The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1890-09-25

taken all am OltlOn out OF MIN.
| ''And the lesson?" suggested Losing.
Don't marry a woman who is beyond
your station, financially; don't take
wife from mansion unless you have
mansion in readiness for her."
but surely, all marriages of this
kind don't result as this one has DONE"
mo, probably not; there are excep-
tons to every rule. l am speaking of
the rule. You will find as you grow
older that it holds good in nine cases
out of ten. Marriage is too serious
matter to enter into it lightly, and hap
pincSs too valuable to stake it on
chance. Heiresses are content with love
in cottage only in novels;in real life you
seldom find love that is strong enough
to conquer all the weaknesses of human
nature-especially of female human
nature"
Having evidently reached the end of
his impromptu lecture the old lawyer
leaned back in his chair and waited for
the other to state the purpose of his err
rand.
LOSING sat in silence for a minute or
more. The old mans words seemed to
| nave liuuIcSScu uliu utcply.
Atlength he asked the question he had
come to PROFOUND; received reply that
made the matter clear to him, thanked
his adviser, and was about to leave when
the judge remarked:
"By the way, my boy, if you want
any further points on that case come to
my house this evening and l will show
you what authorities to consult
| THANK you, shall do So" replied
LOSING. He took the kind offer rather
as matter of course, for Judge Sharpe
had long ago told him to make use of
his library whenever he wished, and he
had frequently availed himself of the
permission.
Losing, after leaving the judges
office, went directly to his own, which
was in another palt of the same build
ing. Instead of busying himself with
the papers that lay strewn upon his
desk, he paced to and fro excitedly for
several minutes. Then he sat down and
| for at least half an hour stared very
hard at nothing, or perhaps at the wall.
Could he have seen his own face just
then he would have been surprised at
the change that had come over it.
There was hopeless, despairing ex-
preston there which would have
seemed quite inexplicable to any of
those who knew him best.
There's no other way; I'll have to do
it. he suddenly exclaimed, at the same
time rising abruptly. Then he put on
his hat and coat, went out and walked
rapidly away.
The evening of that d ay found him at
the house of Judge Sharpe, sitting in
the library, apparently engrossed in
legal volume But as he had been
staring at the same page for the past
ten minutes and that page happened to
contain merely portion of the index,
it is doubtful that he was as deeply en-
crossed as he seemed to be.
A light step fell upon the carpeted
floor behind him. A young girl had
entered the room. A very pretty young
girl she was, and the glad smile that
lighted up her face when she saw the
young man made her all the prettier.
Walter LOSING had evidently not con-
fined himself to Judge Sharpe's library
on his previous visits. If he had the
judges daughter would not have been
so pleased to see him.
"Poring over dry legal volumes, as
usual, l see; what perplexing case rests
heavily on your mind now, Walter?
Why, what ails you? You look as glum
as if you had lest your last friend"
Losing had turned and risen as the
young girl spoke, and the light, stream
ing upon his face, showed it to be in
deed mirror of every thing gloomy and
disheartening.
1T isn't a law case that is troubling
me; l would it were only that" he re-
piled, with sigh that was almost a
groan.
What is it, then? Has any misfcrt-
uno befallen you?"
Eyes, misfortune indeed; or at
least it seems to be now. Doubtless it
is all for the best"
'What are you talking about? Why
don't you tell me what troubles you?"
| II came for that purpose; that l
might tell you. After this evening we
must not meet again"
Interchangeable" Nellie Sharpe
repeated the words, slowly, as if she
could not grasp their full meaning.
The color surged to her cheeks and then
receded, leaving her very pale.
What do you mean, Walter? What
has happened? You can not be in
earnest"
But l am in earnest; have brought
myself to this after the hardest mental
struggle man could possibly undergo. l
must be in earnest about this; it is my
duty; would be dishonorable if l did
otherwise. But am talking wildly. at
random; hardly know what am say
ing Or what to say or how to say it. l
heard some advice to-day; it came from
your father; l am in honor bound to
follow it. This is what he told me.''
Walter rather incoherently recounted
what Judge Sharpe had told him of the
case of Lewis versus Lewis, and the
comments he had made on that case.
"And is that alp" asked Nellie, when
| he had finished. She smiled little IS
she asked the question, and close OBJ
server would have noticed that sigh
of relief passed her lips.
"All? Is i: not too much? Knowing
that your father holds this view, can l
do otherwise than give you up?"
81 thought you had more pluck" said
the young girl, with just suggestion
of scorn in her voice.
1T is not a matter of courage, but of
conscience, Of honor. Can I 60 to the
man who gives me such advice as have
received, who tells me never to marry a
woman who is beyond my station finan-
cially, and ask him to give to me his
daughter who is dearer to him than all
| else? am poor; l have none but the
most problematical prospects; while
you-well, I need not say more; you
can readily see my position"
''But I can't see it in the light in
which you place it. thought you had
sufficient faith in me not to believe that
l would do as that dreadful woman did
of whom my father told you. Your
prospects are certainly better than you
| represent them. Furthermore, my
father would yield to my wishes"
II do not lack faith in Won. Heaven