The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-06-07

DNA6 49, - -s--
Miss Marston wrote very briefly. She
should watch my carcor with great inter
est, she said, and some day she would send
mo her address, SO that / might call upon
hcr. Nell congratulated me warmly, but
did not alll1de to the conditions.
The mex two years were the happiest
mad ever known, save in n respect. ]
did not see.half as much of Nell as | should
have liked. But she remained just the
same doar girl, and, SO far us I know, she
Kept all my would be rivals at a distance.
OF my bcncfactrcss l heard nothing
whatcvcr, nor did Paul, but a terrible
shock awaited mo.
Two days after my name was entered In
the books of the general council of medica.
education, etc, which means that / was q
registered I'M. D." free to practice, l TO
ceiyed a communication from her-bricf,
as usual. / read 1t with amazemcnt-hor.
ror! Hero it Is:
Miss Mnrston is very pleased to learn that
Mr.. Andrew Hillier has obtained his diploma
She thinks tho timo has como to name the
condition Of her assistance. 1t is marriage
On receipt Of Mr.. Hillier's reply Miss Marston
will arrange for On interview.
In my rage / toro the letter across. This,
then, was the price of my diploma! Mar
riage with q woman / had never seen,
whose ago / did not knowl
But I cooled down when its absurdity
became apparent. Miss Marston was mad,
of course. Some of my friends had stead.
lastly maintained that only o crazy WON.
an would have lent money to a stranger
on such terms.
I caught on express to Worcester, whence
I drove to Woodbury., the village whore ]
was born, and Nell's home.
/ shall never forget our interview. Nell
listened to my story and read tho torn let
ter attentivoly. How I hated those point
ed characters nowl
"You must keep your word, Andrew"
she said in a cold, matter of fact ton that
reused my anger and Indignation to boil
ing point. u.
you-you. Nell, and you know It'll It's toe
absurd The woman is a lunaticl"
"Hush,'' she interrupted, 'you didn't
say that when sho lent you, q stranger, the
money which has made you what you are"
"Truc," / answered in q choking voice,
stbut others did. / am very u~ngrateful to
expect it perhaps. Still I didn't expect
such cold counsel from you, Nell. I should
have asked you long since to be ~engagedto
lO ouo III uAANbG AAoo S4o
tion."
"Pray do not forget that you are pledg.
ed to another, y she rejoined.
"I'm not pledged, :" I shouted, land If ]
am I'll break a thousand words before I'll
marry any one but you'll The whole thing
is ridiculousl How is it that you can't see
it?''
II suppose - she answered slowly and
rror,al ga &, aoor, hove 1nop hrp,,Dh4
up to consider my pledged word sacred.
Perhaps If you were to see Miss Marston
and explain she might let you off. If she
will do SO freely, then I might listen te
you"
"You DOM care a straw for mel" I burst
out. "You never have cared for me. IN
go and interview the old crone!"
She laughed. At that moment I hated
her. With her laughter ringing in my ears
/ rushed from tho house.
On my return to town I wrote a brief
note to the effect that I would be pleased
to meet Miss Marston at any place she
might appoint. Three days passed before
I received her answer, but my disgust had
not lessened.
I can scarcely explain my feelings, but ]
know / was convinced that death by drown.
ing or by any Of the more or less pleasant
ways with which ], as o medical man., was
acquainted, would be far more preferable
than marriage with my ancient benefac-
treSs.
In this mood I was conducted up a broad
staircase, along o corridor and ushered in
to the presence of-Nellt
$50 you have comep'' she said quite
cheerfully. ~ hardly expected you"
"Your' cried, "YOu expected mel
How is it you are herep"
She smiled.
"Andrew, didn't you know that my
name was Ellen Marston Herbcrt?"
"Great heavent Then it is you-you"-
"That you are pledged to marry"
"But, Ncll," / said five minutes after.
ward, ~ don't understand. How did you
know the advertisement was from me?"
She took IN envelope from her pocket,
and from that q piece of blotting paper.
There was o mirror over the fireplace, and
she held the b~lotting paper so that / could
| road tho words it bore. Isaw Paul Blake's
effusion-thc advertisement itself
81 came to town. she explained, Ito
offer you assistance, which l feared your
pride would not let you accept. While
waiting in your rooms I took NJ your blot
ting pad. I dare say you will think me
very inquisitive, but, having read SO much,
I could not resist tho temptation to try
and decipher the rost. BY the help of your
mirror I did it. Next day I looked through
the morning papers, and you know what
followed"
We were married three months after
ward. Paul Blake was my "best man,"
~