The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-17

Bring Kim TO our house with you,
f, replied Jack, there is plenty of room,
and father and mother won't mind. -
"No, Jack, thanks ever so much, but
that wouldn't do any good Father
wouldn't be satisfied: besides, he takes
up SO much of my time that 1 couldn't
do my duty TO YOU And Jack had to
submit with the best grace he could
] muster.
Unfortunately. he consulted the doc
TO who attended Mr.. Acizerrnann as 10
the probable duration Of the old mans
J illness.
The doctor assured him that the trou-
BILE was chiefly hypochondria, and that
he might live for years in the same
state. or might possibly recover as sud-
denly as he had collapsed: at all events.
the patient was in no immediate dan
ger.
The inquiry would have done no
HARM had it not been that the doctor
had a talking wife. to whom he told
everything: so before long the whole
neighborhood was saying that Jack
Ralston had been asking how long old
man Ackermann could live. OF course
the story came to Miss Ackermann's
ears. to her intense Indignation and
still greater grief. Jack could not deny
it in toto. and short of positive denial
she would listen to no explanation.
There was a quarrel, a broken engage
ment. and Jack Ralston went west.
leaving his sweetheart well nigh broken
hearted, with only duty to console her
and sometimes duty is the best conso-
lation one can have.
If he had beesI less impatient, there
would have been no trouble. Dr.. Bland
did not understand the effect which
a broken heart sometimes produces
upon the body. Mr.. Ackermann died
before the winter was over. Jack Rails
ton came home as soon as he heard the
news, but Miss Ackermann had gone
to the city with q cousin of her mother,
and was obdurate; her filial affection
found satisfaction in refusing to for
give the lover who had desired fathers
death. She would not even. see him and
SO the affair ended.
H.
Well, it was too late now. and she
was a fool to be dreaming of it, The
sermon was ended and the music of
the organ reused her to the conscious
ness of things present ands-to come:
she took part with the congregation in
the rest of the service. and then hur-
ried home to make hasty toilet for
dinner.
There was only a quiet family gath
ering. The fiance of the oldest daugh-
ter. a travelling salesman in the en-
ploy of the wholesale house. was the
life of the party. He was considered
very bright young man and a good
talker. He was at his best today and
kept them all amused with stories of
his travels, so that Miss Ackermann
had only to listen with a semblance of
interest
by the way. Miss Ackermann," he
said presently. II met an old friend of
yours on this last trip: Ralston was
the name-J. W. Ralston. 1t was in
Idaho Boise City. He is doing well in
mines out there and is quite chummy
with one OF. my best customers. who
has some money in his business. The
two We're together at my rooms in the
hotel. and he saw Minis picture ON the
keep me out of temptation-guardi
angel business you know. Min; and
he saw it. You know people say you
two look alike and the likeness COMES
out strong in that photo. 1t struck
him all of a heap. Excuse me- he
said. but will you tell me whose pic
ture that is? II looks very much like
some one l knew ten years ago
Certainly said I, that is my best
girl. She is thought very much like a
lady who lives in the same house. Miss
from New Jersey Well, it I;
turned out to be the very same. He
asked lots of questions about you, ses-
pecially whether you were married / |
gave you good character. and guess |
you'll be hearing from him before long |
Ross says he's a bachelor"
Miss Alderman. controlled herself suf- |
to smile. THANK you. we were \
friends and neighbors when / was n /
girl. she replied. and in a moment /
more they were laughing at a comical /
which the drummer was tell