Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-07-11
BROS,

come and said nothing OF his age, put
| craved an interview. II he explained
his precise position he feared she might
fancy it was too insecure TO render Nun
eligible. But if he could see her he nat
tered himself that the charm OF his con-
| yersation and personal presence would
| dazzle her and divert her attention
from his less pronounced monetary
qualifications He signed his own name
IT. Cottle." because if the negotiations
came to anything it might shake her
| confidence when he had TO acknowledge
he had approached her under 1aise
| name. At the same time, as she had
withheld her surname and address, NE
felt justified in requesting her to dlrect
her reply in the first instance to the
postoffice in Bayswater Road, to be lett
till called for.
Il can look in for it reXt time go to
see uncle" he reflected. IF 1t turns
out a frost. needn't tell Merrows any
thing. He'd only grin about 1t. III
get the letter off before he comes IN.
And he ran out and posted it at once
He half regretted his impetuosity
when he journeyed to Bayswater and IN
ouired at the postoffice for his letter,
| but it hadn't arrived. SO he walked
On to see Uncle Cottle, but as his uncle
was not at home he told them to say he
had called and wouldn't wait.
His interest in his rash matrimonial
! project had cooled considerably; put
going TO see his uncle on the following
Saturday afternoon, he inquired casually
at the postofice again, and was not
altogether displeased that there was
still no letter for him. He decided that
his epistle had not created a satisfac-
tory impression and that he should
hear no more of it.
Turning the corner a little beyond
the pCstoffice, he was surprised TO run
into Uncle Cottle, gorgeous in new
white waist-coat and with hover In
his buttonhole.
Tim. my boy" he calculated, I've
been expecting you daily. Sorry | was
cut when you called last--I was out on
particular business.
OH
Tim had a dim premonition of disas-
ter He inly upbraided himself for ne
glecting the affair of Miss Holt.
Yes" Uncle Cottle winked his left
eye and smacked his nephew on the
shoulder exhuberantly. Il was arrang-
ing to get married"
ITO Miss Holt?" faltered Tim.
NO" laughed Uncle Cottle. You'll
never guess. It's the widow-Mrs. Net
ley. You remember we wrote to her.
She answered my letter last evening an
hour before you called.
Tim was too confused to grasp what
he heard.
But you said" he stammered. that
if Miss Holt rejected you, you'd know
there was a curse on you and
Il haven't asked Miss Holt. Besides
it's three months since | wrote to the
widow, so in any case, she has a sort Of
prior claim over the"
THE other CURSE Tim suggested
bitterly.
Here's her letter." said Uncle Cottle
disregarding his Interpolation. Read
it for yourself.
He thrust the missive into Tins
hands, and he read it dazedly as they
walked on together.
Dear S,r:-If you care to call on me
! shall be pleased to see you. regret you
did not give me your own address, as
should have thought it implied either
"a want OF confidence in me or candor in
yourself. had it not been that we are
almost neighbors and | had the pleas
| ure Of meeting you a few months ago
and know you by reputation. Under
the circumstances you vii, appreciate
my preferring to send this to your pri-
vate address, which l have taken from
the directory. Yours truly,
MAUD Netley"
That's all right, Tim, amt ito"
chuckled Uncle Cottle.
Tim realized in a flash that this was
his Maud" and it was his letter she
was answering. not his uncle's; but he
could not see his way of saying so.
What does she mean about your adj
dress?" he said.
why, ! was nervous when | wrote
that letter, and | must have forgotten
to put my address in-thats why she
didn't answer before; she couldn't.
And it's just occurred to her to look in
the directory See? / meant to have
asked her about it. but she was so nice
and amiable and smiling, and | was so
-so-well l. hardly knew how | was
but there didn't seem any need to apol-
ogize, and, in fact, | never thought
about it till was coming away"
rs she young?" asked Tim, for the
sake of saying something.
II thought at first she was nearly for
ty. but she's only twenty nine-she told
me SO herself. | showed her my bank
book and list of my securities. "Oh,
that's all right she says laughing.
Then when's it to be-? says l. And it's
going to be next month
Next"
Month. I'm going round to the
wears now to put up the banns. You
can come with me. And, | say, she's
an orphan; SO we wart you, my boy
age don't matter; it's only matter OF
form-to be father TO her at the we'd
ding and give her away
Tim was gloomy and reckless, and
said he would. Why shouldn't he? He
had given away his prospects; he had
Highest Of all in Leavening Pc