The Van Buren press., 1895-02-02
SWEET CONTENT.
Why She Didn't Change Her
Name to Gloriana.

Name to Gloriana.
Her real name was Gloriana Weston,
but everyone who knew her well
called her Sweet Content. 1t was to
her father that she owed both the
actual and the pet name. When she
was born, he was in The middle oi
writing his monumental commentary
on the "Faerie Queen,' and wanted
to name his daughter Britomnrt, but
compromised matters with his Mortified
wife by consenting to the scarcely less
remarkable title of Gloriann. And
again, when she was about seven, and
the ludicrous appropriateness OF the
stately name for the rosy, chubby
child became every day more manifest,
he came out into the garden one after
noon, fresh from his critical survey ot
seventeenth century poetry. and hum.
ming the refrain of o song which
haunted his memory. 10 sweet con.
tent! o sweet content" he sang ovet
and over again, and then laughed ns
his eye fell upon the little girl sitting
soberly on the grass at her mothers
feet making daisy chains.
"Why, here is name for the little
oner he cried. "Wife, you mus,
never scold me again for calling her
Gloriana- From henceforth she is
Sweet Content"
Mr.. Weston died suddenly-a peace.
ful, painless death-and his widow
forgot all the little clouds which his
tastes had raised between them in life,
and scarcely murmured even when she
discovered the extent to which his
ignorance and generosity had involved
the little property which was all on
which she and her daughter could de-
pend. They were obliged to move
from the large rambling old house in
which Content had boon born into q
much smaller one-a change which
was like an uprooting to the girl.
But no one heard a murmur from her
lips, and her tears on leaving tho old
home were kept for times when her
mother would not be Baddcncd by the
sight of them. 1t was she who took
tho lead In rendering the new house
hs home-like Us possible, and her per-
sistent cheerfulness went far to rec
oncile her mother to the change.
People had wondered long ind vain
ly what had induced Sweet Content to
engage herself to Fred Pargiter, for
they did not seem to have a single
taste In common. He was a lawyer in
country town-a rising man, but one
who was considered by his profession
al brethren us pushing rather than
plodding. His motive for wooing Can
tent was an open secret all over the
village, thanks to the tongues of gos-
sips. It was Edith Barnard who first
hit upon 1t, and she did not hesitate to
communicate 1t to others. for she had
no liking for Fred Pargiter. Poor as
the Westons were, Sweet Content had
expectations" An old uncle Of Mr..
Weston, who maintained an implac-
able enmity against his nephew, had,
nevertheless, declared his intention
of 'leaving his money in the family
land this" said Edith, FIRED had
heard through cousin Of his, who
was Uncle Antony's legal adviser y
II Content hnd been the only person
concerned, she might have gone on her
way and married Fred Pargiter to
please her mother and himself. as she
thought. and have repented her timid-
ity when too late; but there was fac
tor in the case of which she had not
dreamt Uncle Antony died less than
three months after his nephew, and
left all his money to home for crippled
dogs Content had only heard mys.
terious hints about the fortune which
was supposed to be coming to her, and
it had never seemed sufficiently real to
her for its loss to affect her much; but
it was a heavy blow to Mrs. Weston,
who had counted largely upon it.
"You sec, mother" said Content,
I'VE are no worse off than we were be.
fore. To lose what we never expected
is not very dread full"
But Mrs. Weston could not accept
this philosophical view of the case.
She knew Fred Pargitcr's character a
little better now than she had done
before the engagement took place,
and she could not avoid asking herself
how this would affect him. The an
swer to this question was soon sup,
piled. Fred took an unexpected holi-
day, and his letters were few and far
between. Then there camo rumors
from tho other side Of the county to
the effect that he was occupied in
courting q rich heircss there, and
finally there came letter from Fred
himself. He found that he had misun.
derstood his feelings, he said. The
sentiments which he entertained for
Miss Weston were not those of q lover,
but of friend and he had felt for some
time that they were not suited to one
another.
Content refused to be bowed to the
earth either with shame or grief, and
this seemed to Mrs. Weston both un-
kind and unbecoming. 1t was Mrs.
Weston's frequent, but secret, lamen-
tation that girl who had been Tilted
SO openly need never expect to find an
other suitor; but when the village had
had ample time to become established
in its conclusions as to Contents hap
piness, it gained new sensation
through some ones observing that
young DR.. Barnard" was somewhat
frequent visitor at the Westons.
1.-Two letters for you, mother" said
Content, coming in one morning, land
a great big one for me. don't know
the writing"
She tore 1t open, and presently Mrs.
Weston, absorbed in her own letters,
was aroused by an exclamation of dis
NAV She looked nm to see Content