The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1899-09-23
7 HEN Mary Clarimont's engage
NV ment was proclaimed to the
world, there ensued general
expression Of surprise.

NV ment was pfocihlne" u eAo
Y world there ensued general
expression Of surprise
People generally are surprised at matri-
monial engagements. There is always some
cogent reason why things should have been
adjusted otherwise-why John should have
married Joan and Peter should prefer
Betsey. Nobody ever yet was married to
suit everybody.
But in Mary Clarimont's case it did
really seem as if the course OF true love had
interfered seriously with the current of
common sense and prudence.
Miss Clarimont was only one-and-twenty,
tall, imperial beauty, with dewy black
eyes, a skin as fresh as damask roses, and
dark-brown hair, coiled in shining bands
at the back OF her head Moreover, Miss
Clarimont had a career before her. She
had Just graduated from Medfeld Medical
University, and taken out her diploma "a
an NJ. d.
"And only to think Of it, said Aunt
10, bursting into tears Of ycXstion and dis
appointment, chat she must 20 and ruin
all her prospects by getting engaged TO
Harry NARROW, down in New York ~
at does seem strange, Auut 10, when l
sit down and think over it, said Doctor
Mary, laughing and blushing. "SiX months
ago, my profession was all the world to
me. neither wished nor cared for any
thing outside its limits. The future was
all mapped ont before me, without let or
hindrance and now"
"Humph ~ said Aunt 10. "Any brain
less idiot can get married, and keep man s
house and mend lis shirts for him, but you
were made for something higher and more
dignifed, Mary"
Mary smiled.
''Dear Aunt 10" said she, II shall not
let nv sword and shield rust, believe me.
Harry has only his own talents to advance
him in the world, and it will be at least a
year before we will he ready to marry. In
the meantime l shall accept the pest OF
visiting physician to the Aldenbury Aims
house, and practice my profession in Alden
bury, just the same as if there was nc
engagement ~
81 wish to goodness there wasn't" said
Aunt 10. 81 tell you what, Mary, don't
fancy that smiling smooth tongue young
man of yours, and | never shall"
Still Doctor Mary CIarimont kept her
temper.
81 am sorry, Aunt 10, she said, pleas
antly. Bat hope that YOU will event
ually change your mind
81 used to keep a thread-and needle store
when I was a young woman" remarked
Aunt 10, drily, ''and l always could tell
the ring of counterfeit half-dollar when a
customer laid it on the counter l could
then, and can now-and | tell you what,
Mary, there's base metal about Harry
NARROW ~
Doctor Mary bit her lip.
''Perhaps We will not discuss the sub
iect further, Aunt 10, y size said, with quiet
dignity, and the old lady said no more.
"Aunt 10 is wrong ~ persisted the pretty
young M. d. to herself.
''Mary is making fool of herself ~
thought Aunt 10.
hldenbury was pretty manufacturing
village, with main street shaded by UNI
brageous maple trees, west end" where
people who had made their fortunes, lived
comfortably in roomy old houses, surround
ed by velvet lawns and terraced gardens,
and an least end, where people fought
desperately, and not always successfully,
to keep body and soul together on the
merest pittanoe.
And little way out of the village, the
almshouse, built and endowed by certain
smuggling sea-captain, whose conscience
had stricken him during his latter days,
raised its gray-stone gables to the sky, and
made picturesque back. ground to the
landscape.
Doctor Mary Clarimont made something
Of a sensation at Aldenbury. Up to this
time, all the resident NJ. DIS had been
snuffy old gentlemen, with wigs, or pert
young ones, with eye glasses.
A beautiful young lady, who wrote pre-
scriptions and compounded pills and To-
tions, was a novelty in the town, and by
no means a disagTeeahlc one. People rather
liked the idea, once they had convinced
themselves that the lady doctor thoroughly
understood herself and her patients
And the poor old people at the aims
house grew to love Doctor Mary, and listen
with eager ears for the sound OF her car
riage wheels over the blue-grave drive
which led up to the portco.
1t was a brilliant December day when
the young physician stood in the neatly
carpeted reception-room, drawing on her