Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-02-06
had wished to marry the girl him.

he had wished to marry the girl him.
self?
We'll, putting that aside, Garrett,
the whole business is foolish and i'm
practicable; and I'm sorry you didn't
look better after your charge during
my absence
Il don't think you ought to blame me
for it, Gfr. James. If you put fire 10
wood, you must expect it to catch
alight, and any one who saw you de-
liberately leave them two together for
six whole weeks, would have thought
as Il did-that you wanted them 10
MAKE a match, and did it on purpose"
ooh! very we'll 1t can't be helped
now; that will do
But, left alone, the man suffered bit
terlg, and none the less that, by want
of forethought, he had brought it on
himself. The housekeeper was right,
and he was wrong. If he wished to
win Margaret he should have remained
upon the spot, and not let his smooth
tongued, fair-haired, audacious nephew
walk over the course in so aggravating
a manner. If he gave a decided denial
to his suit, Margaret would learn to
opposer OF her happiness; but if ne
sanctioned their engagement, and il
ended in marriage, Ruthven was GER
tain she would be very miserable
woman Fo he had cause to distrust
Hamilton Shore. to consider him weak
| of purpose, and he knew he was not
the man to make a good, honorable
husband
How much his own grievous disap-
pcintment had to do with his decision
it is impossible to say for the best
of men are frail where their feelings
for woman are concerned; but he
resolved that, at all events, the en-
gagement should be but nominal until
both parties concerned had arrived at
a true estimate of their own powers Of
hdel1ty. So that when Hamilton, con-
fident of success, found himself alone
with his uncle that evening, he was
rather taken aback at being told that
his marriage with Margaret O'Reilly
was for the present an impossibility,
and that Ruthven would not even con-
sent to the engagement being consid-
! cred settled event.
You are far too young to think OF
SUCH thing, even were you the pos
| SCISSOR OF q thousand a year; but under
| existing circumstances, / can not IN
derstand how any one with a particle
of sense could wish to draw young girl
| into an engagement which has no pros
pect of being ended
! ''Oh! come, uncle, think that is put
! ting it a little too strong. Why
| shouldn't it end as other engagements
I do?'
How are you to support wife, and
when?"
We'll, I suppose my profession Will
bring in money some day, and then
/ thought
WHAT"
"That you would help US. uncle
! Exactly SO. That l should supply q
suitable income for your housekeeping
Why don't you say so at once? But
you may dismiss that idea from your
mind. I have no intentions of helping
you in any way
II think it's precious hard" grum-
| bled the young man.
| You can think what you choose.
| adopted and reared you for your moth
| er's sake, and l mean to put you out in
| the world, but further than that l do
not see that / owe you any particT ar
duty. And I certainly will not help you
! to make fool of yourself {aud per-
haps mar all Margaret's chance of hap
piness in this life one day sooner than
| is necessary
why should 1 mar her happiness %
| Because YOU are not steady nor re-
| liable. nor always ruth-telling. If
you outgrow these propensities, which
l sincerely hope you will, you may be
ready TO take the duties of marriage
upon yourself. But at present it is
I utterly out of the question.
But You cannot prevent our being
engaged to each other, uncle
Nor do I wish to prevent it, SO long
as it is distinctly understood that 1t
letters neither party. II You continue
/ constant to Margaret until you become
of age, will talk to you on the subject
again But, meanwhile, l shall send
you abroad"
..Oh, 1 sayr' said young Shore, depre-
catingly.
Excuse me. say retorted Ruthven
Gryly, you have never attended as
strictly to your studies III London as
you should have done. Now we will
see what less exciting place. and the
ambition of working for Margaret, viii
do for you. 1 have an English friend