The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-03-24
HIS VIEW AND HERS.

She was truthful, whatever else might
be said of her, and that divine quality
covers a multitude of sins.
There were many times, however,
when she found it quite difficult to tell
the truth, the whole truth and nothing
but the truth. 1t was particularly hard
TO do so when Howard Zellman pro-
posed to her. To quote his words,
which he never los. an opportunity of
repeating during those days when he
first discovered that he had serious in
tentions. "All the rest of the world
was a dreary void for which he had not
thought and Heaven itself held moth
ing one-half so dear" She was 30
years old and had heard such things so
often that she knew he didn't mean it,
but he thought he did and was so in
earnest in his protestatiOns that he was
sincere for the first time in his life that
she finally decided to accept him.
But not before she had told him the
truth.
''I cannot understand she said
rather severely, chow you ever hap
pened to allow yourself to care so much
for me. 1 heard you say once, a long
while ago, away back in the beginning
of our acquaintance, that it was strange
that man should be so careless in Sc
Letting a wife. When he buys house,
or a horse, or piano, or anything else
that has money value alone, and that
can be disposed of at will, he is very
particular about inquiring into its rec
ord. He must be thoroughly informed
in every detail. Yet in choosing
wife, YOU argued, he loses all discre-
ton and blindly takes the woman he
fancies, however inferior an article the
said woman may be. But just think
of it, Mr.. Zellman; you are perfectly
willing, yes, anxious, to take me, yet
what do you know of me?"
"Don't be a goose" he said. / know
all want to know. / love you. Isn't
that enough?'
mo- she returned, gravely; ''it isn't
enough. Perhaps if you understood
me better you wouldn't even do that"
"Oh, yes, should" he said, conf
IDENTIFY. Nothing can ever change
me. If all the world were to turn
against you I'd be true and defend
you. Oh, just wish | had a chance
to show you how loyal can be-"
"Im going to give you chance
now"
That's right" he said, ''Only be
sure to make it hard enough, so you'll
never doubt me again"
"In the first place, Mr.. Zellman,
have deceived you. My husband is
not dead"
"Oh, that doesn't make any differ
ence, | love you just the same. You're
divorced aren't your"
''Yes, but that doesn't exonerate me
for living lie. And do hate false
hood. shouldn't have done it, but |
was a coward and dreaded the curiosi-
ty and desparaging remarks that would
follow me wherever / went as di-
vOrcee."
"You oughtn't TO feel that way about
it, my darling" he said, tender,y,
"None but the low and ill-bred indulg-
es i'm such vicious gossip. As for my
self, think just as much of you as if
he had died forty times. Don't talk
about it any more"
"But | must" she persisted. II
must tell you what the trouble was
about. There was a great deal OF
blame attached to me. Every one
knew lie was very cruel, but If you
were to 60 back there now and look up
nv record am afraid you would find
that have many enemies"
"The brutes," he interrupted. Ia
like TO teach 'em lesson. But what
do care for what they say? Didn't |
tell you that I'd stand by you through
fair weather and foul?"
"Yes. yes" she returned, "but you
must not take me blindfolded. | wish
to know
..I don't care about that" he broke
in. "What | want to find out is do
you love me?"
al didn't dare allow myself to do
that SO long rs was concealing any
thing from you?''
"But can your
81 think so"
"And will you?"
al will try"
"And will you marry me?"
"Think over what / have told you.
Study me. Try to understand me. III
at the end of month you still care for
me will say yes"
He was very devoted There were
defects in her nature, but he did not