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

found me in the sitting-ro0m. He
looked morose and miserable, poor
boy, and his voice betrayed his irrita-
ton in the first words he spoke.
s'Tain't often one has chance OF
finding You alone, Helen. In fact, |
expected to find you tete-a-tete with
that other fellow.
That other fellowI You mean Dir.
Hamilton, presume, Harry"
.sYes, 1 mean Mr. Hamilton. /
don't know what encouragement
you've given him, but any idiot could
see he's half in love with YOU"
s.Half in love with me! Only half
and yet he asked me to be his wife.
Doubtless he thinks the other half
would come after the honeymoon"
nhirmured, sweetly.
| shall not try to describe Harry
Petrie's face as he heard my words,
aud in very pity for the boy hastened
to assure him that my answer had been
refusal l am sure that he, the
handsomest of my adorers, never felt
so happy as he did at that moment,
and as for myself, when alone, found
myself repeating, Two proposals
within two hours. 1t amt every girl
who can beat the record, as Jim would
say"
met my guardian at the orchard
gate the following evening as he re-
turned from the farm.
Il was on my way to meet you,"
said, .'for want to talk with you."
''Well, what is it?" he asked curtly,
as he paused at the gate on which his
hand was resting. p
LAS my guardian l wished to ask
You when shall be legally of age"
"As If you didn't know that! But l
think l guess your reason for asking.
Now let us understand each other. If
/ am your guardian am not necessari-
ly your tyrant. You can marry to-
morrow if it so please you without let
or hindrance from me-"
..Can /, indeedp Perhaps you have
also chosen husband for me-"
"Would that not be .loye's labor
lost since you have already made the
choice yourself. Hamilton told me
last night that you refused to marry
him, and you supplemented that re-
fusal with the uncalled-for confession
that you already loved another"
"And what if didP"
..Oh, nothing; but most girls would
know how to make even a persistent
lover take his congo without revealing
her own secret You wish to marry
Harry Petrie, and you have my con-
sent, if that is what you're after.n
He asked me to marry him last
night, and"
"And did not say you have my
consentP"
Nobody asked for your consent" l
answered hotly. You wouldn't let
one finish the sentence: but, of course
you're anxious to get rid of me-"
Child, you are unjust to me. You
do not know what dreary place this
old home will be when you are gone
from it forever. But the parting should
come some day, and now, although
have sometimes found you a self
willed child, / am willing to give Harry
Petrie a certificate to your good char
acter.n
Thank you, but it won't be neces-
sary. mean to stay in this dear old
home until-until you marry"
..And Harry .Petrie?n
"Pve refused him.
After your confession that you
loved him.
'.But you mustn't believe that. A
girls subterfuge to dismiss an unwel-
come lover. To let him down easy,
don't you know y
He was looking searchingly in my
eyes as he asked, IF not Harry Petrie,
who is the manP"
What strange question, when
you must remember l was anatomic-
ally constructed without heart"
"You are not honest with me. i
waive guardians right; but as your
friend ask you to tell me the truth. !"
"You are alike guardian aud friend;
but yon are not the man TO whom ]
would willingly confide that secret"
Even as spoke my eyes fell beneath
his gaze, but as his hand was laid
caressingly on my head l looked de-
family into his face.
"Nell when your father left you to
my care. did not think what regard
ed as sacred trust would only bring
me future of nnhappiness.
"a sacred trust, F" IansYered bitterly,
'.you are impatient to be relieved, of.
You want to drive me from your house,
jim, Well, I'm willing to go.
The hand that lightly rested on my
head suddenly gripped my arm as he
exclaimed: .'Nell. Nell. if Ihad never
been your guardian might have been
-pshaw! child. come into the house"
But for once Ichose to be disobedient
to my guardian, and my voice detained
him. THAT vain regret for the might
have been hays always thought was
q woman's special weakness, A man
II mean one worthy of the name-can
change the might have been into the
shall be-always.
"Bewitching temptress, do you know
the words You would drag from my
lipsp If had never been your guar.
dian I might have been your lover
And can change the might have been
into it shall bep / love you, Nell,
love you. Words-words-w that,
falling from my lips tonight, startle
me with their madness. I've tried to
crush a passion which felt was folly,
and I've failed. But since the words
are spoken at last, will you not answer
me truthfnlly. must love in yain2"
1t may have been in my eyes my
guardian read my answer. In such q
moment. as every girl knows, there is
| little need for words. And it was this
| man who had told me | was anato-
matically constructed without a heart;
but a painful pleasant sensation in the
region of that organ, as he clasped me
| in his arms, convinced me Of his error.
| And
Well, of course married my guar
dian, Jim.-NeaO York Nea0s.
1