The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-03
BADLY MINED.


sure that his passion was returned.
That being the case, and his financial
condition warranting him marrying
whenever and whomcver no pleased,
one might expect him TO be very hap
by man indeed, instead of which no
was plunged into tho lowest depths of
despair.
The trouble was this: Mr.. Middleton
was in love with two women instead of
one, and he positively could not decide
which of the two he wanted to marry.
He loved them both with all his heart
and he was certain that each of them
was only waiting for him to mako hls
declaration in due form to tell him how
much she loved him in return
The first young woman ut whose
shrine he worshiped was Dora Paine,
a sprightly little brunette, with charm
ing manners, a beautiful face and I'M
usual intellectual gifts. He had known
her only Il year, but they were on terms
of the most friendly Intimacy.
He was Il constant visitor at her ia
theirs house and her ready attendant at
places of social amusement. He felt
that he must become either less or more
at once. His manly instincts demanded
that he should delay tho matter no
longer.
But there WAS Agnes Moulton. Dur
ing tho preceding winter an old friend
of his mother had visiting her young
orphan girl by that name.
Agnes was i'll great sorrow and shun-
ned all gay society. Mrs. Grytan beg
ged him to come often to help her cheer
her visitor, and this cheering process
had led to his second infatuation. He
had corresponded with Agnes ever since
she went back to her brothers. home,
and he was sure from the tone of her
letters that she returned his affection.
What was he to do? He puzzled over
the relative merits of blond and bru-
nettc, weighed in the balance the nu-
mcrous virtues of each, tried every pos
siblc and impossible plan for finding
out ones own mind-all to no purpose.
He was too thoroughly ashamed of him
self to take any one into his confidence.
Mrs. Grytan was his nearest matronly
friend, but she stood i'll too intimate re-
latlons with Agnes to be considered for
moment. If it We're any other matter,
he would go to Josephine, but he could
never own himself such fool to her.
He had known Josephine Ferris all
his life. Only Il year his junior, she
seemed quite passe compared to the girl
to whom no paid his addresses nova
days.
He was 35 now, and ho remembered
with what Impotence he had waited for
the day he attained his majority, that
he might lay his fortune at her feet in
truly heroic fashion.
She was 90 then, and she laughed at
him for silly boy. Their friendship
had remained unimpaired, however,
and Josephine had gonc on teasing and
lecturinS him Just rs she had done since
they were babies. In later years their
friendship had grown to be very pleas
ant one, and Josephine seemed to him
like an older sister.
He went to her i'll all his perplcxitics,
and she had had no little share in his
professional success But he had never
spoken to her of love affairs indeed
till this present dilemma he had never
had amy since his boyish devotions to
Josephine herself.
So he hid his trouble and brooded over
1t. He spent evenings at tho Paine's,
vowing to decide before he went home.
Ho came homo more deeply in love with
Dora than ever, to find letter from
Agnes had still all its old power over
him. He was growing thin. Where was
this matter TO end:
One night ut the club he said to a
brother member, Hal, what do you do
when you can't decide between two ap-
parently equally good courses of ac-
tion?'
Toss up. Settle things every time,
feeble brain over decisions that won't
decide. Here you are, Gus. Heads or
tails?'
Heads" For Agnes, he said to him
self
Hal threw up the coin. He watched
the result eagerly.
Tails" exclaimed Hal, and tails it
was
THANK you, I'll follow the coin.
Good night. Have an engagement.
He started for the Paine's, cursing
himself all the way for his treatment of
Agnes, yet happy beyond measure in
the thought that the matter was finally
settled. He would write to Agnes to-
morrow and tell her of his engagement
to Dora, but no one else must know it
for the present except Josephine.
No one was at home at the Paines'.
Stupid of him to forget that they left
town that day to attend wedding and
were not to be home till Thursday. Ho
went around to Josephine's and spent the
rest Of the evening. She played for him
as she only could play and chatted of