Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-12
CHAPTER X.
THE GORDIAN KNOT.

Walter, however, would not despair
until he had laid the alternative before
his father. He did so, firmly but coolly.
His father, irritated by the scene with
BARLEY, treated Walters proposal with
indignant scorn.
Walter continued to keep his temper,
and with some reluctance asked him
whether he owed nothing, not even a
sacrifice of his prejudices, TO son who
had never dlSObeyed him, and had I'M
proved his circumstances.
Come, sir" said he; when the happi-
ness of my life is at stake | venture to
lay aside delicacy, and ask you whether
| have not been good son, and SER
viceable one to your"
Eyes, Walter" said the Colonel, with
this exception"
Then now or never give me my re-
ward"
I'LL try" said the grim Colonel; 'ebut
/ see it will be hard work. However,
I'll try and save you from amesdllidnce."
"a nesaliianceS, sir? Why, she is a
Clifford"
@The deuce she isl"
GAS much Clifford as / am"
"That is news to me-"
"Why, one of her parents was Cliff
mine was an Irish woman"
Eyes; an Organ; not trader; not a
small-coal man."
Like the Marquis of Londonderry,
sir, and the Earl of Durham. Come,
father, don't sacrifice your son, and his
happiness and his love for you, to no.
lions theworld has outlived. Commerce
does not lower a gentleman, nor specu-
latiOn either, in these days. The no
bility and the leading gentry of these
islands are most of them in business.
They are all shareholders, and often
directors of railways, and just as much
traders as the old coach proprietors
were. They let their land, ard so do
you, to the highest bidder, not for hon
or or any romantic sentiment, but for
money, and that is trade. Mr.. BARLEY
is his own farmer; well, SO was Mr..
Coke, of Norfolk, and the Queen made
him peer for it-what a sensible SOW
ereignf Are Rothschild and MontefOre
Stunned for their SpeculatiOnS by the
nobility? Whom do their daughters
marry? Trade rules the world, and
keeps it from stagnatiOn. Genius writes,
or paints, or plays Hamlet-fOr money;
and is respected in exact proportion to
the amount of money it gets. Charity
holds baZars, and sells at one hundred
per cent. profit, and nearly every new
church is trade speculation. Is my
happiness and hers to be sacrificed to
the chimeraS and crOtchetS that every
body in England but you has outlived?"
All this" replied the unfinching
sire, II have read in the papers, and my
son shall not marry the daughter of a
grossly; but that, presume, you don't
object to-"
This Stung Walter SO that he feared
to continue the discussion.
81 will not reply" said he. you drive
me to despair. | leave you to reflect.
Perhaps you will prize me whenyOu see
me no more"
With this he left the room, packed up
his clothes, went to the nearest railway,
off to London, collected his funds, cross
ed the water, and did not write one
word to Clifford Hall, except line to
Julia. LEFT England heart-brOken.t the
victim of two cyclists and nay sweet
Mary'S weak cOnScientiOuSneSs. God
forgive me, [ am angry even with her,
but don't doubt her love-"
This miSsive and the general corSter-
nation at Clifford Hall brought Julia
full gallop to Mary BARLEY.
They read the letter together, and
Julia was furious against Colonel Cliff
ford. But Mary interpOSed.
Il am afraid" said she, that am the
person who was most to blame"
why, what have you dOne?"
He said our case was desperate, and
waiting would not alter it; and he
should leave the country unless"
UNLESS what? How can / advise you
if you have any concealments from
me?n
'Well, then, it was unless would
consent to clandeStine marriage"
And you refused-very properly"
@And I refused-very properly one
would think-and what is the conse-
quence? | have driven the man love
away from his friends, as well as from
me, and now [ begin to be very sorry
for my properneSS."
But you don't blush for it as you
would for the other. The idea! To be
married on the sly and to have to hide
at last, or else be suspected Of worse
things"
what worse things?"
Never you mind, child; your woman
ly instinct is better than knowledge or
experience, and it has guided you
straight. If you had consented, should
have lost my respect for you"
And then, as the small view of thing
is apt to enter the female head along
with the big view, she went on, with
great animation:
And then for young lady to sneak
into a church without her friends, with
nc. carriages, no favors, no wedding
cake, no bishop, no proper dress. not
even bridal veil fit to be seen! Why,
it ought to be the great show of girls
life, and she ought to be public queen,
at all events for that one day, for ten to
one she will be slave all the rest of
her life, if she loves the fellow
She paused for breath one moment.
And it isn't as if you were low peo-
pie. Why, it reminds me of thing I
read in some novel; a city clerk, or some
such person, took a walk with his sweet
heart in the country, and all of a sud-
den he said, why, there is something
hard in my pocket. What is it, [ won
der? a plain gold ring. Does it fit you?
Try it on, Polly. Why, it fits you. [ de-
clare; then keep it till further orders.
Then they walked a little further. Why,
what's this? Two pairs of white gloves.
Try the little pair on, and [ will try the
big ones. StopI declare here's q
church, and the bells beginning to ring.
Why, who told them that I've got a
special license in my pocket? Halo!
there are two fellows hanging about;
best men, witnesses, or some such per-
sons, | should not wonder. | think |
know one of them; and here is parson
coming over a stilei What an oppor-
tunity for us now just to run in and get
married. Come on, old girl. lend me
that wedding-ring a minute, I'll give it
you back in the church, No, thank
you, Mr.. Walter; we love you very dear
~, but we are ladies, and we respect
ourselves"
In short, Julia confirmed Mary Bart
lev in her resolution Init she cOu1d NOT