Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1895-10-01
A BROKEN ENGAGEMENT.

ing influence, and all the world seems
to be reveling in n carnival of Joy.
Sound becomes music, commonplace
things become beautiful and sight and
feeling conspire together to intensity
the illusion. This hour is when, for
the first time. the woman he loves
yields up her first confession Of love for
him, and for the first time gazes soul
fully into his face, wealth of love,
trust and happiness beaming from her
dear eyes. Then it is not what he has
been or will be, but what he is and
what is his that concerns him.
Howard Verdery had had his hour,
but so recently that the Joy of it still
fingered with him like glad echo.
lie could not quickly realize that she
loved him as fully and completely as
he would have her love him. 1t had
come about so gradually, by such nat
ural, human stages-just in the way
that such things must come about-he
imagined that it was hard for him to
realize that it was true; but what a
glorious thing it was for him!
He felt that he had in him the raw
material for q splendid manhood. By
Helen's hands it might be woven into
a substantial texture that would DEFY
such petty temptations to evil rs he
had yielded to in younger days, not be-
cause of lack of strength, he felt, but
because he was young, unlsnowing,
uniformed. Those were fine days, and
there was little in them to regret. He
had had his season of wild college dis
slpation; 1t was no worse than that of
tho average college man-not half so
bad as some. But that was over. Years
and Helen had opened grand field for
him, and he knew he would DO pur-
poseful and manly.
She would help him by her ready
womanly sympathy. her good julg-
ment, her fine wonanly tact. What
an ideal woman Helen was! How con-
genial, how swectly disposed, how
noble!
"IIelenis my conscience he thought
II never feel bad or unworthy except
when am with her She takes such u
fine, high view Of things, and she is SO
strong in living up to that Wow. l
couldn't do an unmanly thing with
Helen In my heart and mind and char
acter.'
His father was delighted with the
news, as were his mother aud sisters.
They crowded about him and told him,
three at a time, how glad they were.
why, my boy, I'm proud of you,
proud Of you, said his father, a hearty
looking man of fifty, fair type of the
successful business man. You don't
know how happy you have made INC.
You have removed the most serious ap-
prehension Of my life, for was afraid
you might do something foolish
there's no accounting for a young man,
you know.
Even the stendiest of them some
times lose their heads where woman
is concerned. 1 have been young
man myself, Howard. But you have
acted sensibly, and your futures as
sured. Helen will be great help to
you. In few years will have to re-
tire from the business altogether and
l will, leave it In your hands NY boy,
do you know you have never pleased
me so we'll in your ]ifo?"
And the two. father and son, shook
hands with great warmth.
"Iielen has always seem ed like q sis
ter" Agnes said. at will be SO lovely
for her to be that in fact"
And everybody congratulated Yer
derry, lucky Vcrdery, and the young
fellow in the glow of his happiness
felt that life was just beginning for
him.
1t was the best OF days. Young
Vcrdery, in the conccit that fortunes
favoritism had bred in him. chose to
fancy that nature had ordered the day
because of the significance that it bore
to his life. 1t was Thanksgiving day,
and it was his fathers idea that it be
observed with reference to his engage
ment.
And now tho day was drawing to a
close. Most OF the guests that had
been invited to make the occasion what
it should be had departed. Helen was
among the few who remained.
You should be very happy" said
the elder for the fifticth time. You
have everything to make you so; in
fact, have never seen young people
start out more auspiciously. If fine
prospects, good wishes and the quality
they call love can make pair of
youngsters happy I'm sure you two
will not fail to be. My blessing, my
children, my blessing.
II am sure we shall be-" said Helen.
There's nothing to prevent, except
we might quarrel lam sure we shall
never do that. We understand each
other too we'll for that. If there
should ever be any tritling misunder-
standing neither Of us would let it be-
tray us into ugly words. We would
wait, sure that it would come
out all right. We have already
adopted system of dealing with each
other in perfect honesty, and it has
worked so admirably that feel it will
be n great success when we arc mar
ried. We tell each other everything
everything. don't we, Howard?"
why, yes" said Howard, every
thing. l never felt tempted to keep
back anything but once, and that was
when l met Jack Chambers, my old
friend Jack, the other day, and-well,
you know Jack will indulge-a-and !
1--we told her all about 1t. But 1t
wasn't SO wicked, was it?"
mo; when we consider It wns Jack"