Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-04-10


-Hal kal hal hel hsl hsl begin to
bic, demsntsd old jelly -hshl Is il possible
thai your imbsoilify can have jumped YOU
into such deliriumf And you would dare
to apply this language 70 me, would you
to mef-
-Dars2 Hal hal hal The word has a
certain richness Croaky, depart-take
yourself off-evaporatel Back to your
fellow-batrnchians Of the legal scum, and
there croak, swell. puff and oozs ct pleas
urel Stand not upon the order of your
going, but 60 at oncels
You can 60 to the devil, siri- sputtor-
cd the lawyer, in white rage. @And !
shall only 20 hence when shall have
spoken that which came here to say
not before. I'm tired of this dilly-dally-
ing, and wish to end it as much as any,
one can. Hark you, then, sirl / never
relinquish purpose. when once formed,
and shall therefore 90 on as though
nothing had happened. Your wild con-
duct and words shall be forgotten, and
my proposition shall remain intact. JAS
mine Lodge shall be yours, together with
the income stated; on the condition al
ready understood. Pause we'll in your
answer, for the alternative Of q refusal
may cost you dearer than you can dream
Of want your daughter here for my
wife. Is she to be nv wife, or not2'
mol" roared Mr.. Alworth, in as nearly
voice of thunder as he could attain.
wait; it is for me to answer Mr.. Croak.
father, said Gwendoline.
She had remained seated, in an agony
of distress and embarrassment, after the
two men had arisen, and angrily con-
fronted each other.
But she now arose, with aquiet dignity,
and, silencing her father with gesture,
faced the lawyer, composedly.
Il have at least to thank you, Mr..
Croal, she said. -for the straightforward
brutality of your bargaining with my
father for my hand.
This enables me to speak for myself
with freedom from any consideration
for your feelings-if. indeed, you are
possessed of human feelings that might
have tempered the indignant contempt
and scorn with which must necessarily
spurn your cowardly, despicable, offer.
Know, sir, that ! am entirely unactu,
ated by any such delusions, concerning
coats Of arms and lofty connections, at
have made my poor father their dupe
No, sir. Ispurn you and your bargain
ing in the simple character of free
Englishwoman, nineteen years Of age
strong in her own womanliness, thorough.
ly able and resolved to think, speak, and
act for herself, and whose hand is not foI
sale or barterl Sir, / loathe you un-
speakablyl There is the door-in you
case it can only be an exit!"
She stood pointing at the door, strong
and imposing merely in the simplicity o.
her insulted maidenliness and beauty
and the quiet force with which her scath.
ing words had been uttered Invested then
of any approximation to studied heroics
Mr.. Croak turned q whitish yellow,
and then, gnashing out something unin.
telligible from between his clenched
|. teeth, he turned upon his heel and Ief
the room without another word
@Goodl glorious! magnificent" OK.
claimed Mr.. Alworth, almost caperinf
in his satisfaction.
-Gadl but you let him have it better
than could have done, Gwenny; and i
was no more than the old brute deserved
The idea Of such purse-pride- such pre-.
sumption in mere lawyerl But wh-wha
are you about, Gwennyf IL don't un-
derstand."
Gwen had opened the door OF an adj
joining Iumber-room, and was engaged
in pulling out some old trunks and pack
ing boxes.
@Oh, you poor old papal" said she
STRENGTHENING up, and trying to be merry
though with q quivering lip. Will yol
every really understand anything in this
horrid old world, besides its flowers. itl
trees, and its patches of paradise amonG
the Cornish cliffs? Don't you see that
must prepare for the removal of GU,
effects to Aunt Joan's without delay2"
-To- to Aunt Joan's2"
TO be sure--where elseP Is Mr.. Croak'!
vengeance going to sleep, think you2 Mr.
Maylowe may send up here at any mo
ment, ordering us out of these pleasan
garrets, in which we have lived SO long.
No, no; he will rather come himself
and to congratulate us, cried the oil
man, eagerly. Lords are not picked ul
for husbands every day in the year
When he hears thar you are engaged t,
Lord SquanderalI-
4Fathsrl what are you raying about
Preposterousls
He gazed at her blankly. A faint rev
elation of the miserable blunder he hat
cherished seemed to be dawning upol
him, for his face took on dull, grayisl
hue.
why, GwennY," he faltered, in
| frightened way; you told me-you know
you told me, that he made you an offer o
his hand.
And he did so; but Mr.. Croak came il
before had chance to tell you th,
rest. said she, pityingIy.
sprang SO eagerly to false con
clusion, you cherished it so wildly wha
was I to dc, especially in that odioul
mans presenee2"
What do you mean2s
7 should have told you that I refuse,
Lord Squanderalls offer as promptly q
| it was made.
He gazed at her In q pitiably daze,
way, and then sank into q seat with
hollow groan.