Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-01-03

that's most charming young man,
mr. dear" said Mrs. Hunter COM
placently as she smoothed her hair for
luncheon. His name Is TOwner. and
he is from the south. He has grad
uated from Cornell and Is going abroad
on business trip. He is engaged to
q Vassar girl, a Priscilla somebody.
told him you were at Vassar and must
know her. as she is a Junior too"
"Oh. you told him I must know" re-
peated her niece.
Certainly | did. He is anxious to
meet you, and as he Is engaged OF
course it IL all right for you to know
him. Indeed, told him hoped we
should see great deal of him. He is
really delightful. and it's so convenient
to have some one to fix your chair and
run errands. you know"
Priscilla groaned. well. auntie,
you've done it this time. Mr.. Towner
is the one man In all the world would
have avoided. can't tell you the
story--it's a secret-but it's about the
girl he is engaged to. and it is going to
be very embarrassing to me-"
"Dear me. Priscilla, how | do wish
you had only told me before"' said her
aunt complainingly. Your habit Of
reticence is most annoying. I've asked
him to change his seat to the one next
you at table. and he Is going to. In
deed. he rather suggested it. So we
mil ho 10 i'm II fhu tirpn "
"Never mind. auntie; it's Nemesis.
that's ALL" said her niece. with calm
despair.
That Towner felt the frigidity Of the
atmosphere as they met at luncheon
was inevitable. But with cheerful
resolution he set himself to overcome
Miss Barton's open dislike. His tact,
his gayety. his avoidance Of all Diff.
cult subjects and, above all. the utter
absence Of questions from his CONVEX.
sation gradually thawed the chill of
the girls manner, and by the next day
she was almost her own bright. easy
self once more.
A light rain now set in. and Mrs.
Hunter was kept In the cabin for sew
eral days by fear of rheumatism. Pris.
ella, however. and Towner sat in their
cozy nook on deck and enjoyed II after
youths reckless fashion. Suddenly the
moment came so dreaded by the girl.
! "Mrs. Hunter tells me you are from
Vassar. Miss Barton, and | want to ask
you about Miss North. AS she Is In
your class you must know her, and. as
your aunt has probably told you. l am
engaged to her."
"In that case. Mr.. Towner, you must
know her far better than l." replied
Priscilla, smiling constrainedly.
Miss Barton. please don't think II
queer, but l want to tell you secret
You have been so kind to me and have
such a-well, almost sisterly way OF
treating a fellow, If you will excuse
my saying SO, that know you will ad
wise me what to do. Indeed, 1t seems
as IL my meeting you were really prov
idential."
! Don't you think, Mr.. Towner, thai
you would much better not tell me
You see, am stranger to you. and IL
a week we shall separate and probably
never meet again. and then you would
regret having confided In me. Oh,
am quite sure you would better not"
81 know ii would seem foolish under
other circumstances, Miss Barton, but
when | tell you the story you will un
derstand my anxiety, if you will allow
me?"
TT nrIu fopxuord nnd priS
ella dropped her eyes in confusion
Taking her silence for consent, he be
gan:
"You see, it was this way: I'm al
only child, and I've seen little Of young
people. l had tutor and never Wen
to school until l came north to col
lege, and you can imagine it was rath
err an ordeal to be thrown suddenl!
among so many men. kept rather t
myself and didn't meet many fellows
There was one man there, however
who was very good to me. His nam,
was Hal Somers."
Priscilla turned her head still furthe
away and picked nervously at tn
fringe of her steamer rug.
"One' day." continued Towner, "h
brought me the photograph of pref
ty girl 1t was one Of those soft. rath
err indlstinct pictures. like composite
you know, only 1t wasn't one. 1t hat
such deep, beautiful eyes and such
way Of seeming to look fellow RICH
through that 1t made strange i'm
preston on me. 1t was Of Halls cousin
a girl at yassar. Priscilla North. Well
before knew where was he got m
into a correspondence with her, b.
sending messages 6rst and then notes
! never wrote to girl before. but
all girls write as she does they are
bright set. Why. Miss Barton. her lei
tiers fairly scintillated! And no tw
were alike. There was the charm Of II
They were from grave to gay. iron
lively to severe. only all were simpl
exquisite. No wonder fell 10 Low
with her! Well. to make long stor
short. we became engaged. and ther
naturally. ! wanted to see her. An
here the strange part begins. car
not meet her. l am never to see her.
"That is-rather peculiar muI
INJURED Priscilla.
Peculiar? It's unaccountable! Sh
says she Is forbidden to make az
quaintances by her grandfather, wit
whom she lives. so can't so to tn
college. At the end Of the term sh
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