sore [
Ia.