The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-14


lose her by death could alone have
brought more anguish to the lonely doc
tors heart. True he had dimlv felt
that some day in the far far distance
some likely sutton for his darling's hand
might arise, and that he would consent.
and that they all three would live to-
/ Ecther in an ArCadian house free from
care, life that was never a possibility
save in the flights of the most romantic
imagination. Besides that was not to be
for years yet, Nelly was such girl !
Why! it seemed only the other day that
Nelly was rOmping about his knees a fair
haired sunny child in short dresses and
pinafores. Eight years ago! Nonsense.
Nelly Is! His own wife had not been
much older but what a difference.
mo, Mai Metcalfe,' he replied with
dignity, Il cannot entertain your pro
posal for an instant. If you come and ask
me for her in twelve or fourteen years
time | may give the matter consideration
Your request is premature"
There was scarcely less dignity, though
1t might not be so imposing, lacking the
weight of sorrow as it did in the portly
and soldierly majors amused reply:
Sir, why do you deem my proposal pre-
mature. Twenty years ago you were evil
IDENTIFY my age, yet it did not deter YOU
from woOing and winning one as fair and
nearly as young to be your bride"
~ DR.. Henstock passed his hand sharply
across his brow. The cases were anal
| OgOus; the major spoke the truth He
could but recognize it.
Stunned perplexcd though he might be
by the heaviness of the knowledge that
was achinglY dawning on him, the CON
I sclentious doctor was toogenerous to deny
the fact. He was struck by the similarity
| in the two cases. 1t made him more for
bearing.
Il will speak to my daughter" he said,
'but give me till tomorrow Your pro
| posal is a great blow to me. / overlooked
the fact that she had emerged from child
| hood. Go, sir, and come again"
Full of sympathy at the fathers an
! guish, though he but dimly cOmprehended
/ it, Mai MetCalfe bowed himself out. 1t
/ was totally different reception to what
| he had anticipated. He was well born.
well connected, and though but tolerably
rich, had deemed himself more than
sufficiently good match for a country doc
| tors daughter. Slightly piqued, though
in no way offended, he resolved more than
| ever to win pretty Nelly, who had gained
| his fancy rather than his heart.
Left alone, DR.. Henstock laid his bowed
| head low on his study table and gave him
! self up to grief more than to reflection
But thought would make itself heard 1t
is ever poor comforter when its succor
Is most needed; always so persistent in
attendance when least required
keonly its recOllectiOns Stung the poor
| doctor Sadly-bitterly he reviewed the
past; and the future as he glanced into it
! was far from the bed of roses that he had
/ for so long anticipated. After an hour
| spent thus DIR. Henstock arose. He must
/ face his grievance, know the worst. 1t
| did not necessarily ensue that because his
! eyes had become suddenly opened to DOS
| SlbilitieS that they were certain TO be in
! Simultaneous probabilities 1t did not fol-
! low that because the vicarage in Mr.
| Fel's reign provided him at 36
with a young wife little more than half
his age, that the same house, though
under different vicar, was to
provide his daughter with
husband who was double as old as
she was. Bah he was perhaps raising
mountains out of mole hills Nelly might
wholly reject Maj. Metcalfes proposal
The fathers love. which it gave him so
great delight to infinitely shower upon
her, might be long preferred to that of
any outside strangers, no matter how well
born nor high his connections. The re
VulSlOn of feeling was almost too great.
Old though he was growing, Dr. Hen
stock could have danced with delight
At that moment his daughters voice
reached him; she was singing. He knew
from the tune the import of the words
rather than caught them:
/ never thought that it would he
In those sweet days of perfect bliss,
That life would darllen like the sea-
And love he wrecked like this
You told me | was all to YOU
That only death our souls could part;
And I believed that you were true.
Because gave you all my heart
An well day the dream was sweet,
All. well day the dream is DER,
Divided ways at last may meet,
But we must meet no more.
DR. Henstock repeated the whole verse,
! though ne but heard part. Opening the
| door in expectation of meeting Nelly. he
| crossed into another room. II was larger
| somewhat than that he had left and "a
much more attractive room. A lady's
| hand was evident in it everywhere, a fact
! which was wholly lacking in his own
! study. Originally it had been by his de-
! sire chat Nelly appropriated one OF the
! two apartaments-all that their small res
! ldence lvanhOe boasted-eXcluSively for
! herself to adoru and furnish as she chose
! The result was a strange mingling of odds
/ and ends. Old and new mixed together
! quantity, specially visible in the matter of
! easy chairs, Yet the effect was pleasing
! and dainty. The room was low and rather
/ long. A carpet well worn. black ground
/ adorned with rosebuds where not crushed
/ out, stretched from the door at one end Of
! the fireplace to the other The hard sofa
and straight high-backed chairs were all
/ robed in pretty p0mpadour to match
! There were several side tables. On the
| largest of them a clean cloth, borderod in
/ blue, was laid. 1t held a pretty tea serv-
/ ice for two. But no Nelly was visible.
Miss Henstocl1 has but just this mo-
ment slipped into the garden, sir" an
/ nounced the elderly widow (whO with
/ hec niece, comprised all the household
/ STAFF employed at Ivanhoel, as She
i answered the bell.
Matilda, sir, should she call here"
Id. al