Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-28
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THE MUTABLE MANY.
BY ROBERT BARR.
Copyright. 1895, by Robert Barr.)
CHAPTER XVII.

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 a girls
happiness augments in proportionate ratio
as tho number OF the proposals bestowed
upon her Increases. This, however, is merely
a supposition, and there are unfortunately
no statistics to which a historian, anxious. TO
be accurate In statement, may turn In order
TO substantiate or overthrow this almost uni
yersally held opinion. 1t Is to be regretted
that the census which gathers together IN
tabulated form so many interesting facts per-
tanning to the race gives no attention to this
particular subdivision OF human data; ana
that. so far from being able to form any
definite estimate OF the feeling with which
a girl welcomes the undoubted compliment
OF q marriage offer, we are LETT In the dark
as to the average number OF proposals a
woman receives, say, between the ages OF
II and 81. An inquisitive government which
does not hesitate to ask a woman every ten
years to set down her age In black and white
seems, strangely enough, TO shrink from In
uuiring into a vital question on which the
future well-being of a nation largely de-
ponds; thus no one can positively state that
matrimonial advances are held in high esti-
nation by the recipients, clinching the propo-
sition by referring the doubter to Blue Book
such a number and such q page.
II being thus impossible to generaliZe, the
careful writer is compelled to fall back on
individual instances, and 1t 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 dis
may. On the very threshold of womanhood
she had suddenly and unexpectedly been
brought face to face with a state Of things
.t.Gl ..-I- lar uvtA . ~ - Il nHl intn
the untroubled tranquility of the life she had
hitherto led. These two disquieting events,
following one so closely on the other, doomed
up in undue proportion to their Importance,
and 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 the
great responsibility Of deciding, unaided, a
momeatous question with far-reaching 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
fered no allurements to the feet of the young
traveller, a life lived in an atmosphere OF
deep signs was intolerable. Tho girl was
frightened at the outlook, which was all the
more bewildering because only partly under
stood. at Is often as important to classify
your problem as to solve it," her father had
once said to her, but solution or classical
ton appeared equally difficult 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 a changed man, but hero
'ically 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 sombre, resolution; brushing aside
the frivolities of existence; setting his face
with sullen but logged persistence toward
the cherries journey of life; hoping for
no recolnpense except that perhaps he
might have the consolation of knowing he
left the, world d trifle better for having
lived in 1t. az. ~
Inexperienced as she was, Edna could
not help contrasting the actions of Hope and
Marsten, not altogether to the disadvantage
of the latter. There was no question in her
mind that Marsten had In reality an uphill
road to travel; yet he had gone into no
heroics about it, and he asked nothing but
that she should remember him. She had
been sorry that she could give no encour-
aging word to Marsten, but Barney made
her feel somehow that she was to blame
in his case and that he was an ill-used man.
Then, 1t 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
thought of this seemed to occur to Barney
himself at the time, for he spoke bitterly
and contemptuously of his wealth, and of
how 1t handicapped him; however, he was
going to give 1t all away when he came into
his full 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 it would have been unfair to
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, yet had nc
one In whom she might confde., She thought
of writing fully to her father. remembering
her promise to tell him everything that
troubled her; but she shrank from the
thought almost as soon as 1t took form In
her mind. Besides, both complications were
settled finally and forever, so why worry