Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1896-12-24
SUSANNA MORTON.

mt her 10 remain Ii splnster.
True she had been one so long it
would seem that she should have become
accustomed TO it; but by some strange
fatality women-that is, the majority
of women-never accept their lot il
this Christian spirit which has won for
them the endearing title of the gentler
sex
And Susanna Morton had put up with
it just as long as she was going to.
Four leap years had passed her by,
and she had submitted gracefully. but
each year less gracefully than she had
done the year previously and there
were moments in the last of the four
when she became almost desperate.
Now that fifth had come her mind was
made up. She would take the reins Of
Cupid in her own hands and drive that
harum-scarum little rascal in a manner
TO suit herself. She knew her good
points. one of which was that she was
shirty-five years old or thereabouts,
and possessed a poise and balance no
man who was looking for a real sensi-
BILE woman as a wife could afford to dis
-egard. In addition to this she had
what men seldom disregard COM
Portable fortune.
It was this fortune that had been the
real stumbling block in the matrimoni-
Al path Of Susanna. and not any lack of
attractive qualities in her possession.
for she was not homely, nor was she
anything but charming. The fortune,
however, which was hers from her six
zenith birthday. had developed in her
fear that men sought her for her
money and not for herself. and. never
having fallen in love with any Of her
courters she did not find it difficult to
resist advances. believing. as she did.
that men we're mereenary as rule.
and that some day the one man in all
the world for her would appear and
claim her as his own.
However. he did not appear. and he
continued not TO appear, until Susanna
had reached an age and firmness Of
.haracter, to put it mildly, when her for
tune would have TO be at least doubled
20 make her as attractive as she was at
twenty.
This knowledge had come 10 her
gradually. but was none the less force
ful on that account. and she was de-
termined not 10 let this leap year pass
without results of a lasting character.
OF the men IN her tain there were
perhaps half dozen who were eligible.
and any one Of whom would have made
d. But they were merely friends; not.
a mau-iack of them had ever suggested
such a thing as matrimony to her and
possibly this was why she liked them.
SO perrerse is the nature of woman.
tmoug the half dozen was one who
found the greatest favor in Susnnna's
eyes. the others taking their positions
after him in regular gradation, and THIS
one Susanna selected rs her victim for
leap year. resolved to try all the others
IN case Of failure in the first instancead5
Truly. Susanna was a desperate spine
ster.
And no less spry, for in the course of
his first call in the new year she began
her operations But j. was dread
ful task. and the evening passed With
out single step taken forward. The
fort had been made, however. and
courage always comes with effort.
When he came again she was 50
wrought up over the work before her
that her eyes sparIled and her cheeks
glovcd in rosy color. ir'
lie was ten years older than she.
and always assumed that bless-my-soul
style affected by elderly men.
oh thank you, Mr.. Culver" she
witted. I'm sure you only think 50.
look Just as ! always look"
"Of course. Miss Susanna, only slight
more so" lie smiled. but there was
that in the tone which had the ring Of
usincerty, or at least superficial and
society sincerity, which IS very nearly
the same thing. and which made SUI
sauna despise the flattery of men that
50 far lad meant 10 her 10 dissolution
q the continuity of her spinsterhood.
She was good-natnred about it. how
ever. AZ ] let Mr.. Culver go on with what
ever b. had to say, fot If there was any
man who could make flattery any more 1
palatable TO her than any other man
hat man was Mr.. Culver. But il was
suon over. and when he had fixed him
self comfortably in an easy chair with
which he was familiar he seemed TO
have forgotten whether Susanna looked
like fright or fairy, and began talk
ng about all sorts of things. as people
10 who talk FOR the mere sake OF talk
ing.
at all events, that's the way il pre-
scnted itself to Susanna, and she felt
he spirit of desperation slowly creeping
1ver her. She took long breath for ems
.ourag ment. and tentatively turned
he subiect u conversation upon the
uosi recent wedding which had &C.
CURED in their circle.
what a pair OF fools they were and
arr" said Mr. Culver. sententiously. Ito
marry on nothing but his salary. and
that not big enough for two"
'lIut they are happy" argued Susan
ma.
- suppose So" N'r Culver unwilling
4au'tied: 1T 'aktS fools 10 he haI-