The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-09-04
A PROXY PROPOSAL.

there should ever be anything that |
can do for you, I swear to do 1t. You
can ask me nothing which, at any per-
sonal sacrifice, will not endeavor to
accomplish. You are rich, l poor.
You are somebody; l am nobod y.
But the time may come when the
promise will be worth something, and
I will keep it:
An hour before this speech was
made, Frank Millard had saved Paul
Holbrook' sister from watery grave,
and brought her safe in his strong
arms to the very spotupon the beach at
Newport where the two men now stood
together.
There never were two men so utterly
unlike as Paul Holbrook and Frank
Millard. The first a hard working
professional man, who had struggled
for such little success as Fate had
meted out to him, unaided save by his
own hands and brain. The other a
man who had fortune for his frlead
from his birth; who neither toiled nor
spun; who was a man of society; a
member of clubs; and one with whom
women always fell in love. From that
day they were friends. And so itcame
to pass that, walking down Fifth Ave
nue. one day arm in arm, they met
Rose Lewis, that Frank Introduced
her to Paul, that they turned and
walked block with her, and that, a
few evenings afterward, Frank took
Paul to call upon her.
She was beautiful. But that tells
you nothing about the woman-the
frank, sweet, womanly woman with
whom Paul fell in love before he had
known her month. Wrapped up in
his profession, engrossed by strug-
giles for bread and butter, which, while
they seldom prevent man from do
ing great things, always unfit him for
society, Paul had known few women.
He had no experience by which to
guide himself, or by which to measure
his own feelings. For while he did
not guess that he was in love, and so
was drawn nearer and nearer to the
whirlpool, until, when the truth at
last dawned upon him, there was no
retreat. It was out of the question
that she should like him. It was i'm
possible for him now to cease to love
her-to be happy without her. That
she could care for him never entered
his mind; that she did, would have
been an absurdity too preposterous to
dream Of.
But it was true, nevertheless. Rose
said, IF he cares so little for me,
will make very sure that he does not
guess I care one whit for him" Paul
said, She shall never laugh at me,
though she does not love me. She
shall respect me, and never guess her
power, whatever pain I feel" And so
taey met and parted, day after day; :;
and no one guessed that anything
troubled the heiress but Frank Millard :;
and only two, the same Frank Millard
and Paul's sister Ruth, saw how pale
Paul grew. Poor Ruth. who in her
terror asked Frank Millard one day,
if he thought that Paul were Ill.
s.Ee is so unlike himself" she said.
81 am frightened, Mr.. Millard."
And Frank had said, 81 think that
your brother cannot be very Ill. If
anything troubles him that will pass
away"
''But do you know Of anything that
can trouble Paul2'' asked Ruth. And
Frank had answered, ''PerhapsI guess
at something, but I am not certain" ;"
They were together a good deal,
Frank Millard and Ruth. It had
entered Paul's head at times, that this
fellow liked his sister very well; Of
late, that it was possible that he loved
her. But Ruth, at seventeen, seemed
a child to him.
AS she had said, he worked very
hard, but toll could not Danish the
haunted thought" of his life. It
grew stronger instead of fading. At
last he resolved to try what charm
there might be in absence; to leave
the city, forbidding himself to meet
the woman he hopelessly adored; and
availing himself of an offer which
promised to be stepping-stone to his
professional success, put a barrier of
miles of land and water between him
self and Rose Lewis.
At the same time Rose, scorning
herself for the infatuation which she
could not control, had also resolved to
leave place where every day bore in
its arms a possibility of meeting the
man who, with Indifference in his
mien and coldness 10 his speech, still
haunted her presence so persistently,
and following an example already set
by most of her fashionable friends, go
to Europe, Inc as were going, and
the B's. She should have pleasant
company on the voyages, SO she said
to Frank Millard. On the same even
ing Holbrook spoke Of his departure
to South America.
''It's a good ofer,' he said. II
shall make money, and get on. Of
course it's hard to leave Ruth alone;
but she will board with an old friend,
and be well protected.
'You are doing well here, said
Frank, doubtfullv.
I'm one sense, yes. In another,
no. \ man must not peril his
health
Frank asked no explanation.
The days flew by Rose was ready
for her tour. Paul for his departure.
Frank had seen good deal Of both.
One morning he sat in Paurs room,
and talked as people do when their
minds are on some subject which they
hesitate to mention. At last ne
asked:
''Have you bidden good-by to Rose
Lewisl"
Paul flushed, and shook his head
''It does not matter" he said. eve
shall not probably meet again nor
will she care"
Il think she wonld," said Frank.
''You will hurt her by going so.
Paul shook his head again.
She will not care. Why should
she," and he turned his head away to
say the words.