The morning call., 1892-01-02
DRIVEN TO MARRIAGE.
BY GIBSON.

He was Young, handsome and well edu-
Gated: then, Just as he was preparing to
fight his way to fame with poverty arrayed
against him, he had suddenly been made
the sole heir to the fue old estate of his &C.
. centric aunt. Miss Betsy Colewood, recently
deceased
What more was necessary to the happi-
ness of q gay young fellow like Hugh Cole
wood? Nothing, it seemed TO the enyious
bachelors.
However, there we're conditions, or one,
at least, in his aunts will which caused
him no little uneasiness. He must love and
marry the girl of her choice, one whom ne
mad never even seen.
Hugh Culewood caught up his aunts last
letter to him and read 1t again ana again.
hoping 70 find some little lOOphOle OF escape
. frUm the CALLING condition.
But il was there in mercllesS DIaeh ana
: white. This is the part that worried hIm'
Ifvou cannot comply with my wishes for you
70 meet Ethel Nayne, aud love ana marry me-
you ioifeit your heir ship 10 my esia.e'. Esne!
neither was my dearest friend, anu II YOU lu"t -
her daughter il wall be lulnliing my IouueS' ue-
.sires You csuuot help loving hei. ....,,,- -..,
I could not rest 10 my tono peAeeIu'l9 anu
=. know hai Ethel vas not mistress OF NY esta,Ss'
and Won dear b0V, The master. Ny LAWYER, MI.
q I,Ianston. viii arrange Tor you TO meet Ethei, as
he is one OF her guardians You know 10" NOR.
You warning that ] Will not allow you 10 lhhaUlt
: nv houses aud lands as one OF That dlS1glee-
able, ciusty order.
So had written tie eccentric spinster.
Hugh nibbed the ends Of his mustache I'M
pafieatlv as he ponderei on the conditions
which the Will imposed.
Hugh loved the Colewood estates, and
could not bear 10 think Of giving them up.
Now. # tile viii hal not specified Whom he
must marry, but left the selection of 4 wife
h, bfulCplf HHUh hpllpEpI mat he
would have enj yed the romance OF bunting
tor bride.
lie picked up his hat and rushed from his
room, going up TO the hotel where Mr..
: Cranslgn was stopping. while he arranged
some business matters with Hugh.
Hello, ColewOod! Have a seat" said
the lawyer, scTUtiniZing the flushed face
and nervous manners OF his visitor. lie
was lust wondering TO himself if the uneX-
pecltd good fortune had turned young Cole
woods head when his visitor remarked:
YOU are aware OF that one peculiar
feature in my late aunt's will, Mr.. Gran
StOn ?"
Light at once dawned upon the lawyer
and here was a twinkle in his eyes. How
ever, he asked ind!HeTently:
''IO what peculiar feature do you refer,
. Mr.. COlewOOd2"
TIE one that absurdly commands me to
marry girl that l have never seem
ION, thatW returned Mt CranstOn. you
are IuCkF ItllOW, OOltWUOus 4udL tue
best part of the fortune"
It's the most exasperating part" Hugh
= cried desperately. "H0w can fellow love
and wed TO OTdeT2N
"Well. its a deal of time and bother
saved 10 the TOOeT," remarked the lawyer,
pufiing; I've no doubt Ethel Wayne Will
silt y on better than any selection you are
capable OF making.
Hugh ColewOod flushed warmly at the
lawyers cool observation, and he spoke
hOtly.
- I'm sure she wont suit me, sir. The es-
.tates can 90 to charity for all l care l
don't love any woman, and l love my
freedom too well 20 marry yet awhile. l
den's want TO. be thrust upon any woman
for the sake of fortune. and l don't sup
pose Miss Wayne cares two stTaws about
the absurd condition IN my aUnts Will.
9" Il Is very likely, although Ethel had Inc
greatest respect for the late Miss Colewo0d,
and was very careful 70 humor all her
YagaTies, - returned CTanst0n, much amused
over young COlewOod excitement. How
ever, l hardly fee able to state whether the
girl would accept Mss CoeWUOd's last great
YsgaTy, in the shape Of her impulsiye
nephew, OF not"
a. shall not give her the opportunity"
Iaid Hugh, nettled at the LAWYERS words.
'hold on, COlewOOd. Let's drop nonsense
and come TO business. \ GU like your sunt's
estates, but you cannot retain them without
complying with her wishes. You have
never met the girl whom your aunt has
chosen. Perhaps 1t will be proven that you
are neither OF you opposed TO fulfilling the
condition.
AT least you must meet. 1 will arrange
that Ethel will pass the summer with my
sister In the country, and IN manage II for
You to spend a few weeks with them. GU
can very soon tell whether the condition Is
wholly obnoxious or not. What do you
4 will do as you advise; thank you. SIR"
replied Hugh who had now cooled Off and
was trying to take a business-like view Of
the strange situation.
Four weeks later Hugh COlewood was
speeding away from Greenville on the morn
ing express, bound for little town among
the blue hills Of Virginia.
When he stepped from the train he was
disappointed to find no one waiting to con-
Vey him to, the country home of Mr.. Gran
Ston's sister, distance Of eight miles.
He was in the act Of asking the way to
the best motel when a buggy came rapidly up
to the station and halted.
The station agent hurried forward to meet
the driver, who was a slender young girl
with bright dark eyes and hair as golden as
the June unbeams touching those hills.
"Is Mr.. COlewOod of GreenVlle waiting
here to ride out to Mrs. Thurston's?" in
quired the fair driver, in a sweet voice,
which won Highs interest at once.
81 am iere and waiting, thank you" re-
"
as he came forward on the station platform.
81 came to drive you to Mrs. Illusions"
she answered simply.
shall l take the reins?" he asked, as
they started away.
answered.
cit was too bad for you to take so long
drive for a stranger" he remarked, as he
stole glance of admiration at the grlish
form In dainty blue.
ttn 7 -. 4 IL. l.
sides, l rather had to come, she replied !;
81 did wish to go with the young folks, who
are having a picnic this morning over on
Laurel Hill; but Uncle Jerry was sick, and,
Of course. he couldn't come for you. Then
Mrs. Thurst0n and Miss Wayne never drive,
30 they made virtue OF necessity and sent
the last resort on the place" and she laughed
meTrilY.
1T is too bad my coming prevented you
Joining the picnickers," he said. 81 shall
not be able 10 forgive myself"
That's nothing. L am enjoying myself
now too well to think Of LauIeI Hill" she
returned, brightly.
THANK you and at the same time let me
assure you that |. too, am enjoying myself
excellently we'll" and Hugh bowed 10 the
young girl, whose eyes dropped beneath the
warm, light OF admiration In his blue ones.
hope you viii enjoy your visit, Mr..
ColewOod, she said, to change the subject
know Mrs. 1huTstOn and Ethel will do
ali they can to make your stay pleasant"
e." Thank you. I've no doubt | shall find il
pleasant" returned Hugh. You, too, are
one Of Mrs. Thurstou's summer household
IsuDpose?"
Yes" with smile. "YOu see l am dis
tant relative to Mrs. Thurston; then Miss
Wayne is my cousin, and exercises kind Of
cousnly guardianship over me, which, no
doubt, Is very necessary"
80 you are Miss Wayne's eousin2 lido
not remember hearing Mr. Cranston men
ton you. did not expect to have the
pleasure Of meeting any ladies but Mrs.
Thnrston and Miss Wayne"
How unkind in Mr.. Cranston not to pre-
pare you for this meeting" and there was a
Togulsh CLEAN in her ewes which Hugh did
not see. had up to date regarded Mr.
Cranston as one Of my very best friends.
put TO ignore me so utterly, when he knew