Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-07-10
LOVE AND DEBT.

GOlllilNs 4le40Tss anu III EVlNl iltliAlNs LlllI
tied from the father ard cherished by the
son, made him rot only popular as an
officer, but rather wealthy as a man. Why
Mir. Rhodes had never got married the
gudics could rot ascertain, though they
TALKED the matter Overland over very often,
but almost al sid there must have been
some cause in his youth-Nlr. Rhodes was
30 at loAS'-which was known only to
himself and perhaps one otncr.
"Scme disNppoiEtni'rt,' s.i1 Miss
Anna, a young lady who thought it wrong
chat gentlemen should I've disappointed
''some fatal disappointmcut.'
"Not at all, 80 said her maiden aunt,
''not at all Nobody over thought tina Mr..
Rhodes had courage enough to cffcr him
self to a lady. He is 50 modest that 1
should like to see him make Il proposal"
"No doubt Of it, aunt; no doubt of it.
And to hear him, too said Anna.
"Your father and l." said Annals
mother, "once thought that Mr.. Rhodes
would certainly marry Miss Susan Nor
gan, who then lived in the neighborhood.' -
"Was he accepted by Miss Morgan?"
asked Anna.
Il don't believe she ever had an Offer
said Aunt Arabclla.
Perhaps not, 3" said Mrs. Wilton, "but
she certainly deserved one from Mr..
Rhodes, and l nave frequently thought
that during services in church he was
about to make proposals before the con
gregation, as lie kept his eyes continually
on her.
do you think, " asked Anna, chat
Miss Morgan was as fond of him as he APP
peared to be of herr"
"She certainly did not take the same
means of showing her feelings - said Mrs.
Wilton, Tor she never looked at him in
church and seemed to blush when, by any
means, she discovered that others had no.
ticed his gazing upon her"
81 should Think said Anna partly
aside, that a man like Mr.. Rhodes would
not lack confidence to address n lady, es-
pecially if she was conscious of her own
feelings and Of his inflrmity."
Mrs. W. smiled, and Aunt Arabella was
about to say that no lady should ever
evince her feelings under such circum-
stances, when Mrs. Wilton remarked that
once when she had jokcd Miss Morgan
upon her conquest she rather pettishly re-
piled "that she may have subdued him,
but he had never acknowledged her pow
err"
Conquest and possession did not go to-
gether, then, " said Anna.
"Well, is this attachment the cause of
Mr.. Rhodes single condition? Was there
no one else at whom he could look in
church who would be likely to look at him
ALSO" said Anna, nodding toward her
aunt.
NO. said Aunt A, with a hearty
smile, none in the pew to which you al
lude. ! at least was too strongly impressed
with the force Of the tenth commandment,
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours OK,
nor his ass, ever to he looking over Miss
Morgan mt Mr.. Rhodes
One morning Mr.. Rhodes was sitting in
his Office when II of the deputies read off
q list of executions and attachments. which
he had in hand to serve, and among them
was one against a lady at a short distance.
The amount was not great, but enough to
bring distress upon Il family.
LET me take that, " said the sheriff,
with some feeling. Itisou of your walk,
and Twill drive to the residence of the per
son tomorrow morning"
The modest vehicle Of the officer stopped
at the door OF a neat dwelling house in "A
retired, delightful situation. where all
things told Of taste and economy. The
sheriff OPENED the gate, ascended the steps
of the house and asked if Miss Morgan
was at home.
The servant answered in the affirmative.
AS Mr.. Rhodes PASSED along the hall he
thought oycr the part he had to perform
how he should introduce the subject: how,
If the debt SHOULD prove to he onerous. he
should coutri,e to tighten the burden by
his ownabi,.tias. Ard when he reached the
door he had conncd his salutarion to the
lady and his opening speech on the subject
of his official call
The servant opened the door. Mr.. Rhodes
entered with a bow. He blushed. hesitated
and at length took n seat. to which Miss
Morgan directed him by d graceful turn of
her hand.
After "a few moments hesitancv Mr..
Rhodes felt that it WAS his business to open
a conversation that would explain the sub
ject of his visit, so he offered, by way of
preface, a few remarks upon the GOODNESS
of the spring.