Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-10-24
%Y Il, CONAN DOYLE

WomanB nrSt duty Is TO marry. Mar
riage, however, should be an equal
partnership, as she points out should
wish you both to marry, but still
should like a suggestion from you,
Clara, as to what / should do"
But there is no hurry, papa. Let us
walt. do not intend to marry yet"
Doctor Walker looked disappointed.
well, Clara, If you can suggest moth
Ing, l suppose that must take the in
itiative myself" said he,
Then what do you propose, papa?"
She braced herself as one who sees the
blow which is about to fall.
lie looked at her and hesltated. How
IKE your poor dear mother you are,
cara" he cried. "As | looked at you
then 1t was as IL she had come back
from the grave" He stopped toward
her and kissed her "There, run away to
your sister, my DEAR and do not trou-
bic yourself about me- Nothing is set
tied yet, but you will find that all will
come right"
cara went upstairs sad at heart, for
she was sure now that what she had
feared was indeed about to come to
pass and that her father was going to
take Mrs. Westmacott to be his wife,
In her pure and earnest mind her moth
ers memory was enshrlned as that Of
saint, and the thought that any one
should take her place seemed a terrible
desecration. Even worse however, did
tHls marriage appear when looked at
from the point Of view Of her fathers
future The widow might fasclnate him
py her knowledge Of the world, her
dash, her strength, her unconvention-
alty--all these qualities Clara was will
ing to allow her-but she was convinced
that she would be uncomfortable as life
companion. She had come to an age
when habits are not lightly to be
changed, nor was she woman who was
at all likely to attempt to change them.
How would n sensitive man like her
rather stand the constant strain of such
u Wife, woman who was all decision,
with no softness, and nothing soothing
IN her nature? 1t passed as a mere &C.
centricity when they heard of her stout
drinking, her cigarette smoking, her
occasional whlfs at long clay pipe, her
horseWhipping Of a drunken servant,
and her companionship with the snake
Eliza, whom she was in the habit of
bearing about in her pocket. All this
would become uncomfortable to her faith
er when his first infatuatlon was past.
For his own sake, then, as we'll as for
her mothers memory, this match must
be prevented. And yet how powerlesg
she was to prevent 1t! What could she
do? Could Harold aid her? Perhaps. Or
Ida? Al least she would tell her sister
and see what She could suggest.
Ida was in her boudolr, a tiny little
tapestried room, as neat and dainty as
herself, with low walls hung with
Imari plaques and with pretty little
Swiss brackets bearing blue Kaga ware,
or the pure white Coalport china. In a
low chair, beneath a red-shaded stand
Ing lamp, sat Ida, in diaphanous even
ing dress Of moussellne de sole, the rud-
dy light tlnglng her sweet, child-lille
face, and glowing on her golden curls.
She sprang up as her sister entered,
and threw her arms around her.
Dear old Clara! Come and sit down
here beside me. have not had a chat
Tor days. But, OH what troubled face!
What is it then?' She put up her fore
finger and smoothed her sisters brow
with it.
Clara pulled up stool, and sitting
down beside her sister, passed her arm
round her waist. IT am so sorry to
trouble you, dear Ida" she said "But
do not know what to do"
There's nothing the matter with
Harold?"
"Oh, no, Ida"
Nor with my Charles%
mo- no."
Ida gave a sigh of relief. you quite
frightened me, dear" said she. you
can't think how solemn you look. What
is it, then?"
IT believe that papa intends to ask
Mrs. Westmacott to marry him"
Ida burst out laughing. What can
have put such notion into your head,
Clara"
1T is only too true, Ida. I suspected
1t before, and he himself almost told
me as much with his own lips tonight.
don't think that it Is laughing mat
ter"
Really, 1 could not help 1t. If you
had told me that those two dear old
ladies opposite, the Misses Williams,
were both engaged, you would not have
surprised me more, 1t is really too
funny"
Funny, Ida! Think of anyone talk
ing the place Of dear mother"
But her sister was of more practi-
cal and less sentimental nature. IT am
sure" said She, that dear mother
would like papa 20 do whatever would
make him most happy. We shall both
be away, and why should papa not
please himself?"
"But think how unhappy he will be-
You know how quiet he his in his ways
and how even little thing will upset
him. How could he live with wife
who would make his whole life series
Of surprises? Fancy what whirlwint
she must be In q house. A man at his
age cannot change his ways. am sure
he would be miserable"
Ida's face grew graver and she pom
dered over the matter for a few min
utes. II really think that you are right
as usual" said she at last. II admire
Charles aunt very much, you know
and think she is very useful an(
good person, but l don't think sht
would do as wife for poor quie
papa"
But he will certainly ask her, and
really think that she intends to accep
him. Then It would be too late to in