Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-08-27
Before TheyW Were Married.;
Ry HENRY c. PARKER.


one at present. Doctor. said should
so there again tomorrow
And the day after, suppose. Very
Well, Mr.. Phlbrick, I think l under
stand you, but I'll ask no other ques-
ton. Did you say anything to Miss
DrummCnd about our
Mortal combat, interrupted Phil
brick in evident amusement. Why!
of course not my dear fellow. You
really didn't think I'd be 50 childish,
did you?"
Il simply wanted to know" re-
sponded the doctor. I'm obliged to
you" and he passed on.
Philbrick looked after him with his
curious smile, shook his head Solemnly,
and proceeded on his way.
Before he 2rrived at Fairview DR.,
Williams felt better The acknowl-
edged and determined rivalry of this
Mr.. Philbrick was to be preferred to a
game of subterfuges, insinuations and
repeated misunderstanding. 1t put
the matter where 1t belonged-in the
hands of the lady to decide between
them.
Il cannot compete with PhilbriCk, "
reflected the DOCTOR "in what I suppose
is called gallantry, I'm not witty, and
| can't smirk and make eyes at girl,
in fact, | don't believe | have it in me
to really please a woman, but can
try. Louise must love me for what
am, If she loves me at all, and with
that l must be content to accept my
fate.
Louise herself told him how she had
seen Mr.. Philbrick on the ledge, and
had called to him not to fall in again.
He thinks his rod y" she said has
tloated under the bank somewhere, and
he is coming up tomorrow to look for
it with spyglass."
He thinks good deal of his rod, y
remarked the doctor.
Yes; he says it's souvenir"
If Louise thought to tease the doctor
into any manifestation of jealousy, CT
even of interest in Philbricks doings,
she was disappointed. His meeting
with his rival had prepared his mind
and yet, If he only knew it, an exhibit
ton of jealousy might have made Lou
Use think more highly of him. Such
is the aggravating Inconsistency of
young women some of them.
So Mr. Philbrick called on the next
day, and the day after that. Mrs. Will
liams observed his assiduous attentions
to Louise, and was disturbed for she
thought of her son. She did not ven
ture to speak plainly to Louise about
the matter, for her position in the
house hardly warranted that. Mrs. Will
liams was a sensible woman in most
respects. She saw that her presence
at FairView was mere tormality, and
was not intended as an actual guard
ianship, and she saw, too, that she
could not help her son by attempting
to plead his cause for him There
We're times, too, when she doubted
whether she desired his success with
Louise overmuch. Nevertheless. she
took occasion now and again to cxtol
Mason's qualities, speaking of his
struggles to gain education and a live
lihoOd at the same time, his loyalty and
true kindness of heart, and eXcusng
his defects, if he had any, on the
ground that his early loss of his father
had deprived him of proper counsel
during his boyhood.
Perhaps Mrs Williams good sense
failed her a little in these well meant
discussions, perhaps it is generally in
discreet to try to influence a young
womans heart at all events Louise did
not give the doctor any special com
fort in the way of SOW ng him that be
was advancing in her favor He met
Philbrick at Fairvicw occasionally and
took pains always to conceal his hos
tility, matter that was comparatively
easy now that there was an under
standing" between them. Philbrick
on his part studiously refrained from
indulging his satire at the doctor cX-
pense and so the days passed without
apparent friction.
A week after Mrs Williams went to
Fairvicw an elderly woman was driven
to the house in depot carriage. She
VI ou6hl Il bON' " ILOulo' iIolll NJ
father. in which he introduced Mrs
Appleton, successor to Betsey Hubbard
as housekeeper.
How much she looks like Betsy -
thought Louise; only older and souyer
I'm afraid we shan't have any more
good times
The professor sent a message to Mrs
Williams asking her to remain day or
two longer, until my return, II posi-
BILE, or at all events until Mrs. Apple
bank
ton has got in the way Of managing
the house Mrs Williams agreed to
this and promptly set to work 70 make
the situation pleasant for the new
conner
A day or two after this the doctor
Was startled by an announcement from
Constable Minot Hawkins.
It's come at last, Mason Z said he
twas bound to, and now there's no
stopping It. even If anybody wanted
to
What's Gomez" asked the doctor
The official inquiry into Young