The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-18
tl.e small hours after the ladies had gone

tife small hours eItcr uAe lauleS nao SoIe
TO bed
On one OF these occasions Middleton
went so far as TO expound in familiar
way his own circumstances and matrl-
monial intentions to the general court
ing as it almost seemed, his advice,
though never abiding in the least TO his
daughter. The southerner was full OF de-
lightfully old fashioned views OF the hon
orable state of matrimony and the deplor-
able condition of bachelors and spinsters
He advised Middleton to be bold, with all
his heart, expressed his astonishment that
he should have waited so long, with
calm prudence that he could not under
stand, and when he gayly pressed his
hosts hand and said: Good night, my
dear sir. Go in and win. l will come
and dance at your wedding, Middleton
felt as if he had received the parental per-
mission to press his suit to the fair Ala
bamian.
1t in the park that the lover had re-
solved to put his fate to the test In his
waistcoat pocket was a circlet, of the ap-
proved fashion of the period for an engage
ment ring, and he sought with Miss Rosa
one of the least frequented paths and
placed himself on bench by her side near
q llbUle fountain ana basin.
~ hope you have had happy time
here, Miss Rosa, said Middleton.
ooh, delightful thanks to you! What
should we have done without your"
II wish might presume to think you
could not do without me-may /, dear
Miss Rosa?" and he fumbled in his pocket
for the ring which, folded in paper, had
been mingled with other odds and ends
there. As he took out a handful of these
he unconsciously put on his eyeglasses,
and as he separated the little folded square
from the other articles he glanced up at
Miss Rosa, who had grown rather pale.
But also this was not all which the tell
tale lunettes revealed His Dresden shep-
herdess was turned into rather coarse
featured ordinary young woman of the
common clay. Young? There were even
crows feet about her eyes.
Her hair was rather coarse and exhib-
tied evidences of concealing that horror, a
'switch. E" The lips were little dry and
showed signs of cracks" The small par
Gel fell from Middleton's fingers into the
pool. His presence of mind had nearly de-
serted him, but at Miss Rosa's cry at the
accident he recovered himself sufficiently
to stammer: "Oh, no consequence what
ever! I was going to roll cigarette-it
was only little package of my paper
and as was saying, Miss Rosa, when you
were speaking so kindly about my little
efforts to amuse you all-may hope you
won t really miss me SO very much when
leave town for few days, as do-to-
morrow?''
What the girl answered Middleton did
not know. IT by the telepathy which usu-
ally enables us to read each others
thoughts, outrunning coming words or
coptradicting false ones, she had anticipat-
ed what it was on his lips to speak, he
fervently prayed that the confusion of his
mind since he had quizzed his companion
with his eyeglasses had prevented the last
| underlying thought from passing from
his consciousness to hers. This was to get
away as quickly as possible from an i'm
possible situation to free himself from a
person for whom his attraction had turned
to very active repulsion. Fortunately
his honor had been saved, though by a
mere huke.
He breathed freely for moment until
the thought of the ardent southron crossed
his mind. Had his attentions been too
| marked, his condolences too apparently
apropos, for General Rosa to tolerate his
sudden change of base? This aspect of the
affair flashed through his mind as he was
mt the door of the boarding house after a
homeward walk, cold and reserved on the
lady's part, preoccupied on the cavaliers.
lie bowed and left her there, putting Oh
his glass for one final, conclusive, desper-
ate stare, and went to his club.
In a very few minutes one of the serv-
ants brought him portmant eau and a
few clothes from his chambers, and mail
ing note to Mrs. Simmons to account
for his absence by plea of business
which took him away from the city in
which he forced himself to send message
OF regard and regret to his ''good friends"
the Rosas, he took the night train to Chi
cago, leaving no address.
A card which Middleton found at his
club, upon which General Rosa had per-
mitted himself to pencil some very strong
expressions, and letter which was lying
at his lodgings breathing vengeance and
almost a cartel, proved to him on his re-
turn that his discretion had been the bet.
ter part! And his valor hardly returned
until the summer came around, and he
read in one Of the society newspapers of
the engagement of Miss Rosa, at Bar Har-
Dor, to fellow visitor at that very engag-
ing resort.
When Middleton finally made his choice
of partner for life, he had adopted spec
tacles, weary of the violent shocks which
he was continually receiving from the al
formations between the delightful impress
sions of his elderly eyes and the shocking
revelations of his too truthful eyeglasses.
Once, shortly before their marriage, the
future Mrs. Middleton said, "Do, my love,
take off your spectacles and let me see
your dear eyes just this once!''
Not today please, % replied Middleton.
"By and by, perhaps, when we have
learned to love each other faithfully and
have grown to be one in life as in NAME II
l should lay aside these now, the glamour
might return and make me disconnected
with the truth, with which am so con-
tept-your sweet face, just as it is
ga creature not too bright or good
For human natures daily food
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