St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-12
PRETTY WIDOW MCPHERSON
How Bristed Prevented His Friend
Lakely From Marrying Her.

Chicago News.
'In short, say you've appointed your
self mentor over me at once and be
done with it-fang it!'
Lakely glared at his companion.
Bristed, immovable, went on smoking
A silence, fraught with explosive posi-
bilities, ensued. Finally Bristed arose.
He was somewhat the elder of the two,
and he was saturnine and dark.
"What are you going to do?'' he de-
manded.
''lf you think I'm going to say"
"Then you GO to the dickens by the
shortest cut you can find!" was BriSted's
ultimatum.
The next day Mrs. Lakely tearfully
pressed me into an interview. g
81 assure you have done my best to
dissuade Horace" Bristed said.
"Oh. it's too dreadfulw moaned
Lakely's mother. wringing her hands.
"You have always been such good
friends-roommates and all-and young
men will often listen to an older COM
rade's advice and remonstrance. where
mothers, a sisters, are quite thrown
away. Do use your influence, my dear
Mr.. Bristed, with my poor, benlghted
boy! Oh, it is too shocking that he
should be thinking for one instant even
of such a marriage!"
81 appreciate your position, you may
be sure, my dear madam. 1t is very
trying one," murmured Bristed SYM
pathetically.
"And 1t is so horrible, too, that there
should be question of bringing such a
person into the family where there is a
young girl,'' continued Mrs. Lakely,
putting her handkerchief to her faded,
pretty, ladylike little face.
Mrs. Lakely felt that this allusiOn to
her daughter was a master stroke of
diplomacy.
Certainly, l can appreciate your
feelings here more than ever" cried
Bristed, warmly.
And a ray of comfort pierced
through Mrs. Lakely's dolorous mists as
it came over her that man (Of Hurl-
burt BriSted'S ''SeriOuSneSSH) never eX-
pressed himself so clearly unless he
wished definite differences to be drawn i.
Then her attention DETECTED from her
daughters interests to the more immi-
nent perils of her son, and she sighed
again.
Thus urged, Bristed returned to the
charge.
sin the name of heaven, Lakely,
don't make such fool OF YOURSELF" he
began, in the tone of a more tolerant
responsiveness.
IA fool of myself! By George!
think Eve a good deal of patience to
stand what I've stood from you the last
month. Brstedl If fellow didn't feel
sore about throwing over an old friend,
by George"
"All right, I understand your point
of view," said Brlsted, placidly. sit
isn't agreeable to have warnings dinned
into your ears when you want to rush
headlong into the biggest folly of your
life. But it's the friends part to sound
the warning, all the same, whether it's
agreeable or not. You might think of
your mother and sister a little in this
matter, tOO."s
"What the deuce have they, or have
you, or has any one. for the matter of
that, to say anything against Mrs. Me-
Pherson, Bristed?'' cried Lakely, start
ing up and confronting his friend, with
his boylsh features aflush and kind
ling light in his blue eyes. you say
she's little older than l."
Not a little; good deal. She's
older than l am-must be-" interrupted
Bristed.
"Well, and even If she were. What
of it? What are fewyears one way OF
the other?"
IA great deal when the few years are
on the wrong side. But that isn'i
the worst feature. You needn't force
me into saying things you wouldn't care
to hear. But you know as we'll as |, dc
that McPherSon'S widow has been talked
about. Oh! unjustly, il you care tG
have it so! Pm not going into tina,
spire the greatest respect himself, and,
at all events, good many things were
said of his pretty wife. Why, my dear
fellow" continued Bristed, reaSoningly,
and with the kindly influence in his fine
voice and the Softened expression in his
strong features which had always had
so much power over Horace Lakely's
impulsively youthful temperament
''it'S preposterous thing. you losing
your head and letting Yourself in fol
this sort of thing! This woman is nc
wife for you--o
You don't know her! You haven't
even seen her," exclaimed Lakely,
weakly.
But l know her, all the same. One al
caliber. They're very Interesting to
meet; very stimulating; very amusing
very fascinating. They have ten thou
sand arts. While their spell is on a
man he thinks them anything they
choose to be thought. He believes any.
thing-everything. Afterward he has
an awakening: and it is very well fol
him if he hasn't to discover that he has
bound himself, hand and foot, while he
was under the charm. Flirt with an
adventuress-for really, you know, a
Mcpherson can scarcely be called any.
thing else-flirt with an adventures as
much as you like. my dear boy, if you
feel sure enough of yourself; but be
matrimOny. That's what wise man
does, my boy"
Poor Lakely, with his elbows on his
knees and his hands supporting his
head, sat staring at the figures of the
carpet.
"Confound it! you always had wisdom
enough to fit out an army, Bristol" he
grOwled. Its no effort for you to keen
out of scrapes. You couldn't get into
one if you tried. You're so deucedly
| cold-blooded.''
When it dawned upon Mrs. Lakely
that her son might unexpectedly be or
| the point OF listening TO reason, the poor
| lady's joy burst fourth in touching
| gratitude to Horace's friend. But il
was short-lived joy. At the end of &
| agitation. and communicated the dire
| intelligence that Mrs. Mcpherson haG
| appeared in person on the scene; thai
| she was following Horace up.
81 suppose she feels that the boy has
been slipping from her-odious per
| son!" exclaimed Mrs. Lakely, waxing
bitter in her righteous indignation. ssIi