Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-05-15
responsible for his visit.

hear 1t SAID throughout the village
that Nou never intend TO marry
again. My neighbOrs-yonr neigh
bois-our nelghbOrs-cOusider this
not only folly but a positive wrong
on SOar part. | see, more clearly,
perhaps, than any other, the tai
lacy of your conclusions and be
seech you to reconsider, if gossip
has reported sou correctly. Mrs.
Osgood, do You mean never to
marry againp
The ladS's face was tinged with
a slight blush, and she hesitated a
moment before answering.
"Really, Mr. Lawrence" She re-
piled, at length, "yOur question is
a very pointed one, and | was try
ing to decide whether or not yOn
have a right to expect an answer
But as it IS a matter on which l
have no reason to maintain any
particular secrecy, / don't mind
telling you that l am decided,
preiudiced against second mar
rlages. Such a course might be
pardoDabIe III some cases. but in
this instance, never Lawrence's
couutenance was elongated TO a
ridiculous degree.
"Srce you have positively sta
ted that much,7 he hazarded, "per-
haps YOU Will tell me what is your
reason"
She turned in her chair till her
gaze rssted on the figure of a boy,
who was training vines in the
garden beyond the wide driveway.
"MN lite belongs to hlh.' see
said, softly, aud the tears wslled
up in Der pretty eyes AMI tre"bled
on her long lashes. He Is my
only enid, and 80 long As | can
keep hlu with me snail have no
desire for auDthec companion.
When he marIies, which time,
please heaven, will never come
while live then | may consider
the advisabiltS Of choosing anolh
er husband
lawrence sighed. In this caiculd
nous of prospective happiness the
widows son had never been con-
sidered an unknown quality,
and he knew to a degree of com
mendable exaclness the age OF The
young hoppfu in question. lie
wouldn't be 10 until the following
ID cemb.r. The prospect was not
very encouraging. Under the
laws OF the state 1t was hish'y in
probable that he should lake him
selfa wife before lie was yet 2l,
and, viewing tie matter even from
that extraordinary favorable stand
point, the old mans heart grew
heavy with apprehension as he
thought of the years that must
necessarily elapse before he could
hone for frnition OF his plans.
$50 | may take that answer as
final, l SUPPOSED" lie suggested,
meekly.
She nodded.
"And when your son marrles,
then, take it, there will be no
harm done if | bring mp this mat
ter againl'
"No harm, certainly no. wa
the smiling rejolnder. "Bdt don'i
think OF that improbable event. 1t
belongs strictly to the far-away
future"
That ended The politicians court
ship of Mrs. OsgOOd, and gradual
ly the affection which he had al!
wavs cherished for the mother
seemed TO be withdrawn from h'l
shrine and deposited at tbr feet OF
the son. Loraln OsgOOd was pos
sessed of his mothers ardent dis
position, untempered by her re-
serve, and he returned the proiier
ell friendship IN good measure
The boys l6ih birthday and fIul
succeeding ones came and went
making great red-letter DAYS II
joseph Llwrence'S calender. Wbei
the younger man wav 20 so ne OF
the native acuteneSs which Law
renee had partially repressed since
his retirement from politics agaii
cropped out, and he decided thai
it was time to make a dextrOni
stroke. He took young OsgoOC
into his confidence.
1Lorain," he SAID, one night
looking at the yOnng man sadly
"I've made a good uany mistabe @
in my life, bnt the greatest Of al
was my neglecting To marry IN my
early days. There's nothing 81
Conducive to happiness and pros
perl'y as an early marriage. Thlnl
over il, my boy, and if yOu find
face and character that please yoI
and that give prOuise of maklnl