The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-05-25
FOR LIFE.
Why Miss Lawton's Good Resolu.
ton Was Spoiled.

''Of course you will come to dinner
tomorrow night, Fred" remarked Miss
Lawton, land we can have talk be-
fore we go out and let the world know
of our engagement"
''All right, dear" he answered, smil-
ing down into her eyes; .'only we can't
tell the world how happy we are"
Miss Lawton shrugged her shoulders
slightly, with deprecating smile, and
withdrew her hand from the clasp of
the young man. He started. then
nodded, and with another goodnight
threw open the door and went out into
the street.
Dear me-" thought Elise Lawton as
she went upstairs, II do wish he
wouldn't stop in the hall to say good
by-but l suppose it serves me right
for coming to the door with him. Poor
Fredr'
He was walking slowly down Fifth
avenue at that moment, oblivious to
the world around him. For a long
time Frederick Wharton had been first
on the list of eligible men. Mothers
had sought him and daughters had
smiled upon him, and at that moment
no one knew him to be engaged to Elise
Lawton, save their immediate families
He had just given her the ring that
night, and for the second time poured
out the story of his love. She had not
been particularly responsive, even when
he had proposed to her, but that was
her nature, thought Wharton, and it
was sufficient that she received his wor-
ship. That bright night he could
scarcely realize his fortune, for Freier.
ick Wharton still retained his boyish
enthusiasm and was singularly free
from guile. He was twenty-four, Miss
Lawton, it was whispered, a year or two
older; but that did not disturb the
young man. He had wooed her dur.
ing the past summer with an i'm.
petuosity that she had not been able
to resist, and she did not really see any
need for resistance, as Wharton was q
man of family and money and SOUND
common sense. She was inclined to
laugh at him little, for he still kept
his ideals and had not thrust them into
a corner of his heart to be brought
forth and busted when occasion re,
quired Wharton's ideals were real
Elise LaWton the embodiment of them.
The young man recognized the exist.
ence of wiclzedness and wrong, but he
was not willing to acknowledge the
death or disability of goodness, and
was inclined to believe that the latter
predominated. And he regarded him.
self favored of mortals in winning the
love of Elise, as he could henceforth
call her.
Never more enthusiastic lover trod
the pavement; never lover breathed
who less understood the girl he loved.
But there was no one to undeceive him,
and he pursued his rose-strewn path.
Electric lights and gas lamps are apt
to glow with purple and yellow-white
flames, but that night they cast rose.
light along the way. Wharton in his
happiness did not think or care to stop
and analyze this phenomenon; suffi-
cient it was that he loved and that all
things were in harmony with his
thought. 1t was a very beautiful
world though of stone and brick, fair
to look upon. At the moment he did
not see the gripping skel etons of mis-
cry crouching in tho dark cor
ners-there were, in fact. no dark corr
ners. Lightly as though he walked on
clods, drawing in full breaths of the
sweet air, Wharton slowly went down
the avenue. He did not know that he
lived at that hour the happiest time OF
mans life--ap hour never to be repeat
ed or recalled. Men do not realize that
until afterward, for the realization
could add no joys to the perfect time,
and there is that once when no cloud
or doubt disturbs the present or the
future. Wharton's tall figure, his head
thrown back, arms swinging carelessly
at his side, and light, easy step, at
tracted many people, but he did not see
the glances bestowed upon him. He
was absolutely unconscious of the peo-
pie about him, and he passed without
a glance of recognition several friends,
and one man in particular whom he
would have preferred to salute, if he
cut his list of a acquaintances by SO do
ing. That man was Murphy. the driver
! of a cab which Wharton sometimes
natronized at night. when 1t was too