Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-09-14
MONKS ELECTION.


A trying interview it had been,
and the young man looked crest
fallen enough as he emerged from
the library door, closing it softly
after him. AS he did so he glanced
a little sheepishly about him, but
he had not to look tar; for even as
he stood there gloomy and irreso'
lute there was a whirr OF delicate
draperies and patter Of slippers
on the marble tiling of the hallway.
A young girl stood behind him and,
as she nestled close and placed a
fairy-like hand confdingly in one
of his big, strong ones, her two
dancing eyes voiced the query that
her lips refused to utter.
"Irsno use, Adele, heannounced
mournfully. "I've talked to your
father until l am tired. l talked
in the most reasonable, practical
strain you have any idea OF. told
him l wanted nothing on earth but
a pledge from you, and his sane
ton to that pledge, with the pro-
viso that if in ten years l am not
able to come to him and demand
you as my right am to relinquish
all claim to you. He not only de-
MED this, but said 1t would be best,
now that matters have gone this
far, that see you less frequently ;
it would be easier to bear that way,
he SAID. Only fancy, Adele, he
SAYS l must not see you oftener
than once a month"
"Preposterous p murmured the
girl, nesting still closer. "But
what else passed then, Albert'"
"Well, 1 spoke of my prospects.
I told him l had hopes of building
up a good practice in a year-that
! had lots of clients now, and would
soon have more. Then he remark
ed that he despised ministers and
lawyers, anyway. That made me
angry, which am afraid did not
mend matters. But l couldn't help
IL; and told him that for man OF
his years, and for a politician, he
had less sense than any man !
knew
"Oh, Albert, how could your"
was the frightened reponse; "and
what did he say Uhen?"
"W ELL" reioined the young man
darkly, "he told me he didn't be-
lieve l could see you at all. He
muttered something under b is
breath that sounded like 'sbyster,'
and 1 had to go"
The youOg people separated a
few moments later, with renewed
pledges of fidelity. 1t may or may
not have been that the young mans
departure was accelerated by the
sound of heavy footsteps crossing
the room he had lately quilted.
Col. Monk, or rather Congress-
man Monk, for he was member of
the house, was a politician from
the top of his polished head to the
sOles of his galters. Tie one OBJ
ject, outside Of the political arena,
upon which hls care and attention
was lavished, was his mOtherlese
daughter Adele. He had watched
her childhood with care and de-
yotiOn and was now as proud OF
her, in her delicate 1S.year beauty,
as is usual with dOtiDg American
fathers of the period.
He had denied her nothing, un'
til now; but he could not bring
himself to give her to this strug'
Cling young lawyer, Albert Blake,
aud so upset at blow his vague
but foDdly-chenshed dreams Of a
much prouder alliance. He liked
the young man extremely, much
better than he did the shallow-pat'
ed sons OF his wealthy neighbors
clustered about his daughter. But
have Adele Albert should not ; this
much he was resolved on-unless
the next year witnessed som
mighty and unlooked.for alteration
in the young mans prospects.
The weeks went by rather mOnot
onously, young Blake adhering re-
! ligiously to a resolution, formed
= directly after leaving Adele the
:: last time, not to seek her presence
until some sort of a reconciliation
had been patched up with hel
father. Taking him all in all, ht
was a rather honorable young fel
5 low and preferred causing himsel
and his sweetheart a pang of re
gret or so to doing anything h'
would have been ashamed TO hav'
the colonel discover. He worked
hard-very hard-and had th'
daily satisfaction of noticing an in
crease in his clientsge that evl
denced an eventful prosperity. 81
assiduously did he devote hlmsel
, to his practice that he almost forgo
{, to worry about his love affair.
Bat this could not last. Of cours
it could not. After a day of ez
cesslvely hard work he was brood