The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-10-10
M'PHERSON'S WIDOW.
The Successful Contamination of
Friendly Mission.

A0 OuSSOOolo VI
a Friendly Mission.
SIN short, say you've appointed your
self Mentor over me at once. and be
done with it-hang it,"
Lakely glared at his companion.
Bristed, immovable, went on smoking.
A silence, fraught with explosive pos
sibilities, 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.
eff 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 him into an interview.
81 assure you that 1 have done my
best to dissuade Horace" Bristed said.
''Oh, it is too dreadful" moaned Lake
ly's mother, wringing her hands. "You
have always been such good friends
room-mates and all-and young men will
often listen to an older comrades ad-
vice and remOnstrance, where moth
er's, a sisters, are quite thrown away.
Do use your influence, my dear Mr..
Bristed, with my poor, benighted boy!
Oh, it is too shocking that he should be
thinking, for one instant even, of such
q MARRIAGE"
81 appreciate your position, you may
be sure, my dear madam. 1t is a very
trying one," murmured Bristed sympa-
thetically.
"And it is so horrible, too, that there
should be question of bringing such
person into the family when 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 di-
plomacy.
Certainly, 1 can appreciate your
feelings here more than ever" cried
Bristed, warmly.
And ray Of comfort pierced through
Mrs. Lakely's dolorous mists as it came
over her that man (of Hurlburt Brist-
eds ''seriousness'O never expressed
himself so clearly unless he wished def
mite differences to be drawn. Then her
attention detected from her daughters
interests to the more imminent perils of
her son, and She sighed again.
Thus urged, Bristed returned to the
charge.
I'm the name of Heaven, Lakelv,
don't make such a fool of YOURSELF" he
began, in the tone of a more tolerant
persuasiveness.
"A fool of myself! By George! l
think I've good deal of patience to
stand what I've stood from you for the
last month, Bristed! If fellow didn't
feel sore about throwing over an old
friend, by George"
''All right, understand your point of
view." said Bristed, placidly. sit isn't
agreeable to have warnings dinned into
your ears when you want to rush head
long 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 little in this
matter, toc."
what the deuce nave they, or have
you, or has any one, for the matter of
that to say against Mrs. Mcpherson,
Bristed@' cried Lakely, starting up and
confronting his friend, with his boyish
features afiush and kindling light in
his blue eyes. "You say she's a little
older than T."
''Not little; good deal She's older
than am-must be-" interrupted
Bristed.
Swell, and even If she were. What
OF it? What are few years one way or
the other?''
"a great deal when the few years are
on the wrong side. But that isn't the
worst feature. You needn't force me
Into saying things you wouldn't care to
hear. But you know as we'll as do that
McPherson's widow has been talked
about Oh! unjustly, if you care to
have 1t so! I'm not going into that
question But the old fellow didn't in.
spire the greatest respect himself. and,
at all events, good many things were
said OF his pretty wife. Why, my dear
fellow" continued Bristed, reasonably,
and with the kindly influence in his
6ne voice and the softened expression
in his strong features which had always
had so much power over Horace Lake
ly's impulsively youthful temperament,
Its preposterous thing, you losing
your head and letting yourself in for
this sort OF thingl This woman is no
wife for you"
s.You don't know herl You haven't
even seen her." exclaimed Lakely,
weakly.