The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-12-22
"He has grand face" she said u |

u =
wish we knew something more aoou'
him." !
"I've no doubt he was grand
Harold answered her, Win
droll smile. "But Grandmother Wilton
relocated him this out-of-the-way nook
because. coming home from the war
lame and penniless, he disgraced the
name, rather than ask the poverty
stricken government for his pay
don't for the world hint that you know
it-bv turning cobbler. Think OF IL!
a Wilton with cobbler's sign III his
window! Poor grandma! 1t nearly
used her up when she made the DIS
coverv. she had taken such pride III
the belief that there was never
mechanic nor working person OF any
sort in either branch Of the family.
"The dear old patriet!' cried the
girl. Then, suddenly realizing the
nature and degree Of the Wilton pride,
she turned to her husband with
grave face.
"Harold," she said, II have con-
fession to make. It will shock you,
| but I think you ought to know it. I'm
afraid you will scarcely forgive me Tor
not telling you before.
ooh, GOMEZ" protested Harold. For
what could this clear-eyed creature
have to confess that would IN any way
tax his powers of forgiveness? 10 be
sure. he remembered, he knew moth
ing Of her past beyond the fact that
she was the daughter of college pro
lessor, but that had seemed quite
enough, and he had repeated the In
formation to his relatives with no little
satisfaction when they asked the IN
evitable question, "Who is she' But
she was so much in earnest that ut
was compelled to listen.
81 was very young when we lett the
city," she began. ''Papa had beef
oyer-working in the college, and tn
doctors said he must go to some que
nlace on the seashore and rest for
wear or two; so we went to Hardacre
It is a mere fishing hamlet, and S
quiet tibet it seemed as If we ha
reached the place
Where one eternal Sabbath reigns!
"The people were very kind to us
and the sea was almost at our dool
Papa liked it. He grew stronger ever
day, and at the end Of the secon
summer he thought he was we
enough to 60 back. But while he wa
making his arrangements, he We
seized with what seemed to be lam
inc turn. But it proved to beth
end"
The gathering tears made brea
t in her voice, and Harold, IN quo
3 sympathy, would have taken her
D his arms. But she drew away fro
him.
u ''Wait till you hear the rest 81
3 said "The doctor called 1t heart di
! ease. And before mamma had rallle
- from the shock, news came OF II
failure of the bank in which papa hi
~ his money 1t was not large amou
L but it would have supported us We
comfortably. After that poor MANN
:. had to struggle along the best s.
Il. 10 could. She was too independent
Il 90 back to the city, and be a b11rd
- to her friends, 50 we stayed in Har
u acre; and by the time [ was able
10 be earning something, her health ga
- wav. And very soon she too was tax
Il from me,
u "She had trained me for teacht
VI VI but the Hardacre school was supple
W. and | had not got the heart to go ell
49, where. Hardacre was my home.
~ had a piano, and mamma had thous
i I might be able to get few schola
w. but there was scarcely a family IN
n9 place that could afford to pay for
~, %O sons. 1t was the same with priv
~ instructions of any kind, and l
~ almost Ill despair. Tle-~ Hos n n
W who came there in summer--a 1
~ man, I think, for he always brou
,ar his Garage and coachman he wan
Nd me to marry him, but couldn't, IL
no didn't love him."
,a 81 should hope not!"blurted Hare
% c.
ooh, please don't interrupt N
ted she entreated, 'or | shan't be abb
to tell the rest. My Hardacre frie
pe thought I was very foolish to ref
ed him, knowing how little [ had to
inc on: but at last l found something
,he do, something that brought me MOI
md But, O Harold, I ought to have
it'll YOU before you married mel"
MD 600 on" said Harold, Wis!
,er. bracing himself.
vas "Perhaps," she continued,
i'm wouldn't have been SO easy fer
ba if had not been so fond of everytl
tile pretty and dainty. Actually, Har
ned strange as it may seem to you, l
an ioyed it, for it's next to being All ar
too Harold, to be "A good milliner.
is Serious as the confession had see
re- to her before beginning it, by the
she reached the end the dlmples
the irving to assert themselves;
. to Harold saw nothing but the tears
be the downcast lashes, and. with a
,an- den rebound from dread Of he X
and not what, he caught her in his ar
be- "You little goose!' he cried.
had precious little goose! Wha
ort YOU had married that man! 5
rave girls wouldn't have hesitated a min
late if they'd had to choose between
What rying a man they didn't love aud
nave ing bonnets for a living. You /
ID darlingr'
zen "But what will your grandma
say, Harold?"
by II declare he exclaimed, 81
l. as almost forgotten that I had a 81
z..Il>o, S,,,,ouo - ho wont On