Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-02-27
The MUTABlE MANY,
Written for The Evening Star.
Chapter XVII.

Written for The Evening Star.
Continued from last saturdays Star)
Chapter XVII.
There Is an idea prevalent that the young
women of our land welcome addresses
which the golden youth of the opposite sex
urge upon their consideration. and that
girls happiness augments in proportionate
ratio as the number of the proposals be-
slowed upon her increases. This. however.
is merely a superstition, and there are I'M
fortunately statistics to which MS
torian. anxious to be accurate In state
ment, may turn In order to substantiate or
overthrow this almost universally held
opinion. 1t Is to be regretted that the CEN
sus. which gathers together in tabulated
form so many interesting facts pertaining
to the race, gives no attention to this par
ticular subdivision of human data: and
that. so far from being able to form any
definite estimate of the feeling with which
a girl welcomes the undoubted compliment
of marriage offer. We are left in the
dark as to the average number of proposals
a woman receives. say. between The ages of
seventeen and thirty-seven. An inquisitive
government which does not hesitate 10 ask
a woman every ten years to set down her
age in black and white seems. strangely
enough. to shrink from inquiring into
vital question on which the future we'll
being of nation largely depends. thus no
one can positively state that matrimonial
advances held in high estimation by
their recipients. ciinching the proposition
Icy referring the doubter to blue book such
a number and such a page.
1t being thus impossible to generalize, the
careful writer is compelled TO fall back on
individual instances. and It must be set
down that Edna Sartwell. SO far from being
happy or elated over the fact that two
young men within one week had asked her
TO share their VARYING fortunes walked
hurriedly back to the school. filled with
terror and dismay. On the very threshold
of womanhood she had suddenly and IN
eNpeCtedly been brought face TO face with
state of things which made ner wish to
shrink back into the untroubled tranquility
of the life she had hitherto lei. These two
disquieting events. following one so closely
on the other, doomed up in undue proper
ton to their Importance. ana threatened
TO overshadow the future. 1t seemed an
appalling thing that the fate of two men
should be placed at her disposal; that on
her shoulders should be cast he great re-
sponsihility of deciding. unaiiad, a mo-
mentous question with far-reac hing conse-
quenceS. And If the first Two young men
with whom she became ACQUAINTED acted
thus. what was to be expected from the
numerous host she was still likely to meet?
A pathway strewn with broken hearts Of
1effd no aHurementS TO the feet of The
young traveller. life lived in an atInos-
phere of deep signs was intolerable The
girl was frightened at :he outlook which
partly understood. 1T is often as import
ant 10 classify your problem as to soly. it,
her father had once said to her. but sol,r-
ton or classification appeared equally diff
cult to her.
Barney had taken his rejection badly. He
made no attempt to conceal the fact that
his life was blighted: that he would re-
enter the world changed man brt he
roicaily determined to make the most out
of the wreck. The austere rugged road
that now lay before him. unbrightened by
love or human sympathy. he would walk
with grim. if sornber resolution brushing
aside the frivolities of existence. setting
his face with sullen but logged persist
ence toward the cherries journey of life:
hoping for no recompense except that per-
maps he might have the consolation of
knowing he left the world a trifie better for
having lived in Ii.
inexperienced as she was Edna could not
help contrasting the actions of Hope and
Marsten. not altogether to the disadyan-
tage of the latter There was no question
In her mind that Marsten had in reality an
uphill road 10 travel; yet he had gone into
no heroics abo 1t it. and he asked nothing
but that she should remember him. She
had been sorry that she could give no en-
couraging word to Marsten but Barney
made her feel somehow that she was to
blame in his case and that he was an i'll
used man. Then. it was difficult to realize
the serious nature or hardship of Barney's
future career, when every one knew he had
more money than was good for him. Some
himself al the time. for he spoke bitterly
and contemptuously of his wealth, and of
how it handicapped him: however he was
going to give it all away when he came into
his fun fortune. and start the world afresh
winning his laurels and what little cash
would suffice for his frugal needs with his
good right arm. assisted presumably by
his paint brushes: SO. in the face of this
noble resolution ii would have been unfair
10 censure him for the possession of riches
he had had no hand in accommodating
Edna hurried toward the school, thinking
little of the reprimand in store for her and
much of the contrary conditions of this
world. She, like Barney, needed advice vet
had no one in whom she Nigh confide She
thought of writing fully to her father, re-
membering her promise to tell him every
thing that troubled her: but she shrank
from the thought almost soon as II took
form in her mind. Besides, both complica-
tons were settled finally and forever so
why worry him unnecessarily about a page
OF her life on which was written the word
Finis? There surged UP In her heart a
deep. passionate yearning for the mother
she had never known. and whom she now
missed as she had never missed her before
As she thought Of the portrait of the beau
tifui. sweet-looking woman in her fathers