The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-12-27
HER MEDITATIONS.
How Mrs. Paulding Was Recon-
ciled to Toms Sweetheart.

wonder why sons will never marry
she girls their mothers pick out for
them. The perversity of human nature,
I suppose. But it seems to me that II
any one pointed out the proper line of
conduct to me l would follow it.
had never much Of fancy for
GerarCa Abbey. Her lips and cheeks
ALWAYS seemed to be too bright-colored,
and her dark hair curled and flew about
so. And then her eyes danced and
phone in totally indigniied manner.
Tom" l used to say at least once a
week, Il wonder you don't admire Mar
gle HofTheimer. She has such dignity,
such repose of manner
$50 has an iceberg-and an oyster,
Tona would retort.
well. the young men Of the present
azy have strange taste. She is just my
ideal Of a woman. she never covers
ner forehead with foolish bangs and
srizzes.''
..Pitr she Doesn't" said Tom. "It
has such a lumpy look"
Tom is my only child. / love him
dearly, bat he has always been great
weight on my mind. For instance, in
suite all of my entreaties he would go
20 Fa5rvieN 70 settle, though every one
said there was a fine opening at home,
In Paschal, when old Dr. Johns died.
What dear, good old man he was-but
somehow he never came to see me pro-
fessionally that he did not make me
sislxer than ever.
told him so once, and he did not
taks iS in good part at all.
Strange how few people can bear tc
hear TIE truth.
We'll, as was saying, Tom would
admire Gerarda and wouldn't admire
Marrie- Now, am not mercenary, bu
Tdo think il is better for young pro
fessional man to marry girl with
MICA Little fortune C her own than on'
with Widowed mother and five younge
listers and brothers and just enough T.
get along on.
-sYoi1l never succeed, Tom, cried
in pet. 80 you marry girl with
qyasck of mothers and sisters clinging
her skirts. "
-.ssSerictly speaking" said Tom. in hi
JuruRoEing way, MRS. Abbey can't b
called a pack of mothers"
oh. you know perfectly well what
rzssn7 but nave your own way, q
zSMaLS
0e coarse ] had to call on the girI
SINCE she and Tom were engaged. Th
XfxEse house where they lived was a
w4ya rs neat as a pin, l must say, an
HLserard2 Was the main stay of the lam
Iy
Il was polite, but not at all cordial.
...r,-va4 fuT m agsumn anV thing
Gazst ;ieel. told her l thought sh
asouId look better with her hair brushe
back from her forehead. She colorec
butaaswered very pleasantly that 'Iol
liked IT best So"
This happened during one of Tom
visits home. He never staid long, and
zsed 20 tell him ii looked as IL did nc
make him com Portable. Well did nc
see much of Gerarda that fall, thoug
~e used TO pay each other duty call
g,os and then: and when winter set il
heard of queer freak of hers.
She had opened dancing school.
Now there seems tc be something
-sery bold and unseminine about teach
.ng y dancing school. One Away
thinks woman ought to support her
self by teaching music or embroider
sr painting plaques. To be sur
Gerarda did not know how to play O
paint. never having had much time fo
accom- mplishments, j fancy.
Icouldn't understand it at all, for tn
Aeheys mad always got along so fal
and it was particularly odd when Mo-
ton. the eldest boy, had been given
place in commission house in Cincir
matt bg an uncle or cousin or sonethin
of the sort / began TO think she mus
bave done IL out of sheer lightheadet
ness and frivolity.
4 wrote to Tom, hoping he might II
zsoastrate with her. am always moo
sexate in the expression of my opinion
80 simply said:
~Gerarda is looking very badly. a
s1zsis dancing and racketing around
Naa& good for her. But the young peopl
of the present day have no discretion
Motesty seems to have gone out OF dat
along with yeneration for their elders
That was all said.
HAT IL seemed to have no effect fc
zierarda still went on teaching. Sh
began 10 look worse and worse. All tn
rui0r left her face; even her lips wer
.zsale. and her mouth got pin ;hed lool