The Portland daily press., 1893-01-07

into Howland's face and nastlly muir
INJURED: "Father wants me to marry
him, but / won't; I'll marry you. Be sure
and write often and don't stay SO long"
she pleaded as she raised her face for
farewell kiss.
The'next morning old Marsden said to
his daughter with an inquisitive look,
"Young Hinton didn't stay long last
night, did hei''
NO." answered Lucia, mot very
bong"
''Did he ask you to have him?" added
the old man.
eyes, father, he did," answered Luz
cia, ssbut told him couldn't"
s.Told him We couldn't" screamed
the old man. "Why couldn't YEP
because I don't love him." said the
daughter, looking her father steadily in
The eye.
.Love him, Luce, tell ye people
don't marry for love. They marry to
make good thing. When they get the
worst of it it's like any other bad bar
gain; but young Hinton has money and,
Luce, you'd better change your mind
and send him word that you like him
well enough. I'll give you good start,
and you'll find out that you have a
pretty good old dad after ALL"
Lucia kissed her father, but replied:
isNot him. can never marry him.
The years crept slowly by and brought
their usual round Of bright and cloudy
days. Lucia had grown taller and
more beautiful. Her father was still as
grasping as ever. "I agree with you,
Luce" he used to say, there's no special
hurry; but you drop them almost too
quick sometimes, it seems to me-" One
day he hobbled into the room where
Lucia sat at work and said in severe,
low tone: 81 hear that you get letters
from that Ang Rowland. Is it true?"
81 have received letters from him."
Lucia replied, land he is doing very
well, I understand"
81 don't care how he is doing. That
feller'll die poor,'' growled the old man.
He went outside and sat down on the
garden bench. 'spll see Cicely," said
he, with a crafty look ON his face.
Cicely was the girl who sorted and dealt
out the mail at the village postofice.
Not long after this Lucia ceased receiv-
ing letters with California postmark.
Time passed and it was now nearly
ten years since Lucia and Angus had
stood at the garden gate and said good
by. Old Marsden had fallen into astate
Of dependency so utterly abject that
Lucia was sometimes on the point Of
yielding to his wishes, but she thought,
sI'll wait awhile longer; something has
happened or he'd never have broken his
word"
One day her father called her to him
He was unable to get about the houss
now, but lay propped up in his chair all
day with his eyes closed, a very unhappy
old man. 'sLuce," said he, EI'll make
short work of it. The last Investment
made staked all and lost. 1t was the
first time, Luce, and your father has
had many bargain in his day, but this
from now we won't have house to cover
our heads. Ihoped this sickness might
hurry me off, but see it's going to give
me time, and I'll have to go to the poor
house, Luce, unless" and the old man
looked at her pitifully, .sunless you save
your old dad"
"Ill work for you!" cried Lucia.
"You shall never go to the poorhouse. :"
And she was more tender in the care OF
her father after that.
One day as she stood near her favorite
bed of flowers sadly thinking how SOON
she would have to leave them, a voice
broke the silence of her meditations:
81 beg your pardon, but your flowers
lock very pretty and had to stop to ad-
mire them," and looking up Lucia saw
tall, well crossed gentleman standing
at the garden gate. 81 raise a great
many flowers myself, said the gentle
man, "and always take an interest in
them, but l live in flower country
where they grow much more luxuriant-
ly than here"
Lucia gave startled LOOKOUT no.
how foolish; it couldn't be he. Angus
Howard could never have developed int
such handsome man.
81 declare, Luce, you don't know me"
said the gentleman with a smile.
"Oh, Ang! know you now, for you
speak with your old voice, but you have
been away long time"
"You stopped writing, and read in a
California paper that you were mar
ried," said Angus; .sbut recently !
learned that it was false report, and
am here once more to ask you to be
mine"
''Father, this gentleman wishes to see
you," said Lucia, as she ushered How
land into her fathers room. The old
man opened his eyes and murmured.
well, have chair
81 understand that you have suffered
q misfortune" said the gentleman
kindly.
The old man groaned. 9TH have to
die in the poorhouse; there's no help
| for it,"
sit may not be Sc bad as that" said
the gentleman.
The old man turned on him fiercely.
| "What do YOU want with me. I'd like