Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-12-14
A Lesson to Lovers.

'.From all that l have read and
heard" SAID young DIR. Newberry
grayely. "the great bane of the happi-
ness of lovers. whether engaged or
married. is lack of perfect frankness
aud confidence between them. Should
any thing srise to excite doubt or jeal-
ousy in either party. an explanation
should be at once sought and given.
and thus frequently much trouble and
unhappiness be avoided"
Il perfectly agree with YOU" re-
piled Josie Chase. look ne up brightly.
..And so there VIII never lie any dan
ger of our misunderstanding each 9TH
er. will lhere!"
II hope not, darling" he replied.
And then there was some little
ecstatic demonstration, such as youth
ful lovers are privileged to indulge in
when alone.
They hid been but three days en-
gagged. and had known each other not
quite three months-ony since the
young doctor bad come TO Woodleigh
to commence practice.
Josie was the belle of the town, and
it had not been without struggle that
the oung doctor hal won her IN face
of richer and, as some people consid-
cred, more desirable suitors.
She was very pretty and clever, and
full of warm-hearted and generou, inn.
pulses, and also. if the DOCTORS land
LADY was To be credited. somewhat
fond of hav ne her own way.
Seeing shes an only child" said
Mrs. Larrimer, who had tive gown
daughters of her own, "she's well nigh
spoiled 10 death. Her ma let's her
have her own way, and though her pa
sometimes worries about her odd do
iugs, she generally manages TO bring
him round IN the end.
.'She such ilirtm exclaimed Miss
Blossom Larrimer, who. though tho
eldest of the cluster of five sisters. still
languished ungathered upon the par
eUt stem. why | couldn't tell the
men she has led on 10 propose, and
then discarded. It's dreadfully heart
less and cruel!" she added with Il
sympathetic sigh.
rOh, YOU had better leave the Doc
tor to find out all that for himself"
giggled Miss Gay, the youngest of the
five. "Oniy, Doctor. you mustn't
blame Us for letting you be caught in q
man-trap. We've warned you. lie,
her'
'The last one," said Mrs. Larrimer
solemnly. "was that wild young fell
low, Jack Ripley. whom they turned
out of Rattlepan college for white
washing the presidents horse and
other lawless doings. He used to visit
Miss Josephine while he was here at
the college. about two years ago and
Just before you came to Wood leigh he
was back again and the two were
thicker than ever. Some folks thought
it would be II match bat it seems her
pa interfered and sent him of. | must
say she changes mighty easy from one
TO another. I'd be sorry to have Que
of my girls act like thatr'
These accounts at first set the Doe
tor 30 thinking Il little; but he was not
to be frightened from his wooing. and
i'm his happiness AS an accepted lover
he forgot all the warnings and croak-
ings of the Lrrimer family.
He knew that his josie was little
coquettish-a little vain it might be
that she was either heartless or tickle
he would not believe.
And 1t was not until farther conf
dental reyelat ous from the indefatig-
able Mrs Larrimer that an uneasy
feeling of doubt and perplexity began
to take possession of his mind.
"Ahem?' said the lady, us she hand
ed h nj second cup of tea, when one
l.. A L.
q professional call. $50 Jack X pley
is back again in Noodle gil. What do
you think of him. DR. Newberry?"
ii have not had the pleasure of
meet NO him.
MOP Dear me! that seems strange
wheu-when you are both go much at
the Chases'. He was there yesterday,
and again this morning and this even
ing. As they live nearly opposite us.
some of us couldn't help seeing him
go in and ont. But, of course you We
heard Miss Josie mention himf"
No; the Doctor had not heard any
one mention Jack Ripley. Aud he
thought it rather strange that if that
gentleman had really come again a.
woong Miss Josephine Chase. she
should have permitted him to paw her
these visils--she was his affianced
wife.
As usual whea he was not profess
sionally engaged. he went after tea to
see Josie. 1t was a warm moonl ght
summer night; the parlor was unoccu-
pied and close. the Doctor. while wait
ing for his betrothed. took his seat ut
a side window-a window VIII ch open
ed upon the pretty garden. and through
which came soft refreshing breeze,
laden with the perfume OF roses.
In fact, just beneath this window
was what Josie called her rose arbor
"a trellis covered with running
rose BUSH. where only last night he
had SAT with her in the moonlight and