The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-09-05
A DELIGHTFUL WOMAN.

"Well, no." said the young fellow.
'I don't know that have had what you
would call quarrel with my father"
"And yet you have left his roof,
where you were SO happy, and | find
you here in London, while week ago
I met your father down in Bath and he
said you were not on speaking terms. :"
"Did hep" said the young fellow,
"then I suppose we are not"
Surely the trouble has not arisen out
of your marriagep" said, fathers no
longer impose their choice upon their
sons and daughters"
"Well, the fact is" said Ned Henshaw
whom I had known since he was a
child, II don't think want to talk about
it."
"But 1 am anxious that you should.
You were honest Tom Henshaw's only
son, you lived with him, shared his pro-
fessional business, and he and you were
what one likes to see so much in father
and son-chums, companions, friends.
eyes, that is So" said Ned, won't you
smoke? My wife has gone to an AT
home She will return very soon, I
hope, and then we are going to drive
to Richmond to dinner, will you join
usP"
"Thank you, I cannot" I replied,
lighting cigar, and waiting for Ned to
talk.
He was successful architect, had in
herited moderate fortune, and he and
his father together owned considerable
property in western city.
"Who is your wife, NedP"
GA widow - he ranlied
"Indeed! Well, old Weller warned us
against them, but / have known some
very charming widows"
"My wife was a very charming g
widow" said Ned, "and she is very
charming wife, but must 1 tell you all
about it?"
reticent that the business strikes HE as
mysterious, and I want to know with
whom / am to be friends with father OF
with son."
"Oh, with both," said Ned, though
suppose he will never forgive me-"
"7ou speak regretfully."
"Oh yes, there is no anger, and GER
tainly no malice in my feelings toward
the old man."
"Not SO old, my boy" I said, "rising
fifty, eh?"
EYES, suppose so," said Ned.
"Come, out with it dear fellow, it il
not only that l want to know which o1
you am to be friends with, but which
of you is in the right"
II.
"It was like this, you see, "-said Ned
"When my poor mother died my father
1o11 of rho1f
year, said he could no longer live il
the house, must leave it, the associations
were too much for him and so on.
felt good deal like that too until father
engaged housekeeper, and the man
agement of the place began to assume
its old complete style, place for every
thing and everything in it's place, nice
breakfasts, good dinners, servants wei
under command, in short, the house
what it had previously been-a mode
establishment. Then we both settled
down again and began to find consola
ton in our sorrow, and even something
like compensation in our admirably
managed establishment. ! say ours, yol
know, because had never left home ex
cept to serve my articles, and for tn,
| reason that was practically joint con
troller with my father"
"Of course I remember all that"
said, "and never were two fellows bette
matched for business and friendship
than you and your father"
"Her name was Sinclair, this mode
housekeeper, Mrs. Arkell Sinclair; m,
father heard of through friend. Sh
was only 80. Her husband had die
| two years after their marriage, leavin!
her beggarly so pounds a year; sh
had been obliged to take situation a
| a housekeeper, and she had left it, no
because she was proud, but that sh
could not put up with the naughty man
ner and superior airs of her mistress
lady of title by the way. Mrs. Sin
clair had herself been very well brough
up, could sing and play the piano, wa
admirable housewife. A friend advise'
her that she was just the woman m!
father wanted, and my father having
been introduced to her came to tn
same conclusion. She came, she con
quered. Everybody liked her. Sh
had soft voice, nice gray eyes, a love
ly mouth, fine figure and was alto
gether taking and agreeable. We bot
came to the same conclusion, my fathe
and I; and as 1 said before, the hous
began to assume its old brightness ant
the table its former luxurious aspect
She was delightful woman. Befor
she had been with US a week we cam
to the conclusion that she ought to din
with us, take the head of the table as
member of the family might, that sh
was what my father called lady-house
such. When we did not go out any
ing-room and played and sung to us
She had delicate touch and sung wit
sympathetic feeling. Strangers Yet,
and Kathleen Mavourneen' were two o
her favorite songs, she delighted il
/ music that ANNALS to the amOtinns