South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1891-01-23
THEINTELLlGENCER
FRIDAY. JANUARY 2s. 1891.
The Broken ENGAGEMENT.

When Mary Clarimonts engage
ment was proc claimed to the vorIf
there ensusd general expression of
surprise.
People generally are surprised a,
matrimonial engagements. There ,s
Always some cogent reasons WHY
things should have been adjusted 9th.
erwiss-wby John should have mar.
RED Joan and Peter should prefer
Betsy. Nobody ever yet was married
to suit everybody.
But In Mary Clarimont's case it did
really seem as IL the course OF trpe
love had interfered seriously with the
current OF common sense and pru.
deace.
Miss Clsrimont was only one and
twenty. a tall, imperial beauty. with
dewy black eyes, skin as fresh "a
damssk roses, and dark.brown hair.
coiied in shining bands at the back a.
her head. Moreover, Miss Clarimont
bad q career before her. She had
just graduated from Medfield Medi,
cal University and taken out her di.
pioma as On nj. ID.
And only 10 think OF it, said Amt
Jo, bursting into tears OF yexatIon
and disappointment that she must
needs go and ruin all her prospects
or getting engaged to Harry MARROW,
down in New York p
1t does seem strange, Aunt Jo.
when l sit dowa and think or IT. said
Doctor Mary, laughing and bIushing.
DIX months ago my profession was
all tue world 10 me, neither wished
nor cared for anything GU. side its lin.
it's The future was all mapped out
before me, without let or h.ndrauce !.
and now
fHumph ! groW'ed Aunt 10. ANY
brainless idiot can get married aud
keep mans house and mend his
shirts for him, but you were made
Tor something higher and more digni.
fed. Mary.
Mary's downright eyes sparkled.
Higher, Aunt Jup said she. more
dignitisd ? There you are mi staken.
There ia no higher or more dienified
lot in life than that of the true wife
Of noble husband
'Fiddles.icks I said Aunt 10. GAS
If every poor fool who was dazzled by
the glitter OF wedding.ring didn't
say the same thing! You've disap-
pointed me. Mary Clsrimont, and I'm
ashamed of you, and this is the long
and short of It,
Mary smiled.
Dear Aunt Joe,' said She Il shall
not let nay sword and shield rest, be =
lievs me, Harry has only his own tai.
ents to advance him in the world. and
1t will be q year before we shall be
ready to marry. In the meantime /
shall accept the post of visiting ply.
sician 10 tie AIdenbury almshonss
and practice my profession in Alden.
bury. just the same as il there wore
no engagement
i wish TO goodness there wasn't
said Aunt 10. i tell you what. Ma.
~, | don't fancy that smiling, smooth.
tongued young man Of yours, and l
never SHALL
Still Doctor Mary Clarimont kept
her temper.
L am sorry, Aunt Jo,' she said,
pleasantly. But hope that you will
eventually change your mind
Il used TO Ike p thread and needle
store when ] was young woman,'
remarked Aunt 10, dryly,' and | al.
ways could tell the ring of counter
felt halfsdollar when a customer laid
1t on the counter, could then, and
can now-and tell you what Mary,
there's base metal about Harry Mar.
lowV
Doctor Mary bit her lip.
Perhaps. We will not discuss the
subject further, Aunt 10, she said
with quiet dignity, and the old lady
RRid no mora.
Aunt 10 Is wrong = persisted the
pretty young NJ. D. 10 herself.
Mary Is making fool of herself Z
thought Aunt 10.
Aldebbury VAS a pretty manufac
turing village, with main street
shaded by outrageous naples, a west
end where people who had made
their fortunes lived comfortably in
roomy old houses, surrounded by vel.
vet lawns and terraced gardens, and
an east end where people fought
desperately and not always success
fully to keep soul and body together
on the meresl pitIance.
And little way out IF the village
the almshouse, built aud endowed by
a certain smuggling sea captain.
whose conscience bad pricked him
during his latter days, raised their
gray gables TO the sky, and
made a picturesque background to
the landscape.
Doctor Mary Clarimont made some.
thing Of = sensation at Aldeuburv.
Up to this. time ell the resident NJ.
DIS bad been snuffy old gentlemen
With wigs or pert young ones with
eyeglasses.
a beautiful young lady who wrote
prescriptions and compounded pills
and potions, vas a novelty 10 the
town, and 10y no means q disa0reea-
ole one. People rather liked the
idea, once they bad convinced that
De lady doctor thoroughly understood
herself and hor patients.
And the poor old people at the