The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-10-26

and master is dream of the future, a
castle in the air, lay figure on which
to hang all my ideals; not grizzly
bearded parsonage, who buries you and
| himself at the remotest corner of No.
Mans land. and who only comes to
town to burrow in the library OF the
British Museum. No, you needn't call
me poor Gwenr it would be more to
the purpose if you called yourself
poor SylviaH "
| "Really, Gwendolen-" began
Mrs. Walters; but her expostulation
was nipped in the bud.
Don't interrupt me-" continued
Gwen. II have opened my lips now
for the first time on the subject, aud |
mean to say one or two things before l
close them. want to ask you plain,
Straightforward question: Why did you
marry Mr.. Walters?"
Il married him." replied Sylvia,
with a ring Of defiance in her voice,
because he asked me to do So"
And that" replied Gwendolen, ais
not a reason worth giving. If any one
had told me two years ago that Mr..
Walters was going to ask you to marry
him, l should have imagined you drop
ping him courtesy, and refusing him
in tbeFfwqg9s;, .HenogSA sir. a woman.
not toSsay a girl OF nineteen, may not
marry her grandfather, besides which,
the chances of family jars will be much
| increased if | accept an offer from my
aunt's brother-in-law. o. Sylvia" and
here Gwen sighed once more. II think
you made a mistake. 1t has always
seemed to me that you were not quite
yourself when you accepted MIR. Wal
tiers. You might as well confess to
your only sister that you consider you
were little over hasty."
"Gwen!' cried Sylvia. angrily, chow
dare you'll Why should regret what |
did? You often say that you never saw
any one so kind to his wife as Mr..
Walters is to me. only hope you may
be as fortunate yourself when you real
ize your ideal. Moreover, mother ap-
proved of what l did. You know it
was her great comfort on her deathbed
to feel that l was provided for, and
that my husbands house could be your
home"
That is begging the question:" re-
joined Gwen, obstinately. 81 am not
referring to Mr.. Walters conduct since
your marriage, but to your own before
it. | merely want to hear the story of
how, and why, you fell in love with
your husband. His learning and his
peaceful disposition are his most strik-
ing qualities, and you were not tho
girl to be fascinated by either one or
the other"
Love is not a matter of hard and
fast rules" replied Sylvia. People
may fall in love without knowing why"
II don't think so. There must be
some attraction. If could see any for
myself 1 should not ask you. For in
stance, if | bestowed my affections on
our opposite neighbor, the reason
would be self-evident. 1 should need
no justification"
Shouldn't you? Well, 1 should
think q young woman who handed her
heart out of the window to young
man with whom she has never ex-
changed a word, would need good
deal of justification.
Nay" said Gwen, smiling, at
would just be love at first sight. Now
let us suppose. for moment. that Mr..
Walters was like Prince Charming"
Il shall not suppose any thing of the
sort" interrupted Mrs. Walters, with
an angry flash. Nor will l hear any
more of this kind of talk. 1t is utterly
purposeless and shows very little con-
sideration for my feelings"
Il am sorry" said Gwen. penitently,
sit have vexed you. 1t never seemed
to me as if you could care what one
said; but l will say no more about MIR.
Walters, anyway. But there is one
thing that l did want to say about
Prince Charming-how wish knew
his real name-which is that l am
sure have seen him before. Does he
strike you in the same light?"
But Sylvia shook her head.
i've barely seen him now." she
said, bending over her work. IL
caught sight of smart young man,
but their name is legion, and they are
all much alike"
81 beg your pardon, Sylvia; but you
are very much mistaken if you think
our opposite neighbor is just stereo-
typed young man of fashion. If you
haven't seen him before, I'm sure |
have--only seen him, you know; not
made his acquaintance. must try to
remember where. We went knocking
about so much in the old days that it is
difficult to recall such things"
"Gwendolen," answered Mrs. Wal
ters, trying to make her fair young
face as severely matronly as she felt
she ought to make it, Unjust beg of you
to talk no more of the young man who
lives opposite. l tell you 1 will not
countenance your trying to get up
Irritation across the street. am seri-
ously in earnest about it. If Mr.. Wal
ter's knew he would be extremely an
noyed."
Would hep" cried Gwen, demurely.