The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-10-01

deal more in the same style, describing
such a paragon OF our sketch that l
really felt an inch or two taller for the
reading OF II.
iii Miss WoodrofIe was all that"
said, 81 can't imagine how you ever let
she was" he answered. "at any
rate, | have no reason to doubt it."
II think ] may say that lost no time
after that. She was friendly from the
beginning. About four weeks after our
first meeting | asked her to marry me,
and she said, Yes Upon my word,
Mary, il had been twenty-five instead
OF fifty-tive, ] don't think could have
been happier. She was Just going away
from the Jodrells, and before she went l
told her all about Miss Harris and what
u thorough belief l had in her skill.
Miss Woodrofe laughed at me, but un-
fortunately was quite convinced that
my belief was well founded, and quite
determined to persuade her to think
80, too.
"She went away, and OF course / wrote
10 her. In one OF my first letters sent
her the one have Just shown you, and
/ begged her to send my handwriting
also 10 Miss Harris for her own satisfac-
ton. You see / felt quito safe in doing
this, because the description of me
which had been sent at the time, you
remember had been rather tlattering.
On that occasion Miss Harris had de-
clared that l was one OF an amiable tenn
per, liberal but Trustworthy | remem-
Der the words well, and | thought it
could do mo nothing but good il such an
account OF me found its way to Miss
Woodroffe.
"What fools people are! The woman
was rank imposter, OF course, as |
found afterward to my cost, and as |
ought to have known then, but l did
really believe in her. Could you have
guessed it?
"she said," he went on, "that she
could trust her own judgment, and did
not want anybody else'S. That might
have satisfied anybody, but it did not
satisfy me. / wrote again, and begged
her to do as wished, telling her about
the housekeeper At last she wrote
that she had done to please me what
she never would have done for herself,
and she said: Il suppose you expect
me TO abide by whatever Miss Harris
may say
do you know that those words gave
me fright. Igot nervous after | heard
she had really consulted the Sibyl, and
two days later / received these:"
He turned over his pocketbook again
and handed me two papers, sinking
back in his chair after he had done 80
with gesture that said: "You have
the catastrophe and its results before
YOU"
opened one OF the papers and liter
ally opened it with trembling fingers.
There was something tragical in poor
Johns gesture and in the emptiness
and silence OF the house. My eyes fell
upon a sheet OF paper. half-covered with
neat, legible handwriting, the words
Of which were much as follows:
"This writing belongs TO person Of
singularly impulsiveand eager tempera-
ment, easily carried away by the feeling
OF the moment; very uncertain and un-
reliable, sadly inconsistent without fixed
purpose or deliberate judgment; not
wanting in ability but only in the pow
err to apply it usefully; careless OF
money, but scarcely to be called gener-
GUS; not altogether free from vanity,
his temper is very irritable and pas
sionate."
There was more, but sigh from
John-poor John! the most faithful and
generous OF friends and the most steady
going Of mortals-made me drop the
sheet and take up the other.
This was very short note:
"DRAR Mr.. ELDER:-You insisted
that l should consult Miss Harris, and
trust her verdict on your character
rather than my own. What that is you
will see by the enclosed, and am sure
you cannot wonder that ! dare not
marry the man described. ] am send
ing back your presents and letters by
next post. With most sincere wishes
for your happiness, yours truly,
"LAURA WOODRUFF"
So that is why the dining room door
was never altared.