Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1898-01-29

for some wears, and when next we re-
newed our old friendship l was 'he
vicar of the town. still single at -,
and Jim was the chaplain OF the Ia
NOUS Jail in the same town, and mar
ried.
We We're talking in my study, as III
ollen times Somehow the cOnverSa-
ton drifted to the subject of recent
newspaper article: Ought Married
People to Have Any Secrets from Each
Other:" ] said No" jim said ~ es.
We both Smiiingiy stuck TO our text.
1t was not often that we differed IN
opinion, but this was one case, anyho"
why. jim" said /, you would have
been the last person should have ex-
pecteh TO take that line. for am sure
from what h:tve seen. that If ever two
folks We're happy and loving, they are
Ella and yourself. I can't conceive OF
your having any secret which YOU
would not wish Ella TO know
"Ah," retorted he. with peculiar
smile, that's just it. Well, Howson,
III tell you one. if you like, though,
he added, 1T must remain secret be-
tween us two. / have never spoken OF
1t to any one in the world, and never
shall. except to Yourself
Thanks, Jim, you need not fear me,
know the case" and | assumed an
attitude OF eager attention to jim $
story.
II was the chaplain at LOwnarket,
as you are we'll aware before / came
here. 1t Is a pretty place, and one VOL
ders whatever made the government
build a jail there However, there it
Is. and there was |. The amount OF so
ciety that one got in Lowmarket was
perfectly astonishing. Had | had the
time and inclination for it, l might
have turned out regular society
clergyman AS it was, | had full
amount of lectures, soirees, parties and
entertainments. Among the people |
got in s,ith none We're nicer than the
Yorks. Miss York, a maiden lady of
So lived in large and beautifully fur
nished house called The Cedars,' in the
best part Of the town. She was known
all over the district for her charity
kindness of heart and pure life. Every
body had a good word for her. MOI
was her niece, Miss York, any less pop
rlar People in Lowmarket fairly wor-
shipped both Of them.
Il was 90 when | first saw Ella York
and at once succumbed to her charms
For weeks her praises had been in my
ears, and now. on acquaintance,
found her beauty, her manners. hel
kindness Of heart, not one whit less
than report stated. l loved her. OF
course, | could not say SO at once; and
whether, after two or three meetings
in the course of my Work-fOr Miss
York the elder took great interest in oui
sphere Of labor-she guessed my love
and reciprocated 1t, | could not ther
say. l found, upon judicious inquiries
that Miss Iork-Ella-had lived Will
her aunt from childhood; that she was
now q; that her mother was dead, an(
her father lived on the Continent fol
his health; also that she was her aunt's
course only learned by degrees, as one
cannot 90 to the fountain head for suct
information.
After much heart-searching and de
batting within myself l thought ! saw
that Ella York was not wholly indiffer
ent to me, and resolved TO ask her II
be my wife. ] need not go into detail:
as to how | did it. beyond saying tha
1t was one summer morning rathe
more than five years ago. when. hayin,
gone to see her aunt. who was out.
met Ella in the grounds; and after talk
ing as we walked along on various sub
jects, somehow it came out unexpect
edly, and almost before | could com
prehend what 1t all meant, Ella Yorl
had promised to be my wife, subject t.
her aunt's consent.
But her aunt didn't consent. | re
ceived a dainty note that night-hor
tenderly regarded it, Howson!-fron
Ella, saying that she had spoken Of m.
visit to her aunt, and had told her
was coming tomorrow for her ap
proval. Miss York had been very kind
but acted rather strangely, and sail
she would see me, but she could no
consent, as she did not wish to los
Ella. My dear girl went on to say tha
she had in vain tried to get from he
any more than this.
II was in a curious frame Of min
as l went next morning to see Mis-
York.
Il was destined to know her objet
ton. AS I approached the lodge tn
porteress met me.
"'Oh, Mr.. Bourn, this is shocking!
II was more puzzled than everl VIII
my engagement to Ella should b