The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-07-17
SUSANNA MORTON.

heartily tired of it was the evident and
continuous purpose of mankind to per-
NIT her to remain a spinster.
True she had been one so long it
yould 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 in
this Christian spirit which has won for
them the endearing title of the gentler
sex.
And Susanna Morton had put up with
Il lust 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 a fifth had come her mind was
made up She would take the reins of
Cupid in her own hands and drive that
barum-scarum little rascal in a manner
to suit herself. She knew her good
pnints. one of which was that she was
thirtv-five years old or Whereabouts,
and possessed a poise and balance no
man who was looking for real sensi-
BILE woman as a wife could afford to dis
regard. 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
teenth birthday. had developed in her
a 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 were mercenary as a 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
character to put it mildly. when her for
tune would laye to be at least doubled
to make her as attractive as she was at
twenty.
This knowledge had come to her
gradually. but was none the less force
full ON that account, and she was de-
termiued not to let this leap year pass
without results of lasting character.
OF the men N her train there were
perhaps half a dozen who were eligible,
and any one of whom would have made
a husband any woman could be proud
Of. But they were merely friends; not
a man-jack Of them had ever suggested
such a thing as matrimony to her, and
possibly this was why she liked them.
So perverse is the nature of woman.
Among the half dozen was one who
found the greatest favor in Susanna's
eyes, the others taking. theiEaRasitignE
afteBhim inoregia aag1Tnd On aRd1 lt.
one Susanna selected as hel'niexa .slfdl
leap year, resolyedto thy ali the Others
infase. of fsifurs IN the frstiHskRnce
sirTruly, Susanna was a desperate spin
steT.
And no less spry, for in the course Of
his first call in the new year she began
her operations. But it was a dread
full task, and the evening passed with
out single step taken forward. The
effort had been made, however. and
courage always comes with effort
When he CAME again she was so
wrought up over the work before her
that her eyes sparkled and her cheeks
glowed in rosy color.
lie was ten years older than she,
and always assumed that bless-my-soul
style affected by elderly men.
on, thank you, Mr.. Culver" she
twitted, I'm sure you only think so.
look Just as l always look"
"Of course, Miss Susanna, only slight
~ more So" He smiled, but there was
that in the tone which had the ring of
nsncerIty, or at least superficial and
society sincerity, which is very nearly
the same thing, and which made Su-
sauna despise the fattery of men that
so Tar had meant to her TO dissolution
OF the continuity of her spinsterhood.
one was good-natured about it, how
ever and let Mr.. Culver go on with what
ever he had to say, for if there was any
man who could make hattery any more
palatable to her than any other man
mat man was Mr.. Culver. But it was
soon over, and when he had fixed him
self comfortably in an easy chair with
which he was familiar he seemed to
nave forgotten whether Susanna looked
like fright or fairy, and began talk
ing about all sorts of things, as people
do who talk for the mere sake of talk
ing.
AT all events, that's the way it pre-
sented itself to Susanna, and she felt
the spirit of desperation slowly creeping
over her. She took long breath for en-
enlargement, and tentatively turned
the subject Of conversation upon the
most recent wedding which had &C.
cured in their circle.
What pair of fools they were and
are" said Mr.. Culver, sententiously, "to
marry on nothing but his salary. and
that not big enough for two"
But they are happy" argued Susan
ma.
Il suppose co." Mr.. Culver unwilling
ly admitted; cit takes fools to be hap
Ply; wise people know too much"
'Are you wise?" questioned Susanna.
nervously, for she felt that she was
launching herself at this point upon an
unknown sea.