West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-08-08
MATTIE'S CHOICE.

II any one had limited to pretty Matte
Woolston that she would ever fi9ure ne .
heroine in story she would have opened
her brown eyes wide in amazement. She
was the only child of good old DIR. Wool
ston, of Greyport, thriving town in
Yorkshire, and in the circle of local So
clety was considered az once n belle and
an heire5s. Hair and eyes the color of a
chestnut when first the burr uucloses. n
complexion as soft as satin and white as
mix, with the prcttiest rose tint of color
on the round checks, white. even teeth
SET IN a pretty, smiling mouth, a figure
tail, sllght and graceful, were the attrac
uons m appearance of the village beauty.
l5ut those who knew Matte Woolston
well were wont TO say that her pretty
lace and figure were the least OF her
charms. She had low, musical voice.
a manner graceful and easy, high bred by
intuition OF what was dignified and maid
cniy; she was the neatcst housekceper in
Grcyport, aud alI her taste, fun dresses
and hats were the work OF her own deft
fingers. She had read intclligently. aud
could converse we'll
80 1t is no matter for wonder that
Matte had many lovers. But foremost
upon the list, TO all appearance, was
handsome Ned Gordon. who had been TO
the University, and whose father shared
the aristocratic honors of Grcyport with
inc doctoraid Clergyman, being the only
lawyer in the town.
The clergyman was a bachelor of nearly
forty years OF age, who had come but
recently to GreyPort 20 preside over the
cnurch where the WooistOns and the
Gordons had each a pew. He was a
grave, reserved man, whose face bore the
impress Of sorrows and cares conquered
and succeeded by the serene peace that is
far above the careless content that has
never known interruption. lie was not
handsome mGn, but had large, tender
eyes under broad white brow; and these
would irradiate his homely face with
light almost divine, when he preached
with an elOquence and simplicity rarely
combined; 20 that mon went from his
church, slowly aud thoughtfully ponder
ing upon truths that were but homely.
everyday facts, but suddenly had been
illumincd by earnest eloquence into paths
TO salvation.
One Of these men, young, wealthy and
full Of talent, was Ned Gordon, Matie's
ardent admirer from boyhood. lie had
left her in sobbing pain Of love to 20 30
a boarding school, had felt his heart
torn when college took him again from
Matte, and had become more devoted
than ever when he came home "for
good, " TO find her grown 70 womanhood,
iairer than ever.
He bad been wont to say OF himself.
when he considered the subject at all.
that he ''was not n bad fellow, as fellows
60 being simply an idle hanger-on to
his father's wealth, n dcsultory student
Of musty law-books when the mood
seized him, floating carelessly down ifos
stream doing no especial harm By the
way, but assurcdly doing no good either.
OF his personal responsibility in the
scheme Of creation, he had never thought
until the Rev. Harvey Stillman was an.
pointed vicar Of the fine old church at
Greyport, where Ned's fine tenor was
quite feature in The choir 10 must be-
confessed that, under the dull pr0sy
preaching Of Harvey Sallman's pfede-
cessor, the choir seats had been gather.
ing place for much quiet Irritation