The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-12-01
A FAMILY AFFAIR.

III she were only OF good family"
Peter Dunlap said this for the hun
dredth time. glancing at his typewrit-
er, said typewriter being nineteen
years old and pretty.
what is good family, Mr.. Dunlap"
asked the typewriter one day.
why, why, my dear, what do you
mean?" stammered Mr.. Dunlap; were
you reading my thoughts?"
"Oh, no." said the typewriter, Miss
Sweet, smiling demurely. II was only
thinking a little for myself. Is your
family a good family, Mr.. Dunlap"
1.-THE finest in this country" said
Peter Dunlap, putting out his cheeks
and swelling out his chest. land we
have been bankers in the city Of st.
Louis for sixty years, one Dunlap fol-
lowing the other"
"And-and-were your wives also
bankers?" murmured Miss Sweet as
sweetly as her name.
Peter Dunlap looked at her sharply
and coughed.
MY mother" said he, twas bank
er's daughter: her mother was the
daughter Of Lady Cadogan, Of Eng
land; her cousins were related to an
Earl, and the Earl's children inter-
married again into our family. We are,
I might say, Miss Sweet, Of noble de-
scent"
Eyes. yes, I thought So" lisped Miss
Sweet very sweetly.
1t was no secret in the office, nor
to Peter Dunlap, nor to Miss Sweet her.
self, that there was something more
than the clicking Of the keys between
the proprietor and his pretty type
writer. Touching the ivory buttons,
Miss Sweet had touched the heart of
her employer at the same time, and for
the last six months matters had been
coming daily to crisis between them.
Miss Sweet thought she loved the pro-
prietor; indeed, she was pretty sure
that she did, and as for Peter Dunlap,
he was very certain that his heart was
only In one spot, and that spot was
under the neat shirtwaist worn by Miss
Sweet.
Most young women under the cir
cumstances would have felt very much
miffed at the thought of being loved
and rejected for reasons which they
could not help, but Miss Sweet was not
like other girls. She viewed the fact
Of her poverty with equanimity, and
was undisturbed by the knowledge that
1t was only her poor social position
that kept the banker from proposing
to her. Not that she was unaware of
the state Of affairs; in fact, they had
talked 1t over.
you see, my dear"-Peter Dunlap
called Miss Sweet my dear"-"it is
this way: My sisters are very proud.
Elsa is the wife of an Admiral, Clara
married a millionaire, my only brother
is yachtsman and cup-holder, and l
must uphold the family name. Now, my
dear-for the twentieth time-I repeat
to you that love you very dearly, and
II I could would ask you to be my
wife-but-you see just how 1t is."
ITO be sure" said Miss Sweet, with
a ready show Of that sympathy for
which the banker loved her among
other qualities, II understand all about
1t. Mr.. Dunlap. the rich banker Of
Chicago, Of the proudest family in the
West, cannot create social sensation
and shock family traditions by marry
ing poor typewriter, who was so pen
niless when she came to him that she
had to live in working girls home"
Eyes, yes, exactly; that's the way 1t
is, though you put it rather harshly."
Otherwise you love me?"
Better than my life."
VI see. So my life is to be spoiled,
and what is left of yours?' Here Miss
Sweet laughed SO merrily that Peter
Dunlap looked confused. and shortly
after he put up his ledgers for the
afternoon and went out.
TWAS nearly three days before the
subject was alluded to again, for 1t was
an old matter with Peter Dunlap and
his typewriter, and one which, though
they discussed 1t often. did not come
up every day. This was more Miss
Sweets fault than Mr.. Dunlap's. for
the banker would have talked it over
with the young lady, and would glad
" have come to some arrangement by
which ne could marry her without
his family. "You see, they
would take II so dreadfully hard he
said to himself many times, III l
should marry beneath them"
What is good family, Mr.. Dunlap?"
'epeated Miss Sweet twice in one day.
I think l have asked you that once
before"
why one that is-er why, a good
amily is-a good family, don't you
inow?"
yes, exactly suid Miss Sweet, but
was wondering il We agreed on the
subject. Now, my family is, well, I
hould certainly have called it good,
Hou6H tHcy al uleu anu ielL Hic pull
Peter Dunlap turned his head from
he window where he was standing
Ind looked at his typewriter.
II have often asked you to tell me-"
aid he.
It'll tell you more about it tomor-
ow," said she; NOW am going
lome."
A minute later he saw her whizzing
Inder his office window on her bicy-
lie.
Strange she would never tell me
nything about her folks" he unused.
The, next afternoon when the other
Jerks had gone he asked. her again.
20. don't know" said she. Il was