Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1890-12-16


was my father on having his own way,
that If refused to do his will he would
turn me, his tenderly reared child,
penniless on the streets! | am twenty
three years old, and have never done
any work in my life-what is there for
mo to do but to marry this Pryor ID.
My fathers will further stated that IL
he died before | reached the age OF
twenty-five | was to be given three
months in which to mourn him, and
then either marry my cousin, or become
beggar. He did not wish his daughter
to be long without proper protection, Did
you ever hear of any thing SO heartless
and cold-blooded? During the three
months OF indecision | am to be allowed
thousand dollars, and finally If |
refuse to marry this Pryor H. that is
every cent of my fathers money which /
will ever see.
-Four weeks had already gone by be.
fore l knew of the fate awaiting me.
us my cousin aware OF this infamous
will?" | asked.
Yes" said my lawyer. "and, to do
him justice, he likes it as little as you
do. He ragged quite as much as you have
done, vowed that he didn't want to give
up his liberty to become the husband Of
some rich woman, and refused 10 see
you until the day on which you are to
make your decision, as he wishes you to
make it quite uninfuenced by him. He
said, openly, that but for the fact OF
your refusal making you poor, he heart
lily hoped that you would have nothing
to say to him."
My lawyer left me, and after had
overcome the first flush OF my anger
and despair began 70 wonder what to
do. / remembered you. and hurried of
10 tell you, but you were so happy on
the eve OF your trip to Europe that I
had not the heart to make you sad over
my worries. As | sat and watched your
trunks being packed, and realized the
immensely OF the distance that was
about to be placed between me and the
dearest friend had in the world, a new
sense of desolation took possession of
me, and longed to be going away my
self-anywhere 10 escape my thoughts. |
As ! sat on the edge OF your trunk my |
resolution was formed, and before you |
were we'll out to sea, Clara, / had packed |
up a couple of simple gowns, told the |
servants that was going to travel for |
the rest of the summer, and left home |
before they had time TO speculate about /
me, coming to Harriet for refuge as nat
urally now as in the old days of cuts and
bruises and childish sorrows.
Four weeks have already slipped by,
and this is the first OF the last four
shall have as a free woman.
All, Clara! II | had nothing on my
mind to worry or annoy me; how happy
| could be in this deserted, lovely spot
! feel as though ! were maligning 1t
when | only speak OF 1t as lovely-but
our language is too poor 70 furnish me
with other adjectives. 1t needs the
glowing music of the German tongue, or
the florid accents Of Italy, TO adequately
describe 1t. | lie sometimes on the
sandy beach and think what a heaven IL
all would be II was only nobody, and
had some one 70 love me for myself
alone. dread the future 20, Clara, for
have quite determined that have no
but 70 marry this Pryor d.,
but after all have said to you about a
sacrificing her self-respect by
for money, the situation is
loudly hard; l shall marry him,
though. and after shall spend all my
fortune in helping women to emancipate
themselves from the abject slavery
which generations Of meek wifedom has
brought upon them.
/ will not talk Of the future now, the
present is enough. Let me tell you
about this bay, Clara.
1t is bay within bay, so to speak,
md unless you approach IL from the sea,