Smyrna times., 1890-01-15
BLOTTED OUT.

"He isn't worth a cent in tie world,
and he sha'n't have her."
This is what my husband, Col. Lee,
said to me one morning, as 1 endeavored
to bring him to reason in regard to the
love affair of our only daughter.
did not contradict my husband, al
though felt that he was utterly in the
dark about the whole matter. No one
ever did that. doubt if his opinion
had ever been disputed in the whole
course of his life. ventured to inquire
mildly:
"But what have you against the MANI"
'His poverty, for the first item," he
answered; ''but this would not influence
me particle if saw any way under the
heavens by which he could earn a re-
spectacle living for family. Archibald
Harris is an artist and a dreamer; and
If that combination is not enough to con-
denim him, I should like to know what
isP"
"But, husband
up my mind. That landscape dauber
shall not have my daughter. Tell Ma
rion that this is my ultimatum, and on
no account to mention the subject again
| to me-"
This was hard message to take to my
child, and, feared, an entirely unex-
pected one; for to this ''artist," ''dream-
er" and "dauber" my husband had been
unusually polite. By his invitation he
had become a constant visitor at our
house, and through his instrumentality
the young folks had fallen in love.
That Marion would obey her father
had not the slightest doubt. Never in
her life had she given us a moments
concern. The giving up would be hard,
of course, and my heart shrank from the
trial the dear child would be compelled
to meet; but that she would yield in
slant submission was quite sure. Ny
face must have told the whole story, for
she gave me keen glance as entered
her room and said:
"Don't feel bad about it, mother. /
was quite sure he would say no. Did he
state his Objections?" she continued, qui-
etly.
He does not like Mr.. Harris profes-
sion; or, at least, has no confidence in it
as a means of maintenance"
How very quiet the girl was. 1 looked
and wondered.
Does he know anything against Mr..
Harris character" she resumed.
Certainly not" answered. 81 think
he believes him to be thorough gentle
man, but lacking sufficient business en-
terprise to insure your future comfort
and happiness"
'Mother!" and now my child's tones
were very firm-''I beg you will say this
to father: If he will prove Archibald
Harris liar, thief, gambler, a loose
society man, or piece of one of these, l !
will promise never to think of him again
IN this way; but upon no other condi-
tions. If he is unable to do this, shall
share my lovers future with him, what
ever that future may bel"
And you will marry without your
fathers CONSENT"
Eyes, ma'am."
"And break my hearth
Marion smiled sadly, and replied:
Don't use that weapon with me.
mother, please, because under these cir
cumstances it is not an honorable one.
II Archie Harris is not the upright man
think him, want nothing of him. If
there Is no black mark found against !
him, shall marry him. If 1 were not
to do this, should be unworthy to be |
your child, because we love each other"
but your father will never forgive |
you-never in the whole world"-
LET him not, then," she interrupted.
as quietly as before. ''That matter Is he. |
tween him and God"
My daughter was right and my hus.
band was wrong. l must sympathize |
with one honestly and fully land oppose
the other-a difficult position, and NV |
heart failed me at the prospect. The |
colonel would, I knew, continue obdu-
rate, and of course, after the above inter-
view, what else could l predict of
Marion?
day or two after these memorable
interviews we found that Mr.. Harris had
been very formally bat very politely re-
quested to discontinue his visits at our
house.
Grleved at this insult, Marion sought
her father, but the attempt to draw him
into conversation on the subject was en-
tirely Intellectual He dismissed her with
this Flea in her ear" as he facetiously
called it:
II don't know anything against Harris
character, and sha'n't trouble myself to
go round hunting up his antecedents. It's
enough for me to know that he is a pauper
and will always remain one. 1 Ihave fixed
the whole matter for you, and now you've
nothing to do but make love to vour
mother and your ugly old father for
a while. It'n do just as well, if you've
only a mind to think So"
A few weeks passed, and one evening
found on my toilet table the following
communication:
Darling Mother-Don't blame me.
for no other course was open to me.
Would to heaven there had been. lac
cidentally. heard yesterday that Archi-
bald was very i'll. I Immediately made
1t my business to find out how i'll. To
my utter horror and amazement. dis
covered that his physician had ordered
him to go either to California or abroad.
He has an acute bronchial difficulty,
which the doctor declares will not yield
In this climate. / foan,l. too, that he
was delaying this trip firstly on my ac-
count, and secondly because he really
had not the means to defray the expenses
of long journey and protracted (per-
hap9 period of invalidism. When had
CLEANED all the facts l came home and
hunted up every jewel l possessed and
sold them. Yes, mother, / can do with
out jewels; but ] cannot, must not, let
the man love suffer This morning we
were married Il did it all myself-Archie
fairly rebelled against the whole ar
rangement), and by the time you receive
this letter we shall be on our way to Cali
'ornia. / realized two thousand dollars
from the sale Of my gimcracks, and this,
with what Archie has, will do the work,
! reckon. Tell father please to try and
think well Of me and forgive me. III
had acted in any other manner in so dire
an emergency should not have been
worthy to have retained the Lee, which
looks very prettily now sandwiched be-
tween Marion and Harris
BY the way, this was the first bit Of
impudcnce had ever known my daugh-
ter guilty Of toward her father. Her let
ter ended in this style:
"LOve me and pray for me. dear