The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-01
THE RIGHT
KIND OF A MAN.

| Richard SAKE Jones, in Northwestern Magazine
Good night, Ellen; no, please wait one
| moment. l wish to say something more;
| something that l would like to have you
| think about, talk with your father about,
| if you wish; something which I do not
| know how to say. This is Friday; we'll
| will come TO you Monday evening, if you
| wish 2" (His words ran on as if afraid of
interruption, and as though defying re-
| ply, which might be worse than an inter-
| ruption.) "And when I come I wish to
tell you something-something of my past
| life-a little that you do not know-a lit
| tie that do not know how to tell-and
then, when you know that. I shall ask you
to be my wife-if you will let me then.
don't know why say this, but think it
is to gain courage by the appointment-it
is not the way l want to speak to you,
but can not help 1t. Shall come again
| Monday evening? Goodnight, Ellen. I"
And he was gone.
Lorimer had been the chosen friend Of
the bishop for over two years past; not
| his "old friend :" not his tried friend :"
but rather his young friend, on whom the
sanity man had learned to lean tride in
his declining days; and from whose buoy
ant. practical suggestions many of the
touches of the world about him. had been
brought into the sermons of the venerable
"Father-in-G God"
Lorimer and Miss Ellen had been much
| together in these two years. Dame Cos
sips pleasant phrases had been used in
| her triiing with their names, and her
| syllogisms were as nearly perfect in her
reasoning with their affairs, as is their
| wont.
| Whether the thought of love or of mar
riage had crept into Miss Ellen's mind.
and secured lodging place there or had
been dismissed with chidings, We need not
ask, for We are ever barred from such re-
searches as demand answer from the sweet
| promptings of woman's first self-revela-
tons of love; and whatever the answer,
| certainly this kind of a proposal, or non.
| proposal, had never been anticipated.
| If he had held her hand little longer
| when at parting he had seemed to pay
| homage to her beauty, time ana time again.
| Had he ever pressed her lips when she had
been frightened for fear that he might.
| opportunities which she now recalled with
this new meaning. 1t would have been so
| easy, and so much more what she might
have expected, though she expected moth
| ing of the kind, she was quite sure-yes,
very sure. But, he had gone-and he said
so little. so suddenly, SO strangely, yes. so
! very strangely; and Ellen sObbed alone,
| she was hardly sure why.
| And then came the sober thinking about
| it. What could he want to tell her about
| himself? On this subject Mss Ell
lens mind found no rest. it was
| all so indefinite and uncertain.
| Lorimer had not left the slightest clue to
his meaning: murder, poverty. disease, in
sanity, perp etual vows and thousand
| other ghosts of childhood stories fitted
about, and were discarded as not fitting
into the dovetail of known facts.
| ThSn dismissing the ghosts of that de-
| sire to tell something of hispast life, she
| would ponder over the ACCESSIBILITY of tell
| ing her father. Lorimer had said that she
| might, had almost commanded her to tell
| her father; but what was she to tell him
--Lorimer had not asked her to marry
| him-she could not be sure that he had
| even said that he loved her; perhaps
that was the entire secret, he did not
love her and yet thought that because
their names had been coupled by rumor,
| he ought in all honor to ask her 20 be his
wife. That, too, was soon dismissed, for
had she not woman's highest proof, the
| deep intuition of his love?
| What should he tell the father bishop2
Was it not Lorimer's place to have told
his story to her father first? For he had
| really told her nothing-and then he had
| commanded her, almost, to tell her father
| that he had told her nothing-and, re-
belling. she obeyed.
mer when he came? Would he come, or
would he regret that he had said any.
thing. and avoid her now7 He said that
| he was going to ask her to be his wife;
would she accept? What a strange way
to ask her that2 Had any other girl ever
time to expect it? Did she love him; oh,
| yes: she had confessed before the question
| was complete. and blushing. asked herself
| again.
Did she love him enough2 Every one
admired him so-brave. wise, good, noble,
handsome, and she was sure that
he loved a home and-well, had
she not heard mammas say that
| they could want no better husband
| for their daughters-and her father
| loved him-oh. yes; she loved him, but
she wished that he had said that he loved
| her before she even confessed 1t TO herself
| and so the wonderful story was repeated
| by the fairies of her thoughts, and the
| thousands of questions asked by the
| brownies of her dreams, till she could
scarce tell whether Lorimer had really
said anything so strange at all.
She told her father, and he was 90 sad,
sorrowful, and said so little.
|
Monday evening came after long,
weary waiting. Lorimer came. serious,
sadly smiling, with that sad smile which
| ever testihes to the tears beneath He
| spoke in commonplace tor a time. as If
fearful of the necessity of fulfilling his
| appointed duty; 1t was almost unbearable
| to Ellen.
At last he asked, us your father in the
study"
II think he Isl she said. scarce know.
ing what he asked, or why she did not
| answer definitely.
Does he expect me?"
Il think that he does"
Lorimer lifted her hand to his lips laid
| II on his arm, and they assembled to the
| study, speechless, awe-struck both.
The good bishop rose as they entered
| and essayed 20 read their thoughts, or TO
| relieve any embarrassment either might
feel: but his own thoughts made him
| hesitate and their sorrowful looks told
him nothing upon which TO base a greet
ing; SO he silently resumed his seat.
Lorirner waited for no invitation, but
leading the daughter 70 the arms of the
father. friend and bishop. remained stand
| ing himself.
"You told your father of my Grand
Miss Ellen? An asserting look Yves the
| answer
Il cannot suppress my excitement"
Lorimer continued. nor need | explain
it. come 10 tell you Of matters l scarce