Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-10-14

them"
mo, No'No!" cried, bursting into
tears, You will, you must, you shall
read thom,"
oh, the deuce," cried Tom, For
heavens sake, don't cry about 1t!
promise YOU, as YOU seem to have set
yonr heart upon my doing SO, that /
VIII read those letters when | 80 home
tonight Now you must he nice, |
! think"
Tea is in, il YOU please, MISS" said
Jane, knocking nj my deer some little
time later on in the afternoon,
HAS mammS come back YETI" in
ouired
Yes, miss; she sent me to say that
she was waiting for YOU"
ut will never do to give way" said
to myself. I've got TO face Sir George
rs yet"
| smoothed my ruilled hair and went
down to the dawng-room | knew
as poured out the tea, that mamma
was looking at me anxtously.
HAS anyone called?" she asked.
took my cup ana seated myself on u
low chair facing tho fire before | re-
piled, Only Tom"
why didn't you ask him to stay to
dinner?" said mamma.
BECAUSE" ! hesttated; because
felt | couldn't"
I'm sorry To hear you say that; he
: such u thoroughly good fellow. aud
~ devoted to you, and | Thought that
you cared for him, too"
listened In ama2en emit
Mora, | may as we'll be frank with
you, said mamma, drawing her chair
toward mine. Tom spoke to me
about II some days ago, so, OF course
| guessed the object OF hts Walt You
know your own feelings best, my dear
but | must say | should not have felt
dtsnleased IL YOU hud told me that he
would be likely to become my son-in-
INV some time in the future"
Great heavensl" | exclaimed
wrathialy, how can you say such
things mamma?"
Why NOT What 10 You mean"
How can YOU ask?' l said. Blu,
| viii be frank rs well, II ii had not
been for You and Sir George should
have married Tom, | loved him. /
have always loved him. should not
| nave minded SO much the dusting and
cooking and in time might have
learned to make my own dresses, but
whom thought OF last years hats, and
those dreadtul hills, | thought should
never be able to bear 1t, nd told him
| 1t was to be all over between MS. And
now know that what Lydia told me
about his having only eco year was
nonsense after all. 1t Is too late now,
aud We might have been 10 happy,"
I'VE have never discussed money
matters, Nora, 80 don't SOC why"
said mamma In constrained tones.
But may as we'll tell you now that
your father, before he died, settled q
sum Of money on you, SO that In the
event OF your marrying you viii always
have some few hundl eds year of
your own Besides, | thoGld most
certainly not have given my consent
II Tom had not proved to me that he
was very well able TO support wife,
You need not have feared anything
ON the score of poverty.
"Oh, think | shall go mad!" / cried
Why, mamma, you know that 1t Ia be-
cause Of Sir George"
Nora. mamma interrupted, looking
grleved and annoyed, Il really don't
noe that my marriage with Sir George
can make any difference to your
Your marrlage!" | gasped. Your
marriage"
You need not speak Of II in that
manner, Nora" said mansna, why
did you tell me that you approved Of It.,
II you did hot? And | really thought
that you were pleased to hear was
engaged to Sin George"
You engaged to Sir Georget" /
echoed in amazement. Thtn suddenly
the truth flashed upon me
oh, mamma" ! cried, falling on my
knees beside her aud clasping her
hands forgive nc, forgive me! Oh,
! nv" VAIN anu SHY nave DeBH' III
never entered my head that you would
marry again Lynla declared that Sir
George was IN love with me, and ! was
Ounce enough TO believe IL! When he
came here TO zee you thought 1t was
for me! When you told me the other
night that he had called, | thought II
WAS to ask II he might marry mel
When | saw him In the drawng-room
! thought that he believed himself to
be engaged to me! Oh how abomIn-
! T rude he must have thought me!
II lever congratulated him!"
Nora said mamma, In a faint
voice, you You would have married
| him, then, t."
No, moi" ! cried, interrupting her.
Never! never! neyerl intended 10
tell him when be came today, that there
could never be anything but friend
ship between us. Oh, mamma, how
horrid and mean and selfish | must
have seemed to you!"
1T was very natural that you might