Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-11-11

her hand in marriage"
 "YoH proposal suits me exactly"
 They shook hands earnestly and vowed again and again to be faithful to their pledge. They were as friendly now as they had been hostile a short time before.
 Meanwhile Miss Meadows also cher ished anger. She resolved never to forgive either of her admirers. But at the end of a week her mood was some what conciliatory. She reflected that the young men must by that time real ize that they had made fools of them selves and that she had done nothing of which she need be ashamed. She expected that they would soon seek her presence in a sheepish manner and she was prepared to show a gracious de- meanor and to let bygones be hygOnes. Butrweeks went by and they did not call She met them several times and they hu1rried by her and returned her greetings with cold, formal bows only. It was now her turn to be very un. happy, especially as it was revealed to her that she did greatly care for one ot her former admirers, viz, MT. Hutchin- son. Sher knew now how to decide be- tween the two, but alas, the opportun- ity to make such decision might never return.
 MT. Hutchinson also became uneasy. He was astonished tosind how deep his love for Lucy was and how futile were his efforts to overcome it. He bitterly regretted his pledge, but as he himself had been the first to propose the compact, he could blame no one but, t,himself for making it and was un. der the strongest kind of an obligation to keepit.
 The painful situation was soon fur ther complicated by an act of Miss Meadows. She began to encourage middle-aged widower named Slawson, who had long desired to show her marked attentions, but who had been prevented from doing so by her cold idemeanor toward him while his two younger rivals were in favor. He was now filled with inexpressible delight because of the winning smiles which the charming maiden for the first time bestowed upon him, and he was so elated because of his unexpected suc- cess that he did not stop to inquire why she treated him with cordiality that she had never before manifested. But unlike the infatuated Mir. Slawson, Lucy was not dominated by sentiment alone. She was as wise as a serpent, while seeming to be as harmless as dove. She hoped that her gracious treatment of the widower would render MT. Hutchinson jealous and cause him again to seek her society for the pur- pose of preventing, if possible, a third admirer from winning her affections. The maneuver was skillful. but 1t only brought about a part of what she desired, and even of'that part she was ignorant. Mir. Hutchinson was made desperately jealous, but the agreement with Walters, which, of course, was unknown to Lucy, prevented himffrom endeavoring to become reconciled to her.
 Two months elapsed. Seemingly Hutchinson was determined to. main- l tain his indifferent demeanor. Miss Meadows was discouraged. She believed Ethat the young man did not recipro- | cate her love for him and she began to think that the best thing she could do would be to marry MT. Slawson. To | be sure, he was a widower twenty | years older than herself, and had two daughters, each of whom was not much younger than she was, but he was also wealthy and lived in a fine house. Moreover, she rather liked him, and he adored her. She might do worse than to accept him as husband. | At this critical time Hutchinson, un- able longer to simulate indifference, resolved to tell Walters how he felt, all | though he feared that his former rival l might still love the girl ,as much as he | himself did. When the two young men
 next met Hutchinson, growing red in | the face, broached the. subject that was Suppermost in his mind.
 II want to ask you," he said, in 8 Sblunt and desperate way, "whether you
 are willing to release me from keeping
 the compact by which each of us agreed not again to seek to marry Miss | Meadows? I confess that I now love
 her more than I ever did. l suppose
 you may love her. too. would like tc
 be free to court the girl again, and o1
 course if had that privilege, you, too
 would again have right to show he1
 attentions, provided you desired so tc
 do. Let the better man win, say, anc
 If either of us is to win we must be
 lively, l tell you, for the widower 1:
 making alarming progress in the, Inn
 provement of his opportunities, unles:
 am much deceived
 Walters laughed as the othertspokt
 and looked at him in a peculiar way | 'T release you from your promise Go ahead and may you have gooc
 lnck."
 Hutchinson was much surprised. ''Can it be that you are no longer in
 terested in Miss Meadows2'' he asked
 doubtfully.
 'I am, no longer interested" ''May ask the reason?" "Yes; confidentially will tell yol
 that I am now in love with anothe f girl"
 II am so glad. I hope she vii lreciprocate your affection and tha , you will be very happy" said Hutchin f son. as he fervently shook the hand o his companion.
 ''She has already accepted me-"
 Good
 At;two o'clock in the afternoon o , | that\ day Mir. Hutchinson stood bcfor