Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-03-21
WHEN ROMANCE WASOVEH

tie first offer of marriage. 1t was handed
into the dormitory of the Physicians Or.
phans' home-not, as may be supposed,
home for the orphans doctors have made, but
for the children of deceased medical men.
Miss Dwight was matron there, and at the
moment was changing the pillowcases before
the wash.
81 suppose it's about Johnny Gilroy and
his swelled knee" said the servant. cdr.
Emory seems to think it wuss"
Miss Dwight, however, waited until the
girl was gone before she opened the note
Then, not greatly to her surprise, she read
the words:
ssMY DEAR DoRA-You have known me
since you were baby. Do you like me well
enough to marry mes Of course, you and l
have given up romance long ago have had
two wives. You must be thirty-two or three"
[s'Just thirty" said Dora to herself; she is
sixty -nine."l "You will greatly improve
your position by marrying me, and l always
liked you. Please meet me in the garden
after hours. hope to find you under the
willows. Yours, hopefully, B. EMORY"
1t was not love letter calculated to fatter
the heart of woman of any age. At first
she said: 81 will refuse him. Then she re-
membered how good and kindly he was. 81
will accept him." she said, ''but no romance
shall be in my talk with him. He shall find
me like stone. He shall have the sort of
wife he wants."
1t was early when the door bell changed,
and foot crossed the long passage, and,
ceasing to echo on the painted floor, struck
the stones Earlier than she had expected
him. but she was ready for him under the
willows in the garden.
81 am glad to find you here" said a deep,
old voice. II thought you would be sensible
enough to do what asked, but was not quite
sure-not quite. No. You have read my
note carefullya Yesa Well, imagine that l
say to you again what wrote Iawait your
answer with anxiety"
She looked at him, and he saw that she
smiled in an odd, embarrassed way.
"Wiu you marry me, my dears" he added.
81 see l must make it easier for you to
speak,"
sit was q little hard to begin," she said.
"Ihe usual reason moves me-" he said.
''I'm in love with YOU | think it best to
marry again, and know no one like YOU
no one. I've had two wives before, admit.
However, neither of them complained of me-
believe | have a very nice home, ond,
really, it will be very much better position
for you than being matron of an institution.
You do it admirably, but hate to see you
here. Your father was older than 1. but we
we're great friends. ! think he would advise
you to say yes
She put her hand upon his arm.
81 am very practical woman" she said
eff marry you forfeit a good position that
may be mine for ife-an independent posi-
ton. 1t is dangerous"
"My dear, you'll have half of all that is
mine; and I'm not poor"
"You don't think me young, I know" she
answered. ''Who thinks woman young at
800 But you have four sons, hard, business
men, older than I. They'll not approve of
the match"
'They are not at home; it can't matter"
said DR.. Emory.
"But," said Miss Dwight, with cruel dis
tinctness ''the trouble will come when you
die You have made mistake; you are
older than poor father. If you leave me
widow your sons will make every effort to
take every thing from me; shall be left with
nothing, my place gone, my habits of indus
try, my briskness. I make no doubt you
have heard of such cases; have"
The sutton sat-and who can marvel at it,
stricken quite dumb by this speech. At last
he gasped:
"You are candid"
81 am" she answered-"I am, indeed. Now
is your time. You can take back your offer,
Dr. Emory. Everything can be as it was
before. IL tear up your letter; am con-
tent that all shall remain as it is"
"But, then," he answered, II am not.
After all, all you say is only true. l can face
the music, hope. Ny answer Is this: Marry
me, and 1 will make will, leaving you
everything, on our wedding day."
''That would be UNJUST" she said. cit
would be a will to be contested Leave me
home and an income" She named the sum
sufficient to keep it up.
ssThat is moderate--sensible. And you will
say syes,'" be said. 81 promise, of course, 1
shall make it better than that, still leaving
my sons no cause for complaint; but it is not
my fault that we are not more romantic"
'sLet the romance come afterward, if it
can" said Miss Dwight.
After this, they walked about the garden
awhile, and the day of the wedding was set,
leaving time to find a new matron for the
Kiss Dwight was certainly,
as domestics say, "bettering herself;;' but she
was not elated.
In fact, little regret stole into her heart
as she walked about the place where she had
been so independent, so respected; and won
dered whether she should be happy In the
future.
Sat least" she said, with degree OF Bit
terness, IT matched him with his romance is
out of the question between two like u.s.
Matched him, and went further"
The bell tinkled in the hall just as supper
time was over that evening, and in few
servant came to call Miss Dwight.
''It's gentleman; he don't know who he
wants." she said 'Some one who knows all
about the place, he told me-"
And Dora went into the parlor, a bare look
ing room, long, and with white walls, panel
carpet, a library table, horsehair sofa, and
six chairs, and the portrait of the founder OF
the home over the mantelpiece There stood
under this portrait, with his elbow on the
marble itself, gentleman. Dark eyed, dark
haired, with face that was not so much
handsome as delightful
Writers often spend a good deal of time in
what it is that men see in the women
whom they fall in love with-when they say:
t'This is the woman for mel'
I believe the woman who meets for the first
time the only man on earth to whom she
would willingly give herself, has deeper ex~
periences still.
The moment had come to Miss Dwight.
She had waited thirty years for it, and now
she did not know what it meant But an I'M
conscious smile came to her lips, light to
her soft blue eyes, a flush to her smooth cheek.
She looked prettier than she could have
dreamed possible of at that moment
The stranger told his business He had re-
Gently come from Paris, where he had been
occupied in certain affairs for ten years.
Mean while his brother had died, having re-
Gently lost his wife. He understood, to his
that his little nephews were in
the Home
''Of course, I wish to take charge of them,"
he said 81 am a bachelor, but can arrange
for their care. They need not live on char
ity."
SIT is not charity" said Miss Dwight. cdr.
Ellwood gave largely to the Home in his life
time. The children are considered little
ladies and gentlemen. They are well edu-
Gated; taught the usages of good society.
They will have collegiate course when they