Middletown transcript., 1891-03-26
nerhaps they were right"

| years VI l1O ~
Will you kindly state why you
engaged yourself to me 2
"Weli, Tom, I always liked you,
We've known each other for years
EOur families are intimate. What
more natural that you, the only son,
and I, the only daughter, should
marry? Besides" with little break
in the clear voice, until tonight
thought you loved me.
Tom pulled his chair close to Eliza
beth's and drew her head to MS
shoulder. He ought to have done
that earlier in the evening. Then ne
said:
"My dear, what possesses you
You know | love you"
| For an instant the yellow head rest
ed where he had placed it. Then
Miss Murray drew herself away and
rose to her feet.
i No, Tom. It is too late to make
me believe that. We are not fitted to
make each other happy. l am quite
certain Of it. Let us break of our
engagement"
i And all on account Of that con-
founded speech of mine about . dress
maker p he exclaimed, savsgelv.
Not entirely that. I feel that
you do not love me, and something
tells me that l ought not to be your
wife,"
| Mr.. Barclay, man like, loved ths
woman who was slipping away from
him at this moment better than ever
before, and he had loved her always,
in his way he had made mistake
in not showing his affection more
plainly.
Beth" he said, +" forgive me. |
didn't mean it. l was brute. AS
my wife you will be free as air; you
must know that. Think moment
it is not an objectionable offense, is
it?"
"I tell you it is not because of what
/ you said ;" she reiterated 1T is be-
cause know you do not love me,
and that / am not at all sure that L
love you"
Mr.. Barclays temper began to rise
again. He remarked:
"This is nice statement for man
to hear three weeks before his mar
riage."
"Much nicer than it would be
three weeks AFTER" she retorted
The invitations are not out no one
outside of our families know that the
day was set. will take my fnery,"
she added with smile, and 60 to
Italy. Take your ring, Tom, and
say good.by, drawing HE aia-
mond.
Mechanically Tom dropped the
circlet into his pocket. Suddenly be
took step toward her, caught her in
his arms, kissed her once, twice, three
times, with all the passion of man
who loves, then, releasing her, turned
and left the room, while Miss Murray,
white and trembling, sank into her
chair, hid her face and cried bitterly.
/
Much to Elizabeth's surprise Mr..
Barclay made no attempt to see or
speak to her again. She explained
where it was necessary
g Mr.. Barclay and have changed
our minds"
A month later she and Aunt Clara
were outward bound for their goal in
Italy. The balance Of the winter
and the following spring and summer
were spent roaming from place to
place. Then one of those financial
i cyclones called panic swept over the
| United States, and Miss Murray and
her aunt were called home. Thomas
Barclay, though a young man, was a
large dealer 10 coffee, teas and spices.
His was one Of a dozen firms that
failed that autumn. Dishonest and
unfortunate creditors had cost him
800 900. But that cut no figure in
settling up his own affairs. He clear
ed his stables, sold every inch Of real
estate, and when his own creditors
were paid dollar for dollar Mr.. Bar
clay had clean conscience, STAIN
less record and S. 900 in cash.
| He went west and Miss Murray
heard no more of him. Her father,
an importer of silks and foreign fa-
brics, curtailed expenses and. aided
by generous loan from Aunt Clare,
weathered the storm.
One summer two years later Eliza
beth and her mother joined a party
who were going to make a tour Of the
northwest, penetrating even the wilds
of Alaska before their return.
1t was in Portland that Miss Muir
ray met with an accident, and a
treacherous banana peeling was to
blame for it. She had gone out
alone to make some small purchases,
and, stepping on the deceitful peel,
would have fallen had not a gentle
man just behind her caught her in
his arms. Almost fainting with the
pain Of a badly sprained ankle Miss
Murray looked into Mr.. Barclays
gray eyes.
Tom-Mr. Barclay !" she stam-
mered, fighting the faintness that
nearly overcame her, and then rally
ing enough to understand that Tom
was asking anxiously, " Are you
hurt?" -.
{ "My ankle is sprained," she said
. with white lips.
A crowd was gathering. A gentle
man offered his assistance, and Eliza
+ beth was taken to the nearest store,
, while Tom called carriage and then
accompanied her home.
In spite of the pain Miss Murray
| could not help looking at the man
/ who was to have been her husband.
} That individual met her eyes and
said:
, "Well ?"
Miss Murray blushed painfully,
conscious that she had been ring.
| ct is so long since I have seen