Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-10-07

nhappy marriage. the old
man repeated. and the clicking
Recommended. yet | cannot
accept this as amy excuse for
your untruthful conduct. To-
night | change my will. and
YOU may rest assured that your
name will be passed over with
the smallest possible financial
consideration. | prefer to have
YOU understand this here and
now. 1t will prevent you and
your new friends from cherish
ing any false hopes. This is all
| have To say. and no reply will
be expected Abel Mitchell. :
The young girl drew the sheet
from the machine and. bringing
it forward. laid it on the old
mans desk. Abel glanced it
through.
"A beautiful copy" he said
and carefully folded it. Then
he placed it in an envelope and
dipped pen in ink.
Il do not no his address," he
said, and knit his brows.
The girl at the end of the
desk extended her hand.
IF YOU have no objection. :
she quietly said. Il will deliver
il to him in person.
The old man looked up at the
fair face bending over him.
Why. who are YOU he
cried.
II am Alice Mitchell" said
the ycung girl.
"MitchelI." repeated Abel
duly. "M-my sons wife. And
what But the ugly words
would not come. He could not
utter them in the light of those
gentle eyes. Will you be seat
ed I" he tamely added.
Thank YOU. no" said the
girl. Il have but a few words
to say: they Will not dctain YOU
long. Abel's gaze dropped to
the letter and the will. and Il
sarcastic smile twisted his
mouth. NO. no. the girl
quickly added. Il have not
come TO plead with YOU. You
are quiet wrong To imagine
such Il thing And YOU were
quite wrong. too. to insult me
as YOU did in that letter. He
looked up again quickly. There
were tears in the gentle eyes.
And there was CLINT of fire i'm
them too.
You insulted me and YOU
insulted my dear father. |
have no mother. She paused
a moment. when YOU inSinu-
ated that my father was mer
cenary in this matter. YOU did
him Il cruel wrong He was
bitterly opposed to our marry
ing without your consent. |
diSobcved my father too. But
ii was not for your money.
This letter will bring us no
surprise.
The old man dropped his eyes
beneath her reproachful gaze.
perhaps | was hastv." he
slowly said. but the provoca-
tion was great. Then he
quickly added. But knowing
as You did that opposed the
wedding, and your father oppo-
sed it, too. why did YOU permit
yourself to marry my boy: -
II could make il clear to YOU.
| think. said the girl gently.
If YOU loved your boy
The old man trembled. If he
loved his boy. All that was
near and dear To him-all that
was left to him of kith and kin.
Tn" babe that dying wife had
solemnly placed in his paternal
arms. If he loved his boy. He
drew long breath and stared
hard at the blank envelope on
the desk before him.
And now. said the young
girl. Il only want to add that
III Nix Jim was quite wrong in
'trosSing your wishes He might
iAattDVaited. | wanted him To
wait. But. he is SO proud. SO
lsflf witled. | am very sorry
That | should be the means of
.soRarating you! and II am
squitegSure | am not worth the
fgrtsat sacrifice my dear-my
husband has made
.1iAAbel was quite sure there
were atears- in her eyes again,
! but let did not look up! "
Where is Jim now ?" he
tlf.D '>n4a4 +O .of IT, r'.u. al ,