Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-02-21

"WoI, 9" said Mary Wcstenhanger, crum-
bling he cake unnecessarily and making
of IL a carefully built pyramid, you said
once--vuu would be my husband. ~
And you said once that shuu.i not. "
"Only oUru. she remarked nerVuusly.
"1he nui ',r i, smad, but sufficient"
Robert Va, cd fcit ut 'o u glow of ad
miration AT Isl hc.ding stcrnncss. Ho
was behaNiu. Nt. ouch more courage
than nc had ,u,Guod himself with.
"Tlo fact of ID is, Mary, life in the AL
barry. ySi,h pleasant rooms and plenty of
worE is ratHcr enjoyable. One has no
cares, no truu ncls and
And no companion"
"That fact, " said Robert Mepstcd, with
an effort, lis the comble de ioie"
She rose fron the table and walked
again to the purti".i.
She was thr l,irdost friend ever had, "
said Mary Nr,tenhanger. "How good this
is of herl"
"Mv mother" said Robert Mcpsted
rising ana standing h,s.uo her. was al
ways good ,-lr is the only person that
knew of our q l.roncnt."
Il am glad mat nobody else knew. We
have been saved the congrat lations of our
friends. And want to- AL; yrr some
thing, Eoh,n iI.,c IS no necessity for
anybody ever to know, is thcrc?'
mo nrcc ~ ut all. dear. l would
rather keep H'' H-i't secret, tn re-
ncmher 90. rt . -.,, the
brightest of ... tho.. and shall never,
never Tor 80.
1t is -.rr. ~" lie sail i'm
pulsivcly = $50 Ynld
not have ca t't lCfrNru tl..'t.
And | thou. lat r.0. lLcru might
hn more >urh., $40 ... ....c
the >, lis a., ... ted said Mr..
Mcpstrd drlp"dly.
She took very slowly ring from her
finger 1t was little rclut tant TO move,
being IA ring that studied appearance and
liked an effective background.
IL did not send this back. - said Mary
Westrnhanger. "bccausc did not like to
give it up, but believe that it is usual in
these situations to do 50 "
Il have had little experience he said,
"hut if that is the rule let us make an ex-
ception would rather you kept it. 1t
will bo something to remind you of mo
when when we arc older. -
Mrs Long looking in to see If anything
was wanted, noted with some disturbance
that tho two young people were standing
rather closely together Mrs Long cough
ed the cough of warming and withdrew,
with an apology
will Lady Westenhnngcr he much lon
gerf" said Mepstcd anxiously. He felt
that his reserve of sternness was Civ
ing out, and to listen to her quiet voice
and To watch her eyes for many moments
longer would be- fatal
Mamma usually has u good deal to say
to shopkeupcrs, but she will he back d.
rectly."
"And then we shall say goodby again,
SUPPOSE
"Somchow in spite of all this, I'm not
sorry that I've called " she said thought
fully.
1T has been \ great delight to me"
Il blamed myself for quarreling with
you before, Robert, hut now that-now
that this afternoon has happened, why,
nobody can blame me -
That's true However long | live
must always feel hat my bachelorhood is
due to myself, and to no one else. "
She looked round swiftly
Are you going to hr bachelor all
your life, Robcrt:'
why, yes, of course don't want to
marry anybody clsr--I mean to say, I'm
comfortable enough rs I am. And dare
say when we're 20 years older we shall
meet somewhere, and we shall decide that
it's all been for the best ], as bachelor,
you, rs an old maid, will
II beg Your pardon"
~ say that yulI, rs an old maid, will
81 am afraid that you are rocring into
the future, Robert, without Jour glasses
l shall marry
The newspaper fell from his hand.
"But-hut you said Initt you did not
care for any one clse?'
Il don't see how that Affects the mat
ter. have IL proposal i'll my pocket now, &"
"Shuw it to me.
eff you say please, " said Mary West
enhanger And when Robert obeyed, she
took from her bodice letter
but this man is one of the most fear
full Founders in town." cried Robert Mep-
sted distractcdly. you, of course, said
no at once, dear?"
II thought it better to wait. Robert It
is not wise to be inpetuous in these mat
tors
"But surely, Mary, you would never
dream
He stopped, because his indignation half
choked him.
II do, sometimes / dreamed once that
you and were going to be very happy to-
gether but as that is not likely to occur,
why, an alternative course has to be
adopted.
He took her hand suddenly.
Mary, you mustn't do this. / said I
was happy but that was all brag I'm
miserable without you, and I'm furnishing
myself moro than oan bear. Let us see
what we can do.
q" Hadn't we better put our heads toReth-
err" suggested Miss Westenhanger shyly.
Mrs. Long explained the whole affair
the following morning to lady friend
who managed the rooms Of Colonel Dun
kerley at No. Z NJ.
Il could see it all, Mrs What-is-it, with
'alf an eye, said Mrs. Long disconnected
ly. "Ther's him with the Jump, as you
may say. an u way Of looking at his coffee
before he drank it as though he was, in q
manner of speaking, lost in thought
there's her, a tall good looking, cheerful
girl with tears in her eyes before she d
| haan thar, va minutes and tharaiS har