The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-08-23
MY GUARDIAN JIM.

MY GUARDIAN JIM.
stAnd see here, Nell, you must un-
derstand this: On the first symptom
of your chronic wickedness breaking
out I'll put George Hamilton on his
guard"
my chronic wickedness! What do
you mean?"
"Miss Ingenue, eoquetry may or may
not be as harmless as any other femi-
nine fad. 1t depends on the tempera-
ment of the man on whom it is tried.
Harry Petrie, suppose, rather enjoys
it. and the other half-dozen lovers to
whom you at present distribute your
smiles with touching impartiality are
used, l dare say. to flirting with q
pretty girl, and will feel none the
worse when the comedy is ended.
With George Hamilton it might be diff
ferent."
''Oh! you are apprehensive of your
friend making love to me-"
Rather, I'm seriously apprehensive
of You making love to my friend"
"Jim!''
"Notin words; you are too finished an
artist to bungle after that fashion.
Since you escaped from short dresses
YOU have been a psychological study
to me, and do you think haven't tum-
bled to all your kittenish tricks? The
studied intonation of the voice, the
sudden dropping of the eye-lids be-
cause their lashes are long and silken,
and that charming habit of blushing
apropos de rien save that it becomes
you. Pom my word, Miss Melrose,
you are the only young woman ! ever
heard of who could blush to order, as
some emotional actresses claim they
can shed genuine tears on the stage
when the exigencies of part demand
it. Now, if YOU were anatomically
on the lines of other human
beings and had a heart l wouldn't
mind Hamilton falling in love with
you, for then he would be taking only
the ordinary chances. So / give yon
fair warning, if catch you at any of
your old tricks I'll give you away with
out compunction. And with this
threat my guardian abruptly left the
room.
Yes. he was my guardian, this man
of 81. and had lived beneath his roof
since my fathers death ten years be-
fore. My poor father, he was the
medical practitioner of our little town,
and despite the disparity of their ages,
between him and James Esmond a
almost fraternal existed for
many years. Yet people thought it
strange that the sensible DIR. Melrose
should have left his little girl years
old to the guardianship of a man of
"a. But in his quiet home with his
mother, who had been indeed mother
aTs0 10 IrTc, --rf,i-s4A-ehild-- -Iaa5-lifo
had been singularly happy one. For
the first time in all these years / be-
lieve was really angry with him this
afternoon. and setting his threats and
authority at defiance | was resolved to
f1irt to my hearts content with our COM
ing guest. Mr.. Hamilton arrived the
following evening, and as my guardian
introduced him | could not possibly
mistake the meaning of his warning
look.
II trust. Hamilton" he said, '.that
Miss Melrose and you may learn to be
excellent friends. During your brief
holiday you will illnecessarilyspe most
of your time together, for the work on
the farm leaves me little leisure to de-
vote to even as old friend as yourself.
But Nell is q clever Young person.
who can make herself entertaining
when she chooses to take the trouble. :
OF course Mr.. Hamilton's sense Of
gallantry compelled him to say that be
felt anite sure the hours he spent in
the society of the clever young person
would be simply delightful, and men
tally recorded VOW that would takf
the trouble to make them SO.
..Well, what do yen think of himp'
was the question my guardian asked
me when our guest had retired thai
night.
"Passable, ] suppose, as men go"
He is certainly handsome" hs
said, tentatively, land the best fellow
in the world, but little over-sensi
tive"
He is sensitive, therefore he is vain
There was never yet sensitive mai
who was not vain one"
''Fadgei"
..But faint fudge, sir, for sensitive
ness is, after all, only the offspring o
self-consci0Rsness."
..Say, youngster. did you evolve tina
bright idee from your own small brain
Don't let Hamilton think ] have !
literary nuisance beneath my root
And now be of to. bed.
Mr.. Hamilton possessed, with q TAI
share of good looks, more than aver
age share of intelligence and education
and when a certain shyness or reserve
which seemed habitual, had worn away
I found him, indeed, an interesting
companion. If | were writing loy
story / might be tempted to hnge
over the DAYS that followed, but as
am not may be allowed to epitomlz
the events that rounded out these day
in a sentence, Mr.. Hamilton becam
the more ardent of my wooers, an
Harry Petrie became absnTdly Jealous
On the last evening of George Hami
toms visit he found me, as IaRtlelpate
he would, at favorite haunt by t9
river side. His manner was stranger
grave, and / found some ditficulty.i
leading him into conversation, for tn
few remarks at first addressed to hin
he answered in monosyllables, Br
soon he conquered this constraipt
speech, and then-and them
1t was a Frenchman who said ths
..a clever man may love like mania,
hut never like fool" George Hami
fop made love like neither. He wa
cool aud self-possessed and rational
he asked me to be his wife, but thel
was that genuine ring OF sincerity
his voice which made it all the mol
painful to me 10 reject his proposal
IF dare dream, Helen, that tin
might reverse this verdict 1t is sal
that a woman's No is not always irr
yocable, and trust me, l could wait
patience if only You left me one thref
of hope to cling to-"
81 eau not cheat you with delusiy
hopes, Mr.. Hamilton. A woman's 10,
never was and never shall be her oN
to bestow; if it were there might
less unhappy marriages. But her hea
goes from her keeping before 81
knows it.
Il think / understand you. You {
ready love another"
1T is strange confession for a g
to make. Will not you think SOP b
you have guessed right. | love, lol