Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-01-23
I'm ENGAGEMENT.
BY sII, ROBEBT PEEL.
ICopyright. 1896 by Sir Robert Pcel.l

PART l.
That Arnold llopctoun was honestly
love admitted of no doubt, and Miss
arstairs was supposed to reciprocate
lis attachment. Ills very intimate AS
ociates wondered why they did not
Marry. for Miss Carstairs was not well
T. and Ilopetoun's salary from the
,reipn office, if it would not provide
er with house in Green street
nd brougham, would at least offer
IN improvement on the position she
vas occupying at present.
When IIopetoun met her and fell
rev to her destinations, she had been
having, as was her annual custom,
it'll some cousins of her late fathers
the Marrabcs, of Morccombe-and
efore her visit terminated they were
ngaged.
That was twelve months ago, and to-
nv they were engaged still.
Hopetoun was an ardent lover, and
,ould have committed greater follies
han matrimony on 4 500 year for the
AXE of her beaux yeux. What then
vas the explanation of the delayP Had
leila Carstuirs mistaken her feelings?
lad she given hasty promise OF which
he had subsequently rcpented? Not
h all; she was waiting for his position
% improve.
Five hundred year seemed to the
Firl who had started life with the eN-
,ectation of marrying the son of a duke
breposterous and absurd. She was fond
If Arnold, even very fond, but she was
ired. inexpressibly, deadly tired, Of
poverty.
Yet she loved him! Almost she
Wished she did not. Limited as her oppor-
titles were, narrow as was her eN-
stence, she was only 81, and she might
nave done better than Arnold IIopctoun,
fter all, she told herself. Had it not
been that there was the likelihood OF
ord Drillingham doing something
or his nephew, the engagement would
nave been broken week after it was
made; she would have recovered her
reedom. and awaited for the fairy
Prince anew. But there was the chance.
WHY was the wicked uncle so dila-
(ory? Arnold had been importuning
him with requests for months!
She was thinking these thoughts this
fternoon-secretly hating the UNI
;nown pecr-when Hopetoun was an
bounced. She welcomed him with a
adiant smile.
you are early she said.
81 was inpatient" he answered.
"How pretty! Is there any news,
Arnold?'
"No,' he said, 81 don't know that
here is any news, but want to talk to
on, Bella. I-I-look here, darling,
emit go on waiting for you any
onger! Let us marry, and take the
foods the gods provide"
"Child!" she murmured. The gen.
leness of her rebuke was adorable.
81 am not child" declared Hope
Gun; Gin fact, believe may lay claim
q being tolerably practical, and you
nay be very certain that l mean to
work Drillingham's interest for all it
worth. But we can do that after
uarriage! Trust yourself to me, and
take my oath that you shall never
lave occasion to regret It,"
do you imagine she said, "do you
imagine it is only Of myself am think
ng when ! say waltz l am thinking
Pf you!"
"Of me?"
"Of you! OF myself a little, yes, be-
|ause / am not u baby; but of you too;
Pf you chiefly, indeed, for it is on you
hat the burden of the step would fall
"Tll chance it," said Arnold, stoutly
"And you would never reproach me
know that. But / will not let you
chance it," 1t would not be u chance
would be quite certainty. Certain
disaster, OF which you would have t.
bear the burden! 1t sounds bad, does
ut it? The sound is nothing com
Dared with what the reality would be
arnold, you have never had to bear pov
erty-I have. / know what you do no
Il know the awfulness of striving t.
Keep up appearance; Of endeavoring II
make u pound do the work of two.
inow how terrible you would find til
ife you are proposing SO confidently
am too fond of you to condemn you u
It. l WON'T"
~ was tciiHSiiJ Pue' iANSh DIG NC
ieved a great deal of what she said her
self while she was speaking. He di'
not protest any longer; a man has onl
certain amount of argument, an,
many conversations Of n similar natur
had exhausted much of Hopetoun'
power of remonstrance. She gave hiI
tea, and her mother came in and pres
unity he took his leave.
He wns not in nigh spirits Tho
oughly Us her lover may appreciate con
mon sense in woman, he is apt to pr
FER dash of impudence. She VIZ
right, and also she was wrong. He W.
not beggar, she was not the daughtt
of millionaire. Why was it so dreat
full, the life he contemplated?
After he had dined he went back
his chambers, and wrote n long letter
his uncle, in which he insisted for IL
seventeen time upon his many CLAIM
upon his unapprcciative country, al
the ridiculous inadequacy of his presel
post to his requirements.
A sweet, sunny-tompered individual
Lord Drillingham's protestations of a
lection were entirely genuine, and h
promises, when he made them, we
truly meant. Only he forgot-the ma
ter passed through his mind. His sc
was not ambitious, his daughter hi
her aunt to play the part of chaperon
and the widower himself was free
take life as he pleased, unfettered> by r
6ponsibilities.