Evening journal., 1890-02-19
WHEN ROMANCE WASOVER


Miss Dora Dwight, on her thirtieth birth
day, received the first love letter Of her life
the first offer Of marriage. 1t was handed
into the dormitory Of the Physicians Or
phans' home-not, as may be supposed, a
home for the orphans doctors have made, but
for tie children of deceased medical men,
Miss Dwight was matron there, and at the
moment was changing the pillowcases before
the wash.
II suppose it's about Johnny Gilroy and
his sweled knee said the servant. "Dr
Emory seems TO thinl, 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.
my DEAR DORA. You have known me
since you were a baby. Do you like me we'll
enough TO marry met OF course, you and
have given up romance long ago. have had
two wives. You must be thirty-two or three y
[''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. Ihope TO find you under the
willows. Yours, hopefully, B. EMORY"
It was not love letter calculated to hatter
the heart Of a woman of any age. At first
she saidi Il viii refuse him" Then she re-
membered how good and kindly he was. II
will accept him. she said, .'bat no romance
shall be in my talk with him. He shall find
me like a stone He shall have the sort Of
wife he wants.
II was early when the door bell changed,
and foot crossed the long passage, and.
ceasing 10 echo on the painted floor, struck
A. 4
him, but she was ready for him under the
willows in the garden.
al am glad to find you here,n said a deep,
old voice. II thought you would be sensible
enough to do what asked, but was not quite
note carefully Yesl 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.
"Will you marry me, my dearg' he added.
81 see ! must make it egsier for you to
speak.n
1T was little hard to begin" she said.
1.-THE usual reason moves me,n he said.
''Im in love with you. / think it best to
marry again, and know no one like YOU
no one. pve had two wives before, admit
However, neither Of them complained Of me,
/ believe. ! have a very nice home, and,
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 l. but we
we're great friends ! think he would advise
you 70 say yes"
She put hef hand upon his arm.
81 am a very practical woman she said.
ftTf rr1nf.,sy Nrafl forfnif fr.rf ,,oftf,
may be mine for life--an independent posi-
ton: Il is dangerous
"My dear, you'll have hail 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
S0l But YOU have four sons, hard, business
men, Older than l. They'll not approve Of
the MATCH
"They are not at homei It can't matter, y
said DR. Emory.
"But, said Miss Dwight, with cruel dis.
tinctness, "the trouble will come when you
die. You have made a mistake; you arr
older than poor father. If you leave me q
widow your sons will make every effort t
take everything from me; shall be left witt
nothing, my place gone, my habits of indus
try, my briskDess l make no doubt yoI
have heard of such cases; have"
The sutton sat-and who can marvel at it,
stricken quite dumb by this speech. At las
be gasped;
"You are candid"
81 am. % she answered-"I am, indeed. Nov
is your time. You can take back your offer
Dr. Emory. Everything can be as it wa
before. N tear up your letter; am con
tent that all shall remain as it is. -
/ AZ.
After all, all you say is only true. can fac
the music, hope. NV answer IS this: Mari,
me, and / viii make will, leaving vol
everything, on our wedding day"
"That would be unjust she said. 81
would be a will 20 be contested. Leave me
home and an income She named the sun
sufficient to keep It up.
"That is moderate-sensble And you vii
say yes he said. ~ promise Of course,
shall make it better than that, still Leaving
my sons no cause for complaint; but il is no
my fault that we are not more romantic
"I.et the romance come afterward, if
cam said Miss Dwight.
After this, they walked about the garde
awhile, and the day Of the wedding was sci
leaving time to find a new matron for tn
J establishment. Miss Dwight was certainly
J as domestics say, lettering herself but sh
was not elated.
Ia fact, a little regret stole into her hear
as she walked about the place where she ha
been SO independent, 50 respected; and woi
dcred whether she should be happy in u
future.
AT least, she said, with a degree of bi
terness, 81 matched him with his romance
out Of the question between two like us
Matched him. and went furthern
. The bell tiukled in the hath just as supp,
time was over that evening, and in a fe
moments a servant came to call Miss Dwigh
SITS gentleman; he don't know who
, wants, she said. "Some one who knows a
about the place, he told me.n
Aud Dora went into the parlor, bare loo
ing room, long, and with white walls, pan
3 carpet, a library table, horsehair sofa, al
/ six chairs, and the portrait Of the founder
4 the home over the mantelpiece. There stoc
i | undcr this portrait, with his elbow on q
4 marble itself, gentleman. Dark eyed, dan
!. haired, with a face that was not SO mu,
. handsome as delightful.
a Writers often spend a good deal Of time
! discussing what il is that men see in the won,
4 whom they fall in love with-when they say
\ This is the woman for meln
:. believe the woman who meets for the fir
( time the only man on earth TO whom 81
: would willingly give herself, has deeper e
periences still
: The moment had come to Miss Dwigh