Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-04-05

w. y
| . !!:I1I
~ do 80 apant to hear ho,D the dear bog
took tt.''
answer to the announcement that all
the papers were gone. He is a grand
fellow. Rufus Broxton's own son."
II wish could have seen it,
ooh, it was short! But it had point
to it-by Jove, it had! do not sup
pose l could repeat it verbatim, but
could give you the sense of it,
''Try, John, just to give me the sense
of it. 1 do so want to hear how the
dear boy took it. / don't mean about
the fire, but about his losses. He is
so young
The old man threw back his head
with an air of pride in the son of his
| old friend.
Gle took it grandly I could not
| help thinking, when was reading that
letter, how proud it would have made
Rufus. He said he did not suppose
he was the first man who had met with
disappointments just as great on the
threshold of life; that the blow was
softened in his case by the reflection
| that no one would suffer by his losses
but himself; that if he could not pro-
| vide for his individual wants the mon
ey expended on his education had been
| poorly placed. AS it was not at all
| probable he should ever marry, the fu-
ture did not cost him an anxious
thought"
Never marry! Why. he was up to
his eyes In love with Olivia Matthews
before he left here"
Eyes, but Westover got in the way Of
that
Mrs. Govan pursued her own line of
thought in an aggrieved voice.
THAT would have made things lit
tie more even, and somehow have al
ways looked forward to seeing an
other Mrs. BroXton at the old Hail.
Events have a provoking way of
shaping their own course without any
respect for our wishes or preferences,
Matilda
i To. which sententious bit of wisdom
Matilda accorded a grave affirmative!
"But go on about TOMS letter, John"
i well, it seems that Matthews had
urged his coming here as his guest, to
stay while they We're going over the
papers, to which Tom replied that as,
owing to the unforeseen intervention
of the elements, there were no papers
to be examined it would scarcely be
advisable for him to come to AIande-
vile just now. The visit could only
be productive of pain to him and dis
comfort to Others"
"Others, 1 suppose. meant Ollie"
Mrs. Goyan interjected.
''He wound up by telling Matthews
that he begged to assure him of his
unaltered affection and confidence.
There was no room in his heart for any
other feeling toward the man his ia
Their had loved and trusted.
did he say that, John? Poor Tom!
Dear boy! Poor, poor ladder
Mrs. Goyan's tears were dropping
fast upon the sewing she had laid upon
her lap. +,
II think the reason Matthews show
, ed me that letter." said the doctor re-
hectiyely, was because he wanted me
to know just how Tom felt about
about things
Eyes; that was natural, see. But
Tom-where is he going to locate,
John? Did the letter state? Mrs. Spill
/ man was asking me this morning IL
knew where Tom was
He thinks his chances as an cleo
) trician will be best out west in some
growing place. He mentioned Kansas
> City. Shouldn't be surprised If he
! brought up there"
"And so that is the last Of the Brox
: ton name for Melton county. Dear
/ dear, what changes one does see in {
short lifetime! Why, John, about thu
time you brought me here bride thu
!, Broxtons We're just everything in thu
county. The men couldn't project any
3 county affairs Of any Importance with
S out Rufus BroXtons opinion and help
5 Mrs. Broxton led in all the social ant
church movements, and half the I'M
D married men in the county We're court
ing Lucetta."
s That's all so,' said the doctor grave
:. ly, "but it only goes to prove thu
+ mutability of human affairs"
: Mrs. Goyan refused obstinatelM ant
! always to mount her husband ssrhetor
e ical ladder. She preferred the safer |
4 FOWLER tahleland of her own practica
e reflections.
1 I'm not afraid, John, but what Ru
: fus BroAton's son can make headwai