The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-03-22

| fate To be able to arrange matters for
these two so that they should be able
to marry: neither Knowing how it
come about, nor in the least corner
of their hearts suspecting me. Then
| with what swelling pride should | look
upon their happiness and know that
| [ had given it-I, who so far had
| given only trouble and morJ rJiicutiOn to
my family
| 1t WAS an easy matter to make my
mothers last years comfortable and
| ah ! the pleasure, the selfish pride |
took in remembering small personal
wishes and gratifying them bit by bit,
while never suspected
1t was an easy matter, too, through
my agent, to buy the very paper on
which [ wrote: to slowly dismiss the
men who were u disgrace to it, to pro-
mote and engage men whose work
made it u great voice soon, and through
| it slowly to win the public confidence
and work my will, little by little
among the affairs Of the city. Such q
| splendid game it was to arouse public
enthusiasm over somo free baths, or
children's playground scheme or
othor, to start subscription lists, and
| covertly head them myself: to machi-
| nate safely and quietly through my
| great pages. and all the while having
my copy refused half the time, and
| the other fellows wondering how |
kept my place.
| All this, and much more, was easy
/ and exciting: more Of a triumph and
a JOY even than | had ever imagined
it would bo; but my pet scheme OF
schemes hung fire little. Fred got
his new position, in u perfectly natural
| manner; he was u good fellow and
deserved it. Still there was no sign
of an engagement between him and
my Cousin Mary. Then | thought,
being an independent girl, she might
be waiting to have something OF her
own and after as pretty a bit of tinesse
| rs [ ever saw in my life. il it was my
own invcntion-and small wonder, for
had | not schemcd at such pleasant
miracles since | was eight years old p
[ managed to provide her with a neat
little fortune OF her own. Still no
| result. So one day when | was home
| i did not 20 often, for mother would
| always lecture me on my habits, and
somehow | never could entirely get
| over the hurt OF it, big rs | was-l
| chanced to be alone with my Cousin
| Mary for as much OF an evening as she
would be willing to boar my company.
| | felt very happy to see how bcauti-
| fully she was dressed in these days,
how her hands were white already,
and grown smooth again where the
delicate fingers uscd 20 be rough With
| countless needle prickS. The house
| was IL comfortable one now. my mother
| was far easier in her mind and there
| fore Swectcr companion.
| Everything looked pleasant around
| Mary, and told her how glad | WAS to
see it,
| | did not tell her how clad was to
see her, how in all the rich and varied
| Joy Of my present position, as IN all
The unutcrablc WEAKNESS and dulncss
! Of my former state, to see her was the
kecncst delight | ever felt, or ever
| hoped to feel. Calm, strong, hcauti-
~ woman that she was: perfect in
lovh; RilHi.Sf face and form and charac-
ter D. DI-r11 BE- 4 mgr Triumph.
makt the1rdappy. thrd S'''" "'' ''"''''' ''
| ! Al Watching her, anl she watched
thet lCaping flames Of fire; and |
woidcrcd clumsily in what possible
- | could force her into the huppi
LcN which should be hers, when all
| at once she rose and came to my side.
"Cousin Tom" she said in that de-
| licious voice OF hers. Why don't
you amount to morc-why don't you
| do yourself Justice in sumc way? IL
| it and here she blushcd beautifully
but the cousinship gave ncr courage
and she went on. is it for lack of
| money to make Il start with? because,
you know, | am quite rich now-bc-
| cause | want you To let mc-yOu'll for
give my awkwardncsS, won't You to
| let me give you some OF 1t, Tom, Il
whole pile Of it.
That blessed, generous, self-forgct-
she said it that my poor brain swan
dizzily.
NO." said !, at length, lit is not
lack OF money, my dear Cousin Mary.
but sheer personal incapacity that
prevents my amounting to anything.
| am an ordinary, stupid fellow at
best, and my family arn too clear
headed 10 give me that blind loving
faith which makes even stupid fellows
do very well sometimes"
You are not stupid" she cried.
NOR ordinary know you better
than you think. You could be some
thing splcndcd If you chose. Why
don't you choose
And then she looked at me with
such an earnest, tender believing
glance as fairly drove me to her feet.
"Oh, Mary, you blessed angel ~ |
cried to her could you would you
is it possible that you, after I'll. can
find it in your sweet heart to make Il
place for such useless gOodfor
nothing as :"
And then my Cousin Mary just came
into arms and comfortcd my sore
heart with IL Thousand tender words OF
hope and faith. And she said the
sweetest JOY Of joys to her WAS that
nov she was really able to help me
with her precious little fortune. And
since she values it so much | have let
her help me with it always. ~ ifany
fortunU, great or small, were to be
mentioned in the samc breath with her
love
BILL ARP ON HAPPY DAYS