Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-09-19

1T was IA friend Of mine I've been
thinking Of said Mr.. CRANKY. slowly
And the tragedy took place twenty
years ago call it tragedy. You
shall hear il. my dear glrl, and Judge for
Yourself"
He took out his handkerchief TO rub
his forehead. and his eyes still roved
the upper air But Ada was insttent,ve
10 ali save the coming story
"He was a good Young felIow-,every.
body said so warm lltarted and aztec.
tionatc, And he fell desperately in
love. The girl was sweet and charm
ing one. II saw her. She was all
that COULD he desired, and more. She
loved him III leturn-she had cared for
him before he mustered courage to
speak to ner, tnluh. Aud it was
looked upon as the match Of tuc season,
the lovers being 50 we'll known and we'll
liked, having 50 much Of money and
~
nEaifectedly n love with each other"
Mf. Cranky paused, slroking his
horses head and looking down. And
Ada lips were softly parted.
Are You waiting for !; description OF
Their happy marriage and deeper loyl"
Dir. Cranky 'emanded, drily. "That is
the scquent cannot give-that is the
tragedy.
He seemed to falter.
"Dnl she--dieI' Ida murmured-"o,
ct She knew better. Almost certain
she was that it was Of himself Mr..
CRANKY was gravely talking.
"No. think almost he might better
have. Mo- The engagement was broken
and for nothing" His voice was hard.
''Broken for some trivial cause which /
understood at the time. The Lapse of
years had made contemplate that which
was unworthy at lis best 1t was moth
ing, nothing caprice on her part, Al
inadvertence on his What matter! 1t
should have been forgotten in Il dav or
an hour Nc, she was nnreasonablv
reproachtul and he stubborn, or he re-
proacnful she foolisaly determined.
What odds2 Both were wrong: both
in rash moment were sure that tri-
umph OF self assertion was more to them
than their life-happiness. Aud the en-
gagement was broken"
Mr.. CRANKY was not looking at her;
his eyes We're lowered sill.
But a paleness had succeeded flush
sat in utter silence
"There was no reconc iliaton, for
| neither would take the first step
know what heart -burninos there were,
what real loneliness ana misery >Bul
that was ALL After the first sharp words
| they did not even see each other. He
went South and Wcst-went abroad
| came back and visited Canada He said
he had always meant to travel extensive
| ", and that he would go into business
when he had seen something, and get
| did it. He gained experience and a
| worldly air, aud he made success of his
J business undertaking. He was popular
among men, being naturally genial and
always open handed enough. And h
remained bachelor shooting, yacht
ing, fishing, horse driving bache. or
with finally some few wrinkles and gray
/ hair, an unreasonable exactness about hi:
dinner, aud not many female acqualnt
unces
He was looking at her now; but I1a
head, in its little silk hat, was still
turned away.
And she" she falte,e1.\
"Oh, she married :" said Mr. CRANKY
briskly. "Married, of course, being
nice looking girl, with fortune. Mar
ried her fathers junior partner--a MAJ
some years her senior, well-appearins
we'll behaved, and eminently respectab4'
aud eligible If not especially brilliant
He coughed drily.
Then there was silence.
Had he finished.
Ida was looking toward INN, with ne
sweet and expressive eyes filled wit
something indeinable with sort
.remulous fear.
"Were they-do you think they wer
happya" she whispered, family
s.Thinks l will tell you what know,
said Mr.. Granny, land again you ma
) Judge for yourself. | know ne bore al
ter his first sharp pain, many and man