Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-10-03

/ Snoulu Inc " NC Ilcu-n l. Only mao
my thousands instead of my paItry
/ hundreds! All, well, l guess there is
no use either wishing OF repining.''
/ what difference could money make
! to you, Geutenant?" asked Marion.
you are happy and you have suffi-
cient to live upon; why should You
want more?"
Il do not want more for myself,
Marion. l should be satisfied with
! half my present modest income, but
but there are other reasons
What reasons, lieutenant? Let us
sit down here while you tell me all
your troubles and l will advise YOU"
They seated themselves in the shade
of gigantic oak, and Lieut.. Gray,
after a pause, began:
You must understand, then, Miss
Marion, that l am very fond Of some
| body. She is the daughter of a
wealthy man, while l, as you know,
have but little and still less to expect
upon the death of my dear old father
SO, you see, if | had wealth | could
go to her father and ask him for her
! hand; but, as it is, ! am ashamed and
hardly know what to do"
Miss MariOn's pretty cheeks had
grown alternately red and white dur
ing this brief recital. Now, with an
evident effort to be calm, she said:
''DO you not think it would he best,
lieutenant, to first ascertain the young
lady's feelings upon the subject?'
''Is that your advice, Miss Marion:
Then | will follow it and tell you what
you must have seen and known for a
long time how very much I love you
Say that you can, that you do, return
it."
Marion's face grew fairly crimson
now as she hung her head and an
swered:
ooh, Harry, don'tr' she cried.
'There is somebody looking. 1t is Mr..
Barrett, surely"
The lieutenant turned at once and
looked in tie direction pointed out.
but could see no one Nevertheless,
Marion was sure she had seen Barrett
beeping at them from behind a distant
tree
On the way home they certainly
made up for their previous silence, bat
now they had one common and over
Whelming subject of interest to dis
cuss. AS they approached the big
house, Marion said:
''Then we will go now and speak 20
papa, and although | would never
marry without his consent, yet this
promise you freely, and without ask
ing it, that l will never wed any other
than yourself"
\ few moments later iona than Wear
heard a tap on his door-a tremulous,
undecided tap-to which he re-
spOnded:
Come in!''
And in walked Marion and Harry
Gray, both looking very foolish, as
though they had done something
wrong and were about to be scolded
for it.
''Mr. Wear" began the lieutenant,
reddening with embarrassment and
growing very warm around his collar.
Il have brought Miss Marion in here
with me that she may hear me repeat
to you what ! have have already told
her. Mr.. Wear, II love your daugh-
ter, and she loves me. And we ask
your consent to our marriage"
Harry Gray heaved an immense sigh
of relief when this speech was over.
ooh, that's it, is it?'' said the old
gentleman, making an effort to refrain
from smiling. lis this true, Marion?"
Eyes, papa" replied the young lady,
with her eyes fixed upon the pattern
of the carpet.
well, then, my dear, you run away
and leave the lieutenant and myself
to talk the matter over"
Marion left the room, and NJ Wear
pointing to a chair, said:
BE sea ed. sir, and say out what
ever you have to say"
"An l have to say, sir, is that love
your daughter. l am not entirely
worthy of her and l have only my
army pay for expectations, but l shall
try and make her a devoted husband"
"Well, sir, you must know that Mar
ion is only now at the threshold Of
life. She is not more than a child,
whom many fathers would retain at
school. I will never perversely thWart
her inclinations with respect to whom
she marrieS, but she must have time
to learn her own mind beyond all
question. Hence, | will not allow any
thing resembling 5n engagement be-
: tunnO Won uha r iS moro uoI1 muSt not
zee her again for at least two years.
l shall trust to your honor to exact
no promises from her, and that you
do not correspond with her, directly Or
Indirectly. You are both young, and
although just now you imagine you
are all the world to each other, yet
among the thousands you will each
meet you may discover some one who
will prove that neither of you knew
your own mind But, if at the end of
two years. you are both Of the present
opinion. then, Lieut.. Gray, there is no
man living whom I would sooner take
by the hand as a son-in-law than your
SELF
In vain Lieut.. Gray attempted 10
alter the I'D gentleman's resolution.
He would not hear a word and at
length the young man went away,
with permission to call in the evening
and see Miss Marion for the last time
in two years.
On his way home the lieutenant
overlook Theodore Barrett. and seeing
by his looks that some thing was antss,
rI~l. l.