Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-09-07
FOR THE BEST OF REASONS.

run IHL DLOl VI nlhVuNVs
Eii Y
Young ordway was in love. The
girl he really loved, Nan Herbert, was
the very opposite in every particular
of the girls he had loved previously.
He had opinions. He called them con-
vichons. Nan Herbert had convictions
and stood by them, and Ordway called
them quite another name-obstinacy.
One evening, after an especially pro-
voking afternoon, Nan had gone home
from tennis with another man. Ord
way called at the Herberts, determin-
ed to settle the question; ask her to
marry him. He found her at small
table when he entered the drawing
room. There were playing cards spread
out on the table, and she was studying
them intently. She looked charming.
Ordway's wrath vanished. He brought
a chair to the opposite side OF the
table. '~
"PIaying solitaireT" he asked.
''No; telling my fortune" She laid
down a card. "a dark, rather elderly
man is coming to the house"-she dealt
another card-'he loves a fair lady IN
the house; that must be me. am
the only lady In the house"
mo, it Is not; 1t Is the cook; depend
upon IL, It is the cook" said OrdWay,
reaching, and taking the cards from
her. Il will tell your fortune" lie
dealt several cards "This jack OF
clubs is a most deserving young man;
he loves a dark young lady In this
house"
at Is Annie, the chambermaid. Her
young man is coming to see her to-
night" laughed Nan, brushing the
cards into q heap, "There, you have
spoiled my fortunel shall never
know whether / love the dark, rather
elderly man or not" she pouted.
you never Will; for you are going
to love a very deserving and handsome
young man, who"
who Is whom, for instance"
"Myselfw
"Neverl You are too young" she
laughed.
Man, am in earnest"
80 am I, said Nan, with nod.
ut is possible that you think ! am
joldng7 ! am not ! love you. VIII
you marry meP he asked earnestly.
mo; you silly, nonsensical boy"
"Boyp' Indignantly. II am man,
and in earnest. Why won't you have
me, Nan? / know that you don't love
any one else"
"You don't know anything Of the
sort" retorted Nan, hotly. 81 have
three very good reasons for not marry
ing you"
Young Ordway looked hurt to the
hearts core MAY ] ask you to ex-
plain your three good reasonsY"
First. / am older than you"
"Only year." broke in Ordway. "a
year is nothing in these times"
"Next, we neither Of us have visible
means Of support"
IL would work my fingers to the
bono for you'll" cried Ordway.
"And last, and by no means least, l
know, positively that you have already
within the last year proposed to two
other girls?
Nan looked up into his face laugh
ing, saw that the boy was looking
white. panied, miserable, was really
very unhappy, and melted immediate
ly.
Arthur" she said, with sudden
resolution, "yOu are an honorable boy.
| am going to tell you something. |
am sure that my confidence will not be
misplaced"
TO Ordways establishment, selfcon-
tanned, light-hearted little Nan was
trembling with agitation, her beautiful
eyes trimming with tears.
Arthur, you say that / do not love
nny one else. / do. And have thrown
away that flower" she said, casting a
flower to the floor. II am that un.
happy / could die. l know that | de-
serve my punishment. / have mislead
you and half dozen others to crafty
my pltiful vanity, to torture the man
| love-the man that honored me with
his love. Now he despises me-has left
me foreverw she moaned, with diff
Guilty suppressing her sobs
where has he goneP asked Ord
way, alphabetically, forgetting his
own sorrow in his concern for hers.
lie leaves tonight" she said tear
fully.
# hope you are not fretting like that
for that little cad, Foster, who Is leay'
ing to-nightw he exclaimed.
mo; oh, nor
"Not that vulgar chump, Prescott,
Surelyg
no, no. no."
Suddenly Nan stood up, looking with
radiant 10y ut the door behind him,
and then gave him a beseeching look
that lie did not understand.
Colonel Rogers" announced the ser
want. Ordway whistled very audibly.
"That old dufferw he cried, under
stood Mans look, took the hint and
left precipitately.- Boston Post.