Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1893-02-16
AN INDENTURE.


Tom Barrett" l said sternly, "do
you think I would ever marry man
six months younger than myself? have
brought you up, and you know it. fl
ever marry anybody it will be mature,
ready made man, who will guide and
control and make me respect himi
Don't you ever say another word to me
about this as long as you live"
And went up stairs and cried because
my old Tom was gone.
One Of my birthday presents had been
a check for twenty-five dollars with
which ''to take little trip" my blessed
old uncle said, and decided Just to run
down to Ann Arbor on that excuse and
stay as long as wanted to with my old
friend, Orpha Reynolds. l might join
some classes or do some reading and DO
contented there for a long time-until
Tom had forgotten. And with tele-
gram to Orpha the next afternoon was
off.
Orpha was delighted to see me.
81 am SO glad you came just now" she
said as we sat together in the half dark
after supper. ''I shall need yon to help
me manage Ed"
''Ed who?" inquired with some sur
prise, wondering if Orpha had been
adopting an infant. My friend seemed
a trifie embarrassed.
"Why, Ed Rice" she answered slowly.
Il guess l haven't told you about him,
have r. No, l guessed she had not.
"He is q young boy in the law depart
ment," she went on with a conscious air,
"wllo rooms next door. His eyes have
given out temporarily, so that DR.. Car
row has forbidden all college work, and
have just been trying to alnuse him
and keep him out Of mischief" All this
was certainly very nice and philanthropic
and quite like Orpha, but what on earth
was she blushing about? l waited for
her next words. She spoke very fast
and would not look at me-
''I wish you would take him off my
hands for awhile-you won't have much
elso to do. / hate to be with him much
myself, he has been acting 50 for a week
or two. Tn afraid be is beginning to
think he cares for me-especially, you
know. He doesn't Of course-such a
kidg' with scolnful emphasis and an al
together unprecedented lapseinto slang.
Elbow old?' inquired concisely, with
mental visions of big headed, owl eyed
infant prodigy bearing law folio under
each arm.
"Oh, twenty-five, or maybe twenty
three" she returned nonchalaatly. "But
that for q man is mere infancy Now d
woman"-
But this valuable philosophical disqui-
sition was abruptly cut short. A sub
dued stamping and shaking was heard
outside-it had been showing all day
and we sat listening until some one
banged the street door behind him and
started up stairs three steps at time,
whistling under his breath. That's
Ed" said Orpha and rose to light the
lamp, but she had only just scratched
the match when there was faint
knock. Tho sitting. room door was
slowly pushed open, and q clear. boyish
voice exclaimed:
''Just lighting up: You're late. aren't
your
eyes," said Orpha, turning up the
wick. "Just wait till we have some
light on the subject and I'll introduce
you to an old friend Of mine who came
this afternoon from Grand Rapids. Miss
Barrett, Mr.. Rice" she concluded.
He bowed stif1iy and mnrmured the
conventional happiness; then, with
sudden, frank impulse, walked over and
shook hands heartily, showing ~ he
smiled two unmistakablc dimplos in
sensitive, extremely attractive face.
He had been there an hour, though it
did not seem half that, when Orpha sent
him home. She had to bohn out II
French grammar lesson for an eight ana
a quarter the next morning, so | went to
bed and left her swearing at Dupy in
pious sort of a way
Really l did not mean 20 relieve Orpha
Of her young mission, bnt how could ]
help it. Under Orpha's orders hecheer-
fully pointed out to me tho professional
residences, the frathouses aud all the
other inevitables; conducted Inc over
the museum, the library, the art gallery
and the laboratories; dragged me around
the boulevard to Cascade and School
girls glen, to Lovers retreat, and final
lv even to the sable fortune teller's on
tie Observatory road. III return | i'm
parted to him all my little botanical
lorc and allowed him TO join my daily
constitutionals, so that every day, Vet
OF dry-generally wet Ill Ann Arbor, you
know ~ we sailed forth together in
sarch Of specimens" and exercise.
got acquainted with Ed very fast
these DAYS, aud as came to know liiaI
better / grew infinitely diagusted and
enraged with Orpha fer falling 50 en-
tirely to appreciate him, but dared not
say a word for fear Of running what lit
tie chance Ed might still have with her.
Before a month had passed Ann Ar
Dor had laid her spell upon me. deter
miped to stay out the year anyhow, do
ing full college work, and it might be
that would even complete a regular
course. So at the beginning Of the sec
ond semester / entered as a especial. :"
Ed was now allowed, conditionally, to
attend lectures, and so on both sides our
time for walking and scientific investi-
CATION was much curtailed. We still
found time, however, for a short daily
tramp, and as spring came on for fire.
quent longer excursions. The beauty Of
May days was wholly irresistible, SO that
even our sober minded and church 60
ing Orpha was induced to spend one per-
feet Sunday morning with us in quiet
wood strewn thick with spring beauties
and adder tongue. She confessed after
ward that at first she thought it was
wicked, but when wo got there she knew
it wasn't
Well, with botanizing and tennis and
examinations the last days Of this blessed
year slipped past.
The Saturday before commencement
Ed and went up the river for orchids.
We found only D few yellow ones, but
! co1lld not feel much disaDpointed. The