Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-12-04

interviews must be held nor any letters | or messages sent or received. For l those five years you must be as much | strangers to each other as if you had never met; and it is quite probable that long before your probation expires you will both have forgotten this boy-and- girl fancy, and thank me for having saved you from yourselves. Whatever your decision may be, it will, of course, be seemly and imperative that Miss Graydon should at once return to her fathers house, as it would hardly do to retain as my daughters governess young lady to whom their brother has proposed"
 Frank, although somewhat softened by this apparent concession, hastened to reply:
 Father, must not for one instant allow you to buoy yourself up with the false hope which is at the bottom of your proposition. For myself, I un- hesitatingly reject it; and nothing, ex- cept Miss Graydon's express wish, can induce me to comply. Neither she nor will ever change so long as life lasts; hence this cruel probation would be vain and useless. With all respect, assert that you have no right, human or divine, to ask us to waste the best five years of our lives in such aimless suffering as your plan would entail Honor forbids that I should adopt it. On the contrary, shall, this day, ask Agnes to marry me at as early date as can prevail upon her to fix. By this step may incur your displeasure and, perhaps, even forfeit your love, but despite your present feelings I shall gain your respect and the ap- proval of my own conscience. do not ask for, nor expect, any part of your wealth, and shall be only too happy to see all go to my sisters. have now, as you know, come into possession of my grandmother's legacy of five hundred pounds year, which, added to my own exertions, will be amply sufficient to maintain my wife and, if necessary, her father also in all needful comfort. And now, my dear father" he impul- sively continued, 'do not cast me out of your heart, for you will surely live to acknowledge am right in this thing" Coldly refusing his boys proffered hand, Col. Howard said: "You have made your choice, sir. No further words are necessary" and he turned angrily away, while Frank went off to acquaint his mother with all that had occurred. Nothing, however, could ex- ceed his surprise when on entering her boudoir he found Agnes already there, ! supporting the dear invalid in her arms 1 and caressing her with all daughters ! tenderness.
 The delighted youth quickly crossed the room, and encircling both in one \ loving embrace gently asked: Dear mother, do you know?"
 "Yes, my son, this sweet girl has told me all," she answered, as she drew his face down to her own, land you have \ my choicest blessing. But what does \ your father say?" Then the whole story ! came out. and Mrs. Howard broke into flood of tears, while Agnes turned pale as death. ''Oh, my boy! my boy!" cried the poor lady, "how can com
 fort you? cannot oppose your fathers will, and must only counsel submission
 for the present. Try to be patient, and
 time will, am sure, turn everything as | we wish"
 And what do you say, Agnes? You
 have heard all the reasons I urged upon
 nay father in favor of the course which
 believe to be right, all now rests with | you. Here, in presence of our dear
 mother, ask you to cast aside every
 consideration of mere worldly advan-
 tage and give yourself to me with no
 more delay than may be proper and
 necessary. Why should we waste our
 young lives apart when we know that
 nothing can change or weaken our mu- \ tual love?"
 Agnes, who was now softly weeping,
 lifted her clear, soul-lit eyes to the face
 of her lover, and replied: Frank, in
 this pure presence need not blush to
 confess once more that I love you with
 all my woman's heart. Most gladly
 would follow you to the ends of the
 earth and share with you whatever