Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-12-12
4 BLESSED LONDON FOG

1t was Saturday afternoon in London
one November day. The shops were be-
ing closed for the weekly half holiday,
and the shop men and women were max
ing plans for their well earned relaxa-
tion.
Henry Moore finished entering an or
der to be executed the following Mon
day, closed the big ledger with clap
and shut it up in his desk.
Henry seemed in no hurry to have
done with business and betake himself to
pleasure. He took down his overcoat
slowly from the hook where it hung il
the closet behind one of the tall book
shelves, brushed his Sunday hat, also
hanging there in readiness for jaunt,
with an distracted air and made his way
out on to the street by side door. He
walked along, still meditating, pulling
on a pair of new gloves, till he reached
Piccadilly circus. There he stopped,
looking round uncertainty, as though in
search of inspiration as to how his aft
ernoon should be spent. Suddenly his
eye caught the words Crystal Palace"
on one side of an omnibus in huge let
tiers. He looked at his watch.
"Just in time to catch the train at
Victoria" he thought GAS well go
there as anywhere. "
On his way down to Sydenham, Hen
ry Moore studied the advertisements i'll
the newspaper he had brought with
him. There was a concert at the palace
that sounded attractive.
For lack Of other society he took from
his pocket and reread letter he had re-
.ceived that morning from his married
sister and only surviving relative, Jane,
the prudent, who always considered it
her duty to impart valuable advice OF
various kinds to her younger brother.
Henry smiled as he read the motherly
admonitions, gave little sigh as he re-
allied that it certainly was sad to be
alone and frowned slightly as he con-
tinued reading James letter, in which
she informed him that she had found
exactly the wife to suit him-pretty
with money, too, and the most capable
girl possible-and inviting him to come
down at Christmas, when he could see
her and make his arrangements. There
was no reason for waiting. "The mar
riage could be in the spring, the writer
concluded.
No man likes to be dictated to in
these matters, even when it is palpably
to his advantage. Henry's bristles rose.
He sat trying to picture the probable
bride that had been fixed upon for him,
feeling tolerably sure that she wouldn' Y
do and growing rebellious during the
process. If it was bad to be lonely, II
was worse to have clog tied around
ones neck. Solitude at least implied
independence, and wife chosen by an
other was bound in the nature of thing'
to be just the kind one would no
choose for himself His only chance O.
escape was to refuse James invitation
for Christmas. Away from her he fel
strong enough to hold his own, bu
once get into her parlor all self decision
was over, he knew very we'll. No;
lonely Christmas in boarding hous
was better than abject, unconditional
surrender.
By the time the train stopped Henr.
Moore had worked himself up into
most laudable condition Of self assertion
and swung out of the carriage and u
the long wooden passage leading to tn
palace with the air of one sufficient fo
himself. And yet when he saw tn
pleasant little groups Of three or fou
around him, or, worse still, pair only
perfectly happy in each others compa
ny, with the prospect Of an afternoon
iolliication as we'll, feeling Of incom
pleteness would steal over him, and c
longing too. Why could not the "nc
impossible she' come to him as well 9
to others? Sought out, though, by hin
self. No cut and dried, made to orde
young woman, to be selected purely II
utility, like one from row of coats
"reach me down" store.
The trouble was that Henry had littl
or no chance Of meeting nice girls ]
his own station. He had only latel
come to his present post in London
assistant to a bookseller on large seal
formerly Q f.-:end Of his fathsr. BY a