Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-10-21

know!- So, you see, old fellow. | err
O-you know-I-well-er-love is for
me a dream of the joyful past. and not
a vision of the future. Miss Wethered's
knowledge of nursing might be inval-
liable to me-"
Metford groaned audibly. +.
1T must not be-" he exclaimed, in
d~ignantly. ("Shall not be-" he NUT
tered inwardly.) You don't love the
girl. You have admitted it. You are
not half as fond of her as Of that ncsz-
est pup of yours" CT would die to
ave her half a moments pain, and
don't suppose she cares a straw for me-"
he reflected bitterly.) Il feel like kick
ing you'll"
Kick me or thump me or do what
you will, old chap. My feeling is just
this: / am a worthless sort OF fellow,
have gone the pace and don't deserve
the love of any woman in the world
~
What man ever did?" growled Met
ford.
"Oh, but you haven't a notion what a
thorough bad lot I've been. Don't look
so unbelieving," proceeded the conval-
eseent. Il was going to tell you m
thing that Jess told me that makes
me tolerably sure that Miss Wethered-
but you would only scott. l never knew
such a fellow as you, upon my word"
Metford smiled illegibly.
THE position is a very simple one"
he said. Assuming that, from what
your sister has been-pardon me for
saying so-unwisely suggesting to you,
Mary-I mean Miss Wethered-cares
enough for you to marry you, a worth
less and heartless, but toierably good
looking chap like you, who, as you
justly remarked don't deserve the love
OF any woman, nor, for that matter,
the succession to one of the oldest
and wealthiest baronetcies in England
~
He paused. his face white and drawn,
lines visible upon it that were not there
when this debate began.
You haven't any love to offer her. You
don't know what love is. You merely
want to cancel a supposed debt of graft
tude by offering her your looks, your
wealth-eyerything you have excep the
only thing that a woman like Miss Weth,
cred hungers for..'
He was becoming eloquent, too eloquent,
and he perceived it.
Love will come later" Winston answer
ed confidently; gratitude is said to be
akin TO love. The girl is not quite my
style, 1 admit: but l like her-I really do.
old chap. She is passably good looking.
although, L suppose, one could hardly call
her pretty.
Metford snorted.
Sings well-suffieiently well, that is, for
drawing room purposes. % look SO
beastly scornful! OF course, you can't
appreciate anything humber than Italian
opera. She plays the piano nearly as we'll
as Jess does, talks Interestingly, and has,
l must say, the gentlest voice imaginable.
Whatever you may choose to say, you old
calculating cynic, / am more and more in
clined to agree with my sister Jess that,
If l return to India without asking the
girl to be my wife, 1 shall be the stupidest,
most ungrateful and most contemplate
beast on earth"
Il warn YOU" said Metford warmly,
that If you pretend to love Miss Wether-
ed and let her pledge herself to you, you
will repent yourself within a week, and
the girl will find you out and be the most
miserable woman on the face of Gods
earth. You won't listen to my words OF
wisdom. of course: for of all the pig head
ed, obstinate mules
"A somewhat mixed metaphor" laughed
Winston, unabashed.
MIXED metaphor be hanged! Be a man
and a gentleman! Go away undeclared.
and if, after you AVE had six months to
think about it, you feel something more
than gratitude stirring within your bosom,
get six months leave. return to England,
insert your head into the matrimonial
noose-and be hanged to your
"Beastly old cynici' declared the blase
lieutenant, 81 like your COMPOUNDED i'm
pudence talking about love. Why, I don't