Wichita eagle., 1890-02-13
WHEN ROMANCE WASOVER

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 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. "Dr.
Emory seems to think it wuss.a
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 baby. Do you like me well
enough to marry mel Of course, you and
| have given up romance long ago. have had
| two wives. You must be thirty-two or three n
[''Just thirty" said Dora TO herself; ''he is
| sixty-nine.' ''You will greatly improve
your position by marrying NE, and l always
liked you Please meet NE 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 a 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 shah 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. Il thought you would be sensible
enough to do what asked, but was not quite
sure-not quite. No. You have read my
note carefully. Yes2 Well, imagine that
say to you again what l wrote. Iawait your
| answer with anxiety"
| She looked at him, and he saw that she
smiled in an odd, embarrassed way.
"Win you marry me, my dears" he added.
81 see 1 must make it easier for you to
| speak"
sit was little hard to begin," she said
'The usual reason moves me-" he said.
''rm in love with you I 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. l have 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 /. but we
were great friends. think he would advise
you to say yes"
She put her hand upon his arm.
II am very practical woman" she said.
'sIf marry you forfeit good position that
may be mine for life-an independent posi-
ton. 1t is dangerous"
''My dear, you'll have half of all that is
mine; and I'm not poor"
'sYou don't think me young, know" she
answered. 'sWho thinks a woman young at
S0a But you have four sons, hard, business
men, older than l. 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
5inctness, ''the trouble will come when you
die. You have made a mistake; you are
older than poor father. If you leave me a
widow your sons will make every effort to
take everything from me; shall be left with
nothing, my place gone, my habits of indus
try, my briskness. l make no doubt you
have heard Of such cases; have"
The suitor sat-and who can marvel at iti-
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. III 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
ne, and l will make a will, having you
everything, On our wedding day"
That would be UNJUST" she said. at
would be will to be contested. Leave me
home and an income" She named the sum
sufficient to keep it up.
sThat is moderate-serxible And you win
say yes" he said Il promise, of course,
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"
''Let 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 rnatron for the
establishment Miss Dwight Was certainly,
as domestics say, "bettering herself; !" but she
was not elated.
In fact a little regret stole into her heart
as she walked about the place where she mad
been so independent, 50 respected; and won
dered whether she should be happy In the
future.
'At least" she said, with degree Of BIT
terness, II matched him with bis 'ror2ance is
out OF the question between two ike US
Matched him, and went further.
The bell tirkled in the han Just as supper
time was over that evening, and in a few
moments a servant came to call Miss Dwight
SITS gentleman; he don't know who be
wants" she said. ''Sone one who knows al
about the place, be told noe.
And Dora went into the parlor, a bars hook
ing room, long, and with white walls. panel
CARPET. library table, q horsataIr sofa, and
Elk chairs, and the portrait Of tie founder OF
the hone over the IlGnteipiece. There STOOD /
under this portrait, with his elbow On the /
marble itse.f. & gentleman Dark eyed, dark I
haired, with face that was not 20 much 4
handsome SIS delightful
Writers ofien spend good deal of time In 4
discussing wha.it IS that men II the women 4
whom they fall in love wita--wE.u they SAP: 4
"This Is .ae woman fer ref"
be1isrs tae woman wao roees for the frs. 4
tine she oaiy MAJ On earsA 10 whom sas .
would willingly give berzelf, has DEEPER eI. 1
per7sncrs sta4
TIE moment had coEse TO Mss Dwight 4
She had waited thirty years for il, and nov
she did Tot know what II rssart But ao ur-
conscious smile cssse 20 Der lips hgns % .
her soft blu- s-es, a fzrs2 70 her smooth cseek.
She loo<st pyetSssr tagn sss cc-l6 have
dreamed possible ef ct thai moment.
The stranger told BIS Business lie hsd ~
Gently come from Paris, where he hsd been