The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-24

father gave me every encouragement to
speak. He said he had been q clerk himself
and would not mind marrying his daughter
off to an honest fellow, whether he had
money or not, SO long as he was a hard
worker and steady. That ought to nave
been enough to give mt courage, but l was
a timid young man, and for the time I held
my peace
II was on Christmas eve, Just five years
ago, that | attended midnight mass with
the family. and on the way back ! gave my
arm to Lucille.
the light veil of falling snow sparkled a
fsw brilliant stars. The waits in the street
seemed to be singing Of love, and the bells
in the steeples chimed the joyous psan of
a marriage. NJ
What passed at the banquet that awaited
Us at the house l have no clear idea. | do
not remember what / ate or drank or said.
1t only seemed to me that her eyes were full
of promise for my hopes as they turned
upon me, and her lips were smiling as If to
say-courage!
After dinner the ladies babe us good
night and retired. leaving me alone with
Mr.. Goldfnch. After finishing the cigars /
rose to leave. l had to pass through a
second parlor to reach the hall, where my
ewes were attracted to a marble chimney
place. There I saw two silk stockings
hanging, violet and blaok-one that might
have been worn by fairy feet, the other
"Ahr' said Mr.. Goldfnch, with a sigh,
chats my wife's idea. She still clings to
the custom of her childhood, and 80 does
Lucille. | am the good Santa Claus, as
they know very we'll when they embrace
me on the morrow. Just wait and see."
The good man went off to get his presents
50 that might see them. And it was at
this moment that an unfortunate idea pos
sessed me. which if ! had resisted would
have spared me a life long misery.
The occasion was good, | thought, to de-
clare my love to Lucille, and. feverishly. I
tore a page out of my notebook and dashed
of these lines:
II can no longer be silent. I love you
and ! ask you for a word of hope.
Then I dropped the note into the smallest
stocking just as Mr.. Goldfnch entered. his
arms laden with elegant trifles. helped
him fill the stockings with a beating heart,
fearing that the note might fall out as 10
stood there. I even took the precaution to
give the toe containing the paper q squeeze
to see that it was still there when we had
completed our task, and it seemed to me
that it responded with a reassurinR pres
sure. AS l was leaving Mr.. Goldinch said
as he took my hand: @
"Well, my boy, we shall count on you for
dinner to-day. Don't keep us waiting. We
dine at one"
l went out walking on air.
The night passed without sleep. I sat
down to wait. Eleven! twelve! Then there
was a knock at my door. / felt as if | had
received an electric shock. l had hardly
the breath to call out. "Comei I'M"
1t was the slavy, who handed me a letter
from Mr.. Goldinch. l turned pale, opened
it and read:
"S1E: You have abused my friendship
and hospitality. Your conduct is that Of
an imbecile and a loafer. believe you are
more of the first than the second, consider
ing your attempt 10 make love to the
mother of a family. In any case, never
attempt to show yourself. againin my house.
"SEpTIMus G~oLDF1NcH.''
I fell an inert mass on the sofa. l make
love to the mother of a family?
What did it mean?
Then the truth flashed upon me. / rushed
out of the house without hat or coat in the
direction of Goldfnch's. He would not re-
ceive me. I wrote! My letters were re-
turned unopened. All was finished. Lucille
was lost to me forever. was the victim OF
a terrible fatality. How, gentlemen, was /
to know that the daughter had feet bigger
than her mother'si #.